According to Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, interest rates for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage are currently at 4.09%, which is still very low in comparison to recent history!The interest rate you secure when buying a home not only greatly impacts your monthly housing costs, but also impacts your purchasing power.Purchasing power, simply put, is the amount of home you can afford to buy for the budget you have available to spend. As rates increase, the price of the house … [Read more...]
Have You Saved Enough for Closing Costs?
There are many potential homebuyers, and even sellers, who believe that they 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 many loan programs 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 closing costs … [Read more...]
Tips for Preparing Your House For Sale [INFOGRAPHIC]
Highlights:When listing your house for sale your top goal will be to get the home sold for the best price possible!There are many small projects that you can do to ensure this happens!Your real estate agent will have a list of specific suggestions for getting your house ready for market and is a great resource for finding local contractors who can help! … [Read more...]
Will Housing Affordability Be a Challenge in 2017?
Some industry experts are saying that the housing market may be heading for a slowdown in 2017 based on rising home prices and a jump in mortgage interest rates. One of the data points they use is the Housing Affordability Index, as reported by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).Here is how NAR defines the index:“The Housing Affordability Index measures whether or not a typical family earns enough income to qualify for a mortgage loan on a typical home at the national level based on the most recent … [Read more...]
What Would a Millennial Baby Boom Mean for Housing?
Recently released data from the National Center for Health Statistics revealed that 1.3 million Millennial women gave birth for the first time in 2015. There are now over 16 million women in this generation who have become mothers.“All told, Millennial women (those born between 1981 to 1997) accounted for about eight in ten (82%) of U.S. births in 2015.”The data also shows that this generation has waited until later in life to become parents as only 42% of Millennial women were moms in 2014, compared to … [Read more...]
5 Myths About Real Estate Reality TV Explained
Have you ever been flipping through the channels, only to find yourself glued to the couch in an HGTV binge session? We’ve all been there… watching entire seasons of “Love it or List it,” “Fixer Upper,” “House Hunters,” “Property Brothers,” and so many more, just in one sitting.When you’re in the middle of your real estate themed show marathon, you might start to think that everything you see on TV must be how it works in real life, but you may need … [Read more...]
Why Pre-Approval Should Be Your First Step
In many markets across the country, the number of buyers searching for their dream homes greatly outnumbers the amount of homes for sale. This has led to a competitive marketplace where buyers often need to stand out. One way to show you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage before starting your search.Even if you are in a market that is not as competitive, knowing your budget will give you the confidence of knowing if your dream home is within your … [Read more...]
Prices Rose 7.1% Year-Over-Year [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights:CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index shows that prices rose by 7.1% across the United States year-over-year.With mortgage interest rates rising in the short term, CoreLogic believes price appreciation will slow to 4.7% by this time next year.49 out of 50 states, and the District of Columbia, all had positive appreciation over the last 12 months, with the only exception being the state of Connecticut, which experienced a -0.5% appreciation. … [Read more...]
Is This the Year to Move Up to Your Dream Home? If So, Do it Early
It appears that Americans are regaining faith in the U.S. economy. The following indexes have each shown a dramatic jump in consumer confidence in their latest surveys:The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment IndexNational Federation of Independent Businesses' Small Business Optimism IndexCNBC All-America Economic SurveyThe Conference Board Consumer Confidence SurveyIt usually means good news for the housing market when the country sees an optimistic future. People begin to dream again about the home their … [Read more...]
Top 3 Things Second-Wave Baby Boomers Look for in a Home
According to data from the U.S Census bureau, there are approximately 76.4 million baby boomers living in the United States today. Contrary to what many think, there are very different segments within this generation, and one piece that sets them apart are their housing needs.John McManus, editorial director of Hanley Wood’s Residential Group says his company “is focusing on the preferences of the younger half, or second-wave baby boomers, as they exhibit different needs than the older … [Read more...]
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