There are many potential homebuyers, and even sellers, who believe that you need at least a 20% down payment in order to buy a home, or move on to their next home. Time after time, we have dispelled this myth by showing that there are many loan programs that allow you to put down as little as 3% (or 0% with a VA loan).If you have saved up your down payment and are ready to start your home search, one other piece of the puzzle is to make sure that you have saved enough for your closing costs.Freddie Mac defines … [Read more...]
Strong Buyer Demand Continues to Outpace Inventory 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 DemandThe map below was created after asking the question: “How would your rate … [Read more...]
Lack of Existing Home Sales Inventory Impacting Sales [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights:Existing home inventory is down 10.1% from last year.A lack of inventory explains the modest increase in home sales (0.8% year-over-year) despite strong buyer demand.Existing home prices increased 5.1% year-over-year, which is directly related to the lack of inventory. … [Read more...]
Why We All Need A ‘Phil Dunphy’ On Our Side
Whether or not you’ve ever seen an episode of Modern Family, or know who Phil Dunphy’s character is, the concept of knowing that you have someone in your corner who is looking out for your best interests is something we all want.When it comes to buying a home, whether you are a rookie homebuyer or have gone through the process many times, having a local real estate expert who is well versed in the neighborhood you are looking to move into, and the trends of the area, should be your goal.For those who … [Read more...]
US Housing Market Moving Further into ‘Buy Territory’
According to the latest Beracha, Hardin & Johnson Buy vs. Rent (BH&J) Index, the U.S. housing market has continued to move deeper into buy territory, supporting the belief that housing markets across the country remain a sound investment.The BH&J Index is a quarterly report that attempts to answer the question:In today’s housing market, is it better to rent or buy a home?The index examines the entire US housing market and then isolates 23 major cities for comparison. The researchers … [Read more...]
4 Reasons to Buy This Fall
It’s that time of year; the seasons are changing and with them come thoughts of the upcoming holidays, family get-togethers, and planning for a new year. Those who are on the fence about whether or not now is the right time to buy don’t have to look much further to find four great reasons to consider buying a home now, instead of waiting.1. Prices Will Continue to RiseCoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index reports that home prices have appreciated by 6% over the last 12 months. The same report … [Read more...]
Foreclosure Rate Drops to Pre-Crisis Levels [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights:Only 2.9% of homes are in serious delinquency, down 17.1% from July 2015.This is the 57th consecutive month with a year-over-year decline.The national foreclosure rate has returned to August 2007 levels, at only 0.9%. … [Read more...]
5 Stats that Prove the Real Estate Market is Getting Stronger
Whenever there is talk about an improving housing market, some begin to show concern that we may be headed toward another housing bubble that will be followed by a crash similar to the one we saw last decade.Here are five data points that show the housing market will continue to recover, and that a new housing crisis is not about to take shape.1) Mortgage availability is increasing, but is nowhere near the levels we saw in 2004-2006.A buyer’s chances of being approved for a mortgage have increased over the … [Read more...]
Ready to Make an Offer? 4 Tips for Success
So you’ve been searching for that perfect house to call a ‘home’ and you finally found one! The price is right, and in such a competitive market you want to make sure you make a good offer so that you can guarantee your dream of making this house yours comes true!Freddie Mac covered “4 Tips for Making an Offer” in their latest Executive Perspective. Here are the 4 Tips they covered along with some additional information for your consideration:1. Understand How Much You Can … [Read more...]
76% Of US Homeowners Now Have at Least 20% Equity in Their Homes!
CoreLogic’s latest Equity Report revealed that 91.1% of all mortgaged properties are now in a positive equity situation, while 75.9% now have significant equity (defined as more than 20%)! The report also revealed that 548,000 households regained equity in the second quarter of 2016 and are no longer under water.Price Appreciation = Good News for HomeownersFrank Nothaft, CoreLogic’s Chief Economist, explains:“Home-value gains have played a large part in restoring home equity. … [Read more...]
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