The Real Estate Wonk: New real estate poll: Staying or moving - Baltimore homes, apartments, real estate: Buying, selling, renting and housing news from reporter Jamie Smith Hopkins

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August 30, 2009

New real estate poll: Staying or moving

Few of us stay in the same house all our lives -- it's the nature of our transient society, not to mention our penchant for moving out of Mom and Dad's when we grow up.

I've been wondering, though, how many people are staying put when they'd rather not. Homeowners stuck because their mortgage balances are higher than their values, for instance. Or folks leery of getting a bigger place (for rent or sale) because of recession-fueled job insecurity.

I'm in the second group, as it happens. What little space I have is chock full of baby gear, but you sort of think twice about taking on more debt when your employer is in bankruptcy.

So share with me: Are you satisfied with your home? Wish you could move on, but can't?

And while you're at it, share how long you've been where you are:

Posted by Jamie Smith Hopkins at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Polls

Comments

Interesting poll. 57% of those polled today say they are happy where they are living and have no plans to move.

Here in the Orlando-Central Florida market we are facing the same things you are experiencing. Owners upside down an unable to sale unless it is a short sale.

Posted by: Orlando Real Estate | August 30, 2009 2:33 PM

My place is full of baby gear too and we've clearly outgrown our apartment. But I don't think the market has bottomed out yet (wait until the 8K credit runs out) and also I'm saving for a bigger downpayment so that I don't have to pay PMI.

Thank you for the very educational blog - it helped me to realize that there is life in the 250K price segment. It might not be my dream home, but it's better than being "upside down".

Posted by: Jelena | August 31, 2009 1:59 PM

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About Jamie Smith Hopkins

Jamie Smith Hopkins, a Baltimore Sun reporter since 1999, writes about the regional economy. Her reporting on the housing market has won national and local awards. Hopkins is a Columbia native and has lived in Maryland all her life, save for 10 months spent covering schools in Ames, Iowa.
She trained to become a wonk by spending large chunks of time as a geek and an insufferable know-it-all.
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