What Matters Most? The 2024 Real Estate Market Outlook or Your Outlook?

One of the wisest things we can do is what we ought not to do and that is to predict the future of the real estate market. After all, who could have predicted that prices would soar during a worldwide pandemic? Or, that interest rates would rapidly escalate and hit the highest levels since 2000? Granted, the latest news on declining interest rates will likely mean that all that pent-up demand will result in more buyers and higher prices later this year, but who really knows for sure?

Ever-Changing Dynamics

We certainly don’t. So, instead of trying to predict what the future of real estate holds, why not look at where we are now, and more importantly, where you are now. We know that in Hawaii, prices have dipped, but marginally. We also know that inventory remains tight. And, we know that rates have started to move downward. We also know that markets are dynamic and always changing. And, because the market is so dynamic, trying to outguess it is next to impossible. It’s also next to impossible to time the market perfectly. Here’s the thing, you can’t control, change, or time the market perfectly, but perhaps you can time your decisions perfectly. Well, maybe not perfectly, but at least properly.

Market Timing Realities

When it comes to your buying and selling decisions, it’s about your timing and what is best for you. The same holds true for all your major life decisions. You can listen to all the prognosticators (and end up in a sea of confusion), or you can do a deep dive into your own personal and financial situation and try to make properly informed decisions based on your own set of circumstances and on your own personal goals. As we head into 2024, here are some key questions you can ask yourself that will help you determine the best decisions for you and the best timing for those decisions:

1. What are my goals and what do I want in the new year?
2. What changes do I want to make in my life and how do I make those changes?
3. How can I improve my lifestyle, my health, and my well-being?
4. What do I need to leave behind?
5. Where do I want to be one year from now? Five years from now?

Shaping Your Future

These are just a few questions you need to ask yourself. The point is that regardless of the outlook of the real estate market, your outlook depends largely on you and the decisions you make. Effective decision-making is critical to your future success. So take your time, be thoughtful, gather information from the experts in their field, determine the urgency and necessity of your decisions, and above all else, drown out all the superfluous noise. Stop predicting and start planning and preparing for your future. What matters most is your outlook. And, your outlook will be bright when you arrive at the best decisions for you.