Some Highlights: Thinking of moving across the country? How far will your money take you? The majority of states in the Midwest and South offer a lower cost of living compared to Northeast and Western states. The ‘Biggest Bang for your Buck’ comes in Mississippi where, compared to the national average, you can actually purchase $116.01 worth of goods for $100. For more information regarding the methodology used to create the map, visit the Tax Foundation. … [Read more...]
Millennial Homeownership Rate Increases
Recent headlines exclaimed the homeownership rate, as reported by the Census Bureau, rose again in the second quarter of 2017. What didn’t get much attention in the reports is that the homeownership rate for American households under the age of 35 increased a full percentage point from last quarter’s 34.3% to 35.3%. Millennials proved to have the highest increase of any age group. This came as a surprise to some considering Millennials have come to be known as the “renter” generation. … [Read more...]
Be Careful Not to Get Caught in The Rental Trap!
There are many benefits to homeownership. One of the top benefits is being able to protect yourself from rising rents by locking in your housing cost for the life of your mortgage. Don’t Become Trapped A recent article by ConsumerAffairs addressed the continuous rise in rents, stating: “The cost of putting a roof over your head continues to go up. Not only are home prices still rising, but the cost of rent rose 0.5% in June.” Additionally, in the Joint Center for Housing … [Read more...]
Buyer Demand Continues Outpacing the Supply of Homes for Sale
The price of any item is determined by the supply of that item, as well as the market demand. The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) surveys “over 50,000 real estate practitioners about their expectations for home sales, prices and market conditions” for their monthly REALTORS Confidence Index. Their latest edition sheds some light on the relationship between Seller Traffic (supply) and Buyer Traffic (demand). Buyer Demand The map below was created after asking the … [Read more...]
Inventory Drops Again, Sales Slow [INFOGRAPHIC]
Highlights: Existing Home Sales are now at an annual pace of 5.52 million. Inventory of existing homes for sale dropped to a 4.3-month supply, marking the 25th month in a row of declines. The median price of homes sold in June was $263,800. This is the 64th consecutive month of year-over-year price gains. … [Read more...]
Americans Still Believe Real Estate is Best Long-Term Investment
According to Bankrate’s latest Financial Security Index Poll, Americans who have money to set aside for the next 10 years would rather invest in real estate than any other type of investment. Bankrate asked Americans to answer the following question: “What is the best way to invest money you wouldn’t need for 10 years or more?” Real Estate came in as the top choice with 28% of all respondents (3% higher than last year), while cash investments – such as savings accounts and … [Read more...]
Singles Are Falling for Their Dream Home First [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights: According to NAR’s Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, the share of recent homebuyers who were single at the time of purchase held steady at 24% last year. The percentage of first-time buyers who were single females rose to 17% (up from 16%), as the share of single men dropped from 11% to 8%. The primary reason for buying a home amongst singles was the desire to own a home of their own (38% for women and 37% for men). … [Read more...]
84% of Americans Believe Buying a Home is a Good Financial Decision
According to the National Association of Realtors®’ 2017 National Housing Pulse Survey, 84% of Americans now believe that purchasing a home is a good financial decision. This is the highest percentage since 2007 – before the housing crisis. Those surveyed pointed out five major reasons why they believe homeownership is a good financial decision: Homeownership means the money you spend on housing goes towards building equity, rather than to a landlord Homeownership creates the opportunity to pay off … [Read more...]
3 Tips to Succeed in Today’s Real Estate Market
In today’s highly competitive real estate market, where inventory levels are not keeping up with the constant stream of buyer demand, there are steps you can take to ensure you are most prepared for success when buying a home. The 3 tips we are going to expand on today come from a recent blog by Trulia entitled, The Skinny on Skinny Inventory. 1. Be Prepared “Homebuyers should talk with a lender, real estate agent, and a home inspector BEFORE finding a home to make an offer on.” Being … [Read more...]
3 Questions to Ask Before You Buy Your Dream Home
If you are debating purchasing a home right now, you are probably getting a lot of advice. Though your friends and family will have your best interests at heart, they may not be fully aware of your needs and what is currently happening in the real estate market. Ask yourself the following 3 questions to help determine if now is a good time for you to buy in today’s market. 1. Why am I buying a home in the first place? This is truly the most important question to answer. Forget the finances for a minute. … [Read more...]
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