By MICHELLE CABRERA
MLS Coordinator, Kosciusko Board of Realtors

Realtors are more optimistic as they head into the spring-selling season, with their housing outlook for the next six months looking more upbeat, according to the January Realtors Confidence Index, a survey of more than 4,000 realtors on the latest housing conditions in their local markets.

Even though housing activity has been bumpy so far, as the National Association of Realtors reported this week that existing-home sales tumbled to a nine-month low in January, economists polled by Reuters are optimistic that a turnaround will occur due to a strengthening job market that is expected to offset some of that drag.

Realtors cited the effect of mortgage rates that have been less than 4 percent lately and a reduction in Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance premiums as two big reasons for renewed optimism. Some national markets, however, did show a slight dip in confidence in Jan. In some areas of the country the harsh weather was causing market slowdowns.

Per Marcia Anderson, 2015 President Kosciusko Board of Realtors, here in Kosciusko County in spite of colder than normal temps and snow, county-wide real estate activity was still good. Marcia shared, “In fact, we are short on inventory in certain price ranges. Interest rates continue to be low for now, both buyers and sellers can take advantage of that. Kosciusko County remains a very favorable place to do business and be a homeowner.”