Posts in category 'Press Releases Interviews'

RealTrends 500 - Best Real Estate Brokerages in Iowa link

Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors has once again been ranked as the largest independent real estate company in Iowa for 2024, according to the RealTrends 500 report. The annual report ranks the top 500 real estate firms in the United States based on residential transaction sides and sales volume. Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors ranked 123rd nationally based on 4,181 transactions closed.

RealTrends 500 ranks companies on residential transactions only. When farm and land, and commercial transactions are included, Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors closed 4,231 sides in 2024. On average, Ruhl agents closed 15....

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The Federal Housing Finance Agency published the 2024 Q4 Housing Price Index report, and national data show home prices rose 4.5 percent between the fourth quarter of 2023 and the fourth quarter of 2024. House prices were up 1.4 percent compared to the third quarter of 2024. FHFA's seasonally adjusted monthly index for December was up 0.4 percent from November. Nationally, the U.S. housing market has experienced positive annual appreciation each quarter since the start of 2012. The five-year home appreciation in our region was between 39.04% and 43.67%, with all of our regional Metropolitan Statistical Areas experiencing positive gains. 

In the past year, home prices in our markets have increased: 3.04% in Cedar Rapids and 4.87% in the Quad Cities. This compares to other cities: Des Moines, 4.10%, and Chicago, 6.77%. Of course, there is variation based on price range and location of properties, with more affordable properties appreciating more and expensive properties appreciating less.

Information courtesy of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) for the fourth quarter of 2024. FHFA stats always run one-quarter behind. Their full report is available at www.fhfa.gov.

"U.S. house prices grew at a slightly higher rate in the fourth quarter after three straight previous quarters of weaker appreciation," said Dr. Anju Vajja, Deputy Director for FHFA's Division of Research and Statistics. "The price growth accelerated during the quarter as the inventory of homes for sale tightened even further."

"Home price appreciation across our region remained positive on an annual basis in 2024, even though values softened by about 0.5% in the fourth quarter. The reported year-over-year gains, ranging from just over 3% to nearly 5% across our region, reflect the ongoing impact of strong demand and limited supply. While short-term adjustments are normal, the long-term trend remains healthy, with nearly 40% appreciation over the past five years. This sustained growth continues to reinforce the value of homeownership as a sound long-term investment. With interest rates easing and affordability improving, we're optimistic we'll see continued stability and a very active spring market," said Chris Beason, President of Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors.

Wondering how appreciation has affected your home? Contact your Ruhl&Ruhl Realtor to receive your free market analysis! Or contact us at 1.866.441.1776 or customerservice@ruhlhomes.com to be put in touch with a local, trusted expert!

The Federal Housing Finance Agency published the 2024 Q1 Housing Price Index report and national data shows home prices rose 6.6 percent between the first quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024. House prices were up 1.1 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. Nationally, the U.S. housing market has experienced positive annual appreciation each quarter since the start of 2012.

The five-year home appreciation in our region was between 32.01% and 41.71% with all of our regional Metropolitan Statistical Areas experiencing positive gains. 

In the past year, home prices in our markets have increased: +3.08% in Iowa City; +8.25% in Cedar Rapids; and +8.05% in the Quad Cities. This compares to other cities: Des Moines +5.28% and Chicago +7.89%. Of course, there is variation based on price range and location of properties, with more affordable properties appreciating more and expensive properties appreciating less. 

Information courtesy of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) for the first quarter of 2024. FHFA stats always run one-quarter behind. Their full report is available at www.fhfa.gov.  

"U.S. house prices continued to grow at a steady pace in the first quarter," said Dr. Anju Vajja, Deputy Director for FHFA's Division of Research and Statistics. "Over the last six consecutive quarters, the low inventory of homes for sale continued to contribute to house price appreciation despite mortgage rates that hovered around 7 percent."

"Home prices in our markets continue to show healthy growth, driven by limited inventory and steady demand. This positive trend mirrors national patterns and highlights the resilience of our local housing market. The current supply and demand dynamics generally favor sellers in most locations and price points in our region. Demand remains strong despite higher interest rates, and while inventory has risen slightly, we are still averaging less than 2 months of housing inventory. This means we can expect appreciation to exceed the 20-year regional average of 3.5% in the foreseeable future. Additionally, with mortgage rates projected to come down slightly over the next year, we anticipate further boosts in demand, continuing this positive trend. Buyers can enter the market with confidence, knowing their investment will grow steadily," said Chris Beason, President of Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors.

Wondering how appreciation has affected your home? Contact your Ruhl&Ruhl Realtor to receive your free market analysis! Or contact us at 1.866.441.1776 or customerservice@ruhlhomes.com to be put in touch with a local, trusted expert!

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Beason as President of NAI Ruhl Commercial Company. Chris, who has been leading the residential company, Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors, as its President, now extends his leadership to encompass the commercial division. He joins John G. Ruhl, who will continue as a principal and on the leadership team in his new role as Managing Director, focusing on key strategy initiatives for company growth and direction, Chairman of the Leadership Board, brokerage for clients, as well as management of his investment portfolio.

Alongside Chris, we also congratulate Pete Hadjis, who has been named as Sales Manager/Vice President for NAI Ruhl Commercial Company.

Chris Beason shared his vision for the company, stating, "I am honored to take on the role of President at NAI Ruhl Commercial. My focus will be on driving innovation and collaborati...

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Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors had the pleasure of speaking with Redrick Terry on KWQC's ISI6HT. CEO, Caroline Ruhl and President, Chris Beason discuss what's been happening in the current QC housing market and 2023 real estate trends. Chris Schneider with Ruhl Mortgage also talks about the interest rates and costs related to mortgage.

Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors always aims to keep you up-to-date with accurate information on the housing market and economy.

To see the full video, click the link below:

https://www.kwqc.com/2023/03/20/current-state-future-trends-qc-real-estate-market/

About Ruhl&Ruhl REALTORS

A family-owned company since 1862, Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors has grown to 321 sales associates, 63 employees and ten offices, selling more than 5,200 homes in eastern Iowa, western Illinois and southwest Wisconsin. The company has residential sales offices in Bettendorf, Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Davenport, DeWitt, Dubuque, Iowa City, Muscatine, Iowa; and Moline, Illinois. In addition to residential sales, the company offers services in relocation, property management, real estate investments, new home sales, land development, farm and land sales, senior services, home vendor services, insurance services through the Nelson Brothers Agency, mortgage services through Ruhl Mortgage, and commercial services through NAI Ruhl Commercial Company.

About Ruhl Mortgage

Ruhl Mortgage is a full-service mortgage banker with experienced staff, offering expertise in every area of mortgage lending - from purchase to refinance to construction lending.

Ruhl Mortgage offers purchase and refinance loans, including FHA, VA and Rural Development loans, second home loans, down payment and closing cost assistance programs, and loans for investment properties and relocations

Ruhl Mortgage offers portfolio, bridge and new construction loans through our partnership with Quad City Bank & Trust

Our strength lies in the knowledge and experience of our loan officers, who have been in the industry for decades and have successfully handled all types of home buying situations. We are here to respond in a professional manner and are readily available to answer questions, address issues, and move through the mortgage process smoothly.