Latest Blog Articles
Rent or Buy: Either Way You’re Paying A Mortgage
There are some renters that have not yet purchased a home because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. Everyone should realize that, unless you are living with your parents rent free, you are paying a mortgage – either your mortgage or your landlord’s.
2016 Home Sales Doing Just Fine!!
Some of the housing headlines are causing concern for some consumers who are in the process of either buying or selling a home. Pundits are concerned over the lack of new construction or the month-over-month sales numbers. Let’s set the record straight; 2015 was a good year for residential real estate in the United States and 2016 is starting out stronger.
Past, Present & Future Home Values
In CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index, they revealed home appreciation in three categories: percentage appreciation over the last year, over the last month, and projected appreciation over the next twelve months.
Sales Contracts Hit Highest Level in Months
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) just announced that the February Pending Home Sales Index reached its highest reading since July 2015.
The Top 5 Reasons You Should Not For Sale By Owner
In today’s market, with homes selling quickly and prices rising, some homeowners might consider trying to sell their home on their own, known in the industry as a For Sale by Owner (FSBO). There are several reasons this might not be a good idea for the vast majority of sellers.
Here are five of those reasons:
Home Sales Up Year-Over-Year
Some Highlights
- This is the 48th consecutive month with year-over-year price gains.
- Lawrence Yun, NAR’s Chief Economist says that, “The main issue continues to be a supply & affordability problem. Finding the right property at an affordable price is burdening many potential buyers.”
- Inventory is still below historic normals at a 4.4 month supply.
Further Proof This Isn’t a Housing Bubble
Two weeks ago, we posted a blog which explained that current increases in home prices were the result of the well-known concept of supply & demand and should not lead to conversations of a new housing bubble. Today, we want to look at home prices as compared to current incomes.
91.5% of Homes in the US Have Positive Equity
CoreLogic’s latest Equity Report revealed that one million borrowers regained equity in their homes in 2015. The outlook for 2016 remains positive as well, as an additional 850,000 properties would regain equity if home prices rose another 5% this year.
The Importance of Using an Agent To Sell Your House
When a homeowner decides to sell their house, they obviously want the best possible price with the least amount of hassles. However, for the vast majority of sellers, the most important result is to actually get the home sold.
The Mortgage Process: What You Need To Know [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights:
- Many buyers are purchasing a home with a down payment as little as 3%.
- You may already qualify for a loan, even if you don’t have perfect credit.
- Take advantage of the knowledge of your local professionals who are there to help you determine how much you can afford.
Lack of Inventory Challenging Many Housing Markets
Going into the 2016 spring market, the biggest challenge the real estate industry has is the lack of available housing inventory for sale. Here are a few experts and their thoughts on the subject:
The Main Reason to Use a Real Estate Professional when Selling Your House
Every homeowner hopes to accomplish five goals when selling their home: