Some Highlights:The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently released their latest Quarterly Home Price Index report.In the report, home prices are compared both regionally and by state.Based on the latest numbers, if you plan on relocating to another state, waiting to move may end up costing you more!Vermont was the only one state where home prices are actually lower than they were last year. … [Read more...]
New Construction Numbers: Now Versus 2005
There is some thinking that the pace of the housing recovery is unsustainable and that we may be heading for another housing bubble. However, Jonathan Smoke, the Chief Economist of realtor.com explains the basic difference between 2005 and today:“The havoc during the last cycle was the result of building too many homes and of speculation fueled by loose credit. That’s the exact opposite of what we have today.”If we look at the number of new single family housing starts over the last 30 years, we … [Read more...]
Is the Current Pace of Home Sales Sustainable?
There are some experts questioning whether the current pace of residential home sales is sustainable. Are too many people buying homes like in 2004-2006? Are we headed for another housing crisis? Actually, if we look closely at the numbers, we can see that we are looking at a very healthy real estate market.Why the concern?Some are looking at the last three years of home sales and comparing them to the three years just prior to the housing bubble. Looking at the graph below, we can understand that thinking.However, … [Read more...]
Flood Insurance Map Changes in Orleans Parish
If you’re a resident of Orleans Parish or considering buying a house in Orleans Parish, listen up! Flood insurance map changes are taking effect on September 30, 2016, and it will mean good news for 73% of properties in New Orleans. The large number of homes will be removed from the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), 23% will remain unchanged, and 4% will move to a higher risk flood zone. Regardless of where you live in Orleans Parish, we recommend taking a few minutes to understand the upcoming flood insurance map … [Read more...]
Want to Get an A? Hire A Real Estate Pro [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights:Hiring a Real Estate Professional to buy your dream home, or sell your current house, is one of the most 'educated' decisions you can make!A Real Estate Professional has the experience needed to help you through the entire process.Make sure that you hire someone who knows current market conditions & can simply & effectively explain them to you & your family! … [Read more...]
The Housing Market is Doing Just Fine
There are some that think that housing affordability is a challenge. Historically, that’s not true. Others think that home prices are approaching bubble values. If we look back over the last sixteen years, that is also not the case. As a matter of fact, the numbers show that the U.S. residential real estate market is doing just fine.Here are two articles and excerpts that make this point:The Housing Market Is Finally Starting to Look Healthy – The NY Times“It has been an excruciatingly long time … [Read more...]
Home Values: DEFINITELY NOT in Bubble Range!!
There are some industry pundits claiming that residential home values have risen too quickly and that current levels are on the verge of another housing bubble. It is easy to see how this thinking has taken form if we look at a graph of home prices from 2000 to today.The graph definitely looks like a rollercoaster ride. And, as prices begin to reach 2006 levels again, it “seems logical” that the next part of the ride would be downhill. However, this graph includes the anomaly of the price bubble and the … [Read more...]
Why Is There So Much Paperwork to Sign to Get a Mortgage?
We are often asked why there is so much paperwork mandated by the bank for a mortgage loan application when buying a home today. It seems that the bank needs to know everything about us and requires three separate sources to validate each and every entry on the application form.Many buyers are being told by friends and family that the process was a hundred times easier when they bought their home ten to twenty years ago.There are two very good reasons that the loan process is much more … [Read more...]
Don’t Get Caught in the Rental Trap!
There are many benefits to homeownership. One of the top ones is being able to protect yourself from rising rents and lock in your housing cost for the life of your mortgage.Don’t Become TrappedJonathan Smoke, Chief Economist at realtor.com, reported on what he calls a “Rental Affordability Crisis.” He warns that,“Low rental vacancies and a lack of new rental construction are pushing up rents, and we expect that they’ll outpace home price appreciation in the year ahead.”In the … [Read more...]
How Supply & Demand Impacts the Real Estate Market [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights:The Concept of Supply & Demand is a simple one. The best time to sell something is when supply of that item is low & demand for that item is high!Anything under a 6-month supply is a Seller’s Market!There has not been a 6-months inventory supply since August 2012!Buyer Demand continues to out-pace Seller Supply! … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 152
- 153
- 154
- 155
- 156
- …
- 163
- Next Page »
