With interest rates still below 4%, many buyers may be on the fence as to whether to act now and purchase a new home, or wait until next year. If you look at what the four major reporting agencies are predicting for 2016, it may make the decision for you. The chart below averages the predictions by quarter. With the exception of Fannie Mae, the experts agree that interest rates will increase by three-quarters of a percentage point, costing you more to pay back your loan. Bottom Line Even a small increase in … [Read more...]
Existing Home Sales Rebound in December
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) just released their latest Existing Home Sales Report on Friday. Sales of existing homes rose by the largest increase ever recorded as they rebounded 14.7% over November’s numbers and now stand at 7.7% higher than a year ago. While this is great news for the housing market, let’s take a look at one of the main reasons why there was such a large increase in sales. As we explained last month, the implementation of the “Know Before You Owe” (TRID) … [Read more...]
Should I Buy Now Or Wait Until Next Year? [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights: The Cost of Waiting to Buy is defined as the additional funds it would take to buy a home if prices & interest rates were to increase over a period of time. Freddie Mac predicts interest rates to rise to 4.8% by next year. CoreLogic predicts home prices to appreciate by 5.3% over the next 12 months. If you are ready and willing to buy your dream home, find out if you are able to! … [Read more...]
What Do You Actually Need to Get a Mortgage?
Fannie Mae recently released their “What do consumers know about the Mortgage Qualification Criteria?” Study. The study revealed that Americans are misinformed about what is required to qualify for a mortgage when purchasing a home. Here are three takeaways: 59% of Americans either don’t know (54%) or are misinformed (5%) about what FICO score is necessary 86% of Americans either don’t know (59%) or are misinformed (25%) about what an appropriate Back End Debt-to-Income (DTI) ratios is 76% … [Read more...]
Rents Still Skyrocketing
Zillow recently revealed that the 43 million renter households in the US spent $535 billion on rent in 2015. Aggregate numbers like these often make it difficult to truly assess a situation. For more clarity, we want to share some points that were made in a Wall Street Journal article earlier this month. The article made two important points: 1. Rents are increasing faster than the last several years: “Apartment rents increased faster last year than at any time since 2007.” 2. Rent increases are … [Read more...]
Are You Wondering What It Takes To Buy Your First Home?
There are many people sitting on the sidelines trying to decide if they should purchase a home or sign a rental lease. Some might wonder if it makes sense to purchase a house before they are married and have a family. Others may think they are too young. And still others might think their current income would never enable them to qualify for a mortgage. We want to share what the typical first time homebuyer actually looks like based on the National Association of REALTORS most recent Profile of Home Buyers & … [Read more...]
Thinking of Buying? Selling? 5 Reasons You Need To Hire A Professsional
Whether you are buying or selling a home, it can be quite an adventurous journey. You need an experienced Real Estate Professional to lead you to your ultimate goal. In this world of instant gratification and internet searches, many sellers think that they can For Sale by Owner or FSBO. The 5 Reasons You NEED a Real Estate Professional in your corner haven’t changed, but have rather been strengthened due to the projections of higher mortgage interest rates & home prices as the market continues to … [Read more...]
Why Do Americans Consider Moving? [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights: In a recent Harris Poll, Americans listed "change in climate/weather" as their top reason for wanting to relocate. 41% would move for a better job opportunity. Being closer to loved ones filled out 3 of the top 6 reasons why American's move. … [Read more...]
The Most Appealing Aspects of Homeownership
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) just released their first issue of the Housing Opportunities & Market Experience Survey (HOME). In the report, NAR revealed what Americans believe to be the most appealing aspects of homeownership. Here is a graph showing the results: It is interesting to see that the two most appealing aspects had nothing to do with money, but instead, addressed the non-financial benefits of homeownership. … [Read more...]
Lack of Listings Slowing Down the Housing Market
The housing crisis is finally in the rear view mirror as the real estate market moves down the road to a complete recovery. Home values are up. Home sales are up. Distressed sales (foreclosures and short sales) have fallen dramatically. It seems that 2016 will be the year that the housing market again races forward. However, there is one thing that may cause the industry to tap the brakes: a lack of housing inventory. While buyer demand looks like it will remain strong throughout this winter, supply is not keeping … [Read more...]
