Some Highlights:For the 5th year in a row, the Northeast saw a concentration of “High Outbound” activity.For the first time ever, South Dakota held the top spot for “High Inbound” states.Much of America’s outbound activity can be attributed to Boomers relocating to warmer climates after retiring. … [Read more...]
Mortgage Rates Impact on 2017 Home Values
There is no doubt that historically low mortgage interest rates were a major impetus to housing recovery over the last several years. However, many industry experts are showing concern about the possible effect that the rising rates will have moving forward.The Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the National Association of Realtors are all projecting that mortgage interest rates will move upward in 2017. Increasing interest rates will definitely impact purchasers and may stifle demand.In a … [Read more...]
Over Half of All Buyers Are Surprised by Closing Costs
According to a recent survey conducted by ClosingCorp, over half of all homebuyers are surprised by the closing costs required to obtain their mortgage.After surveying 1,000 first-time and repeat homebuyers, the results revealed that 17% of homebuyers were surprised that closing costs were required at all, while another 35% were stunned by how much higher the fees were than expected.“Homebuyers reported being most surprised by mortgage insurance, followed by bank fees and points, taxes, title insurance and … [Read more...]
How Long Do Most Families Stay in Their Home?
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) keeps historical data on many aspects of homeownership. One of the data points that has changed dramatically is the median tenure of a family in a home. As the graph below shows, for over twenty years (1985-2008), the median tenure averaged exactly six years. However, since 2008, that average is almost nine years – an increase of almost 50%.Why the dramatic increase?The reasons for this change are plentiful!The fall in home prices during the housing crisis … [Read more...]
Where Are the Home Prices Heading in the Next 5 Years?
Today, many real estate conversations center on housing prices and where they may be headed. That is why we like the Home Price Expectation Survey.Every quarter, Pulsenomics surveys a nationwide panel of over one hundred economists, real estate experts, and investment & market strategists about where they believe prices are headed over the next five years. They then average the projections of all 100+ experts into a single number.The results of their latest survey:Home values will appreciate by 4.4% over the … [Read more...]
Existing Home Sales Reach Highest Mark Since 2007 [INFOGRAPHIC]
Highlights:Sales of existing homes reached the highest pace in a decade at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.69 million.January marked the 59th consecutive month of year-over-year price gains as the median home price rose 7.1% to $228,900.NAR’s Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun had this to say, “Much of the country saw robust sales activity last month as strong hiring and improved consumer confidence at the end of last year appear to have sparked considerable interest in buying a home." … [Read more...]
The Impact of Homeownership on Family Health
The National Association of Realtors recently released a study titled 'Social Benefits of Homeownership and Stable Housing.’ The study confirmed a long-standing belief of most Americans:“Owning a home embodies the promise of individual autonomy and is the aspiration of most American households. Homeownership allows households to accumulate wealth and social status, and is the basis for a number of positive social, economic, family and civic outcomes.”Today, we want to cover the section of the … [Read more...]
Are You 1 of the 59 Million Planning to Buy This Year?
According to a survey conducted by Bankrate.com, one in four Americans are considering buying a home this year. If this statistic proves to be true, that means that 59 million people will be looking to enter the housing market in 2017.The survey also revealed 3 key takeaways:Those most likely to buy are ‘Older Millennials’ (ages 27-36) or ‘Generation X’ (ages 37-52)Minorities, particularly African-Americans, were twice as likely to respond that they were considering purchasing a home this … [Read more...]
Access: A Key Component 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 can provide to your agent so that he or she can show your home.Here are five levels of access that you can give to buyers, along with a brief … [Read more...]
US Housing Market Is Moving into ‘Buy Territory’!
According to the 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 … [Read more...]
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