Some Highlights:Distressed property sales fell to its lowest number since NAR began tracking it in 2008.As you can see, with less distressed properties, sales are up in all price ranges except the $0 - $100K price range.Interest rates are still at historic lows, signifying that now is the right time to buy! … [Read more...]
The ‘Great News’ About Rising Prices
Recently there has been a lot of talk about home prices and if they are accelerating too quickly. In some areas of the country, seller supply (homes for sale) cannot keep up with the number of buyers out looking for a home, which has caused prices to rise.The great news about rising prices, however, is that according to CoreLogic’s latest US Economic Outlook, the average American household gained over $11,000 in equity over the course of the last year, largely due to home value increases.The map below was … [Read more...]
Starting to Look for a Home? Know What You WANT vs. What You NEED
In this day and age of being able to shop for anything anywhere, it is really important to know what you’re looking for when you start your home search.If you’ve been thinking about buying a home of your own for some time now, you’ve probably come up with a list of things that you’d LOVE to have in your new home. Many new homebuyers fantasize about the amenities that they see on television or Pinterest, and start looking at the countless homes listed for sale with rose-colored glasses.Do you … [Read more...]
How Historically Low Interest Rates Increase Your Purchasing Power
According to Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, interest rates for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage are currently at 3.47%. Rates have remained at or below 3.5% each of the last 16 weeks, marking a historic low.The interest rate you secure when buying a home not only greatly impacts your monthly housing costs, but also impacts your purchasing power.Purchasing power, simply put, is the amount of home you can afford buy for the budget you have available to spend. As rates increase, the price of … [Read more...]
Don’t Disqualify Yourself… Over Half of All Loans Approved Have a FICO Score Under 750
The results of countless studies have shown that potential home buyers, and even current homeowners, have an inflated view of what is really required to qualify for a mortgage in today’s market.One such study by the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, revealed that many Millennials have not yet considered purchasing a home, simply because they don’t believe they can qualify for a mortgage.The article quoted Jessica Lautz, the National Association of … [Read more...]
Top Ranked St. Tammany Parish Public Schools
According to National Association of Realtors, one of the most influential factors when considering the purchase of a home is the quality and proximity of the schools. Top Ranked St. Tammany Parish Public Schools can have a big impact on home values. In fact, 1 out of 5 buyers say they are willing to pay between 6 – 10% more for a home to be in a top ranked school district and 1 out of 10 buyers say they will pay as much as 20% more to be in a top ranked school district. What exactly does this mean to you as a … [Read more...]
Do You Know the Cost of Renting vs. Buying? [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights:Historically, the choice between renting or buying a home has been a close decision.Looking at the percentage of income needed to rent a median priced home today (30%) vs. the percentage needed to buy a median priced home (15%), the choice becomes obvious.Every market is different. Before you renew your lease again, find out if you could use your housing costs to own a home of your own! … [Read more...]
Appraisers & Homeowners Don’t See Eye-To-Eye on Values
In today’s housing market, where supply is very low and demand is very high, home values are increasing rapidly. Many experts are projecting that home values could appreciate by another 5%+ over the next twelve months. One major challenge in such a market is the bank appraisal.If prices are surging, it is difficult for appraisers to find adequate, comparable sales (similar houses in the neighborhood that closed recently) to defend the selling price when performing the appraisal for the bank.Every month, … [Read more...]
The Role Access Plays in Getting Your House SOLD!
So you’ve decided to sell your house. You’ve hired a real estate professional to help you with the entire process and they have asked you what level of access you want to provide to potential buyers.There are four elements to a quality listing. At the top of the list is Access, followed by Condition, Financing and Price. There are many levels of access that you could provide to your agent to be able to show your home.Here are five levels of access that you could give a buyer with a brief … [Read more...]
The Past, Present & Future of Home Prices
CoreLogic released their most current Home Price Index last week. In the report, they revealed home appreciation in three categories: percentage appreciation over the last year, over the last month and projected over the next twelve months.Here are state maps for each category: The Past – home appreciation over the last 12 monthsThe Present – home appreciation over the last monthThe Future – home appreciation projected over the next 12 monthsBottom LineHomes … [Read more...]
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