There are many financial and non-financial benefits of homeownership, and the greatest financial one is wealth creation. Homeownership has always been the first rung on the ladder that leads to forming household wealth. As Freddie Mac explains: “Homeownership has cemented its role as part of the American Dream, providing families with a place that is their own and an avenue for building wealth over time. This ‘wealth’ is built, in large part, through the creation of equity…Building equity through your monthly … [Read more...]
How to Make a Winning Offer on a Home
Today’s homebuyers are faced with a strong sellers’ market, which means there are a lot of active buyers competing for a relatively low number of available homes. As a result, it’s essential to understand how to make a confident and competitive offer on your dream home. Here are five tips for success in this critical stage of the homebuying process. 1. Listen to Your Real Estate Advisor An article from Freddie Mac gives direction on making an offer on a home. From the start, it emphasizes how trusted professionals … [Read more...]
How to Be a Competitive Buyer in Today’s Housing Market [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights With so few houses for sale today, it’s important to be prepared when you’re ready to buy a home. Meeting with your lender early, knowing your must-haves and nice-to-haves, preparing for a bidding war, and keeping your emotions in check are all ways to gain confidence in the homebuying process. If you’re looking for an expert guide to help you navigate today’s lightning-fast housing market, let’s connect today. … [Read more...]
Will the Housing Market Bloom This Spring?
Spring is almost here, and many are wondering what it will bring for the housing market. Even though the pandemic continues on, it’s certain to be very different from the spring we experienced at this time last year. Here’s what a few industry experts have to say about the housing market and how it will bloom this season. Danielle Hale, Chief Economist, realtor.com: “Despite early weakness, we expect to see new listings grow in March and April as they traditionally do heading into spring, and last year’s … [Read more...]
6 Simple Graphs Proving This Is Nothing Like Last Time
Last March, many involved in the residential housing industry feared the market would be crushed under the pressure of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. Instead, real estate had one of its best years ever. Home sales and prices were both up substantially over the year before. 2020 was so strong that many now fear the market’s exuberance mirrors that of the last housing boom and, as a result, we’re now headed for another crash. However, there are many reasons this real estate market is nothing like 2008. Here are six … [Read more...]
How Upset Should You Be about 3% Mortgage Rates?
Last Thursday, Freddie Mac announced that their 30-year fixed mortgage rate was over 3% (3.02%) for the first time since last July. That news dominated real estate headlines that day and the next. Articles talked about the “negative impact” it may have on the housing market. However, we should realize two things: 1. The bump-up in rate should not have surprised anyone. Many had already projected that rates would rise slightly as we proceeded through the year. 2. Freddie Mac’s comments about the rate increase were … [Read more...]
How Smart Is It to Buy a Home Today?
Whether you’re buying your first home or selling your current house, if your needs are changing and you think you need to move, the decision can be complicated. You may have to take personal or professional considerations into account, and only you can judge what impact those factors should have on your desire to move. However, there’s one category that provides a simple answer. When deciding to buy now or wait until next year, the financial aspect of the purchase is easy to evaluate. You just need to ask yourself … [Read more...]
What Are the Benefits of a 20% Down Payment?
If you’re thinking of buying a home this year, you may be wondering how much money you need to come up with for your down payment. Many people may think it’s 20% of the loan to secure a mortgage. While there are plenty of lower down payment options available for qualified buyers who don’t want to put 20% down, it’s important to understand how a larger down payment can have great benefits too. The truth is, there are many programs available that allow you to put down as little as 3.5%, which can be a huge benefit to … [Read more...]
Are There Going to Be More Homes to Buy This Year?
If you’re looking for a home to purchase right now and having trouble finding one, you’re not alone. At a time like this when there are so few houses for sale, it’s normal to wonder if you’ll actually find one to buy. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), across the country, inventory of available homes for sale is at an all-time low – the lowest point recorded since NAR began tracking this metric in 1982. There are, however, more homes expected to hit the market later this year. Let’s break down … [Read more...]
The Reason Mortgage Rates Are Projected to Increase and What It Means for You
We’re currently experiencing historically low mortgage rates. Over the last fifty years, the average on a Freddie Mac 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has been 7.76%. Today, that rate is 2.81%. Flocks of homebuyers have been taking advantage of these remarkably low rates over the last twelve months. However, there’s no guarantee rates will remain this low much longer. Whenever we try to forecast mortgage rates, we should consider the advice of Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American: “You know, the fallacy of … [Read more...]
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