You may have heard that the Federal Reserve raised rates last week… But what does that mean if you are looking to buy a home in the near future? Many in the housing industry have predicted that the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the policy-making arm of the Federal Reserve, would vote to raise the federal fund's target rate at their December meeting. For only the second time in a decade, this is exactly what happened. There were many factors that contributed to the 0.25 point increase (from 0.50 to … [Read more...]
Student Loans = Higher Credit Scores
According to a recent analysis by CoreLogic, Millennial renters (aged 20-34) who have student loan debt also have higher credit scores than those who do not have student loans.This may come as a surprise, as there is so much talk about student loans burdening Millennials and holding them back from many milestones that previous generations have been able to achieve (i.e. homeownership, investing for retirement).CoreLogic used the information provided on rental applications and the applicants’ credit history … [Read more...]
Whether You Rent or Buy: Either Way You’re Paying a Mortgage
There are some renters who have not yet purchased a home because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. Everyone should realize that, unless you are living with your parents rent free, you are paying a mortgage - either yours or your landlord’s.As an owner, your mortgage payment is a form of ‘forced savings’ that allows you to build equity in your home that you can tap into later in life. As a renter, you guarantee your landlord is the person with that equity.Are you ready … [Read more...]
2 Tips to Ensure You Get the Most Money When Selling Your House
Every homeowner wants to make sure they get the best price when selling their home. But how do you guarantee that you receive maximum value for your house? Here are two keys to ensuring you get the highest price possible.1. Price it a LITTLE LOW This may seem counterintuitive. However, let’s look at this concept for a moment. Many homeowners think that pricing their home a little OVER market value will leave them room for negotiation. In actuality, this just dramatically lessens the demand for your house … [Read more...]
The Impact Your Interest Rate Has on Your Buying Power [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights:Your monthly housing cost is directly tied to the price of the home you purchase and the interest rate you secure for your mortgage.Over the last 30 years, interest rates have fluctuated greatly with rates in the double digits in the 1980s, all the way down to the near 4% we are experiencing now.Your purchasing power is greatly impacted by the interest rate you secure. Act now before rates go up! … [Read more...]
Why You Shouldn’t Take Your House Off the Market During the Holidays
If you are one of the many homeowners who is debating taking your home off the market for the next few weeks, don’t! You will miss the great opportunity you have right now!The latest Existing Home Sales Report from The National Association of Realtors (NAR), revealed that the inventory of homes for sale has dropped to a 4.3-month supply.Historically, a 6-month supply is necessary for a ‘normal’ market, explained below:There are more buyers that are ready, willing, and able to buy now than there … [Read more...]
The #1 Reason to Sell Now… Not Next Spring
The price of any item (including residential real estate) is determined by ‘supply and demand’. If many people are looking to buy an item and the supply of that item is limited, the price of that item increases.According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the supply of homes for sale dramatically increases every spring. As an example, here is what happened to housing inventory at the beginning of 2016:Putting your home on the market now instead of waiting for increased … [Read more...]
Building Your Family’s Wealth Over the Next 5 Years
Over the next five years, home prices are expected to appreciate 3.24% per year on average and to grow by 21.4% cumulatively, according to Pulsenomics’ most recent Home Price Expectation Survey.So, what does this mean for homeowners and their equity position?As an example, let’s assume a young couple purchases and closes on a $250,000 home in January. If we look at only the projected increase in the price of that home, how much equity will they earn over the next 5 years?Since the experts predict that … [Read more...]
Home Prices: Where Will They Be in 5 Years?
Today, many real estate conversations center on housing prices and where they may be headed. That is why we like the Home Price Expectation Survey.Every quarter, Pulsenomics surveys a nationwide panel of over one hundred economists, real estate experts, and investment & market strategists about where they believe prices are headed over the next five years. They then average the projections of all 100+ experts into a single number.The results of their latest survey:Home values will appreciate by 4.0% over the … [Read more...]
Americans Are on The Move [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights:For the 4th year in a row, the Northeast saw a concentration of High Outbound activity.Oregon held on to the top stop of High Inbound states for the 3rd year in a row.Much of this Outbound activity can be attributed to Boomers relocating to warmer climates after retiring. … [Read more...]
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