What Buyers and Sellers Need To Know About the Appraisal Gap
[ad_1] It’s economy 101 – when supply is low and demand is high, prices naturally rise. That’s what’s happening in today’s housing market. Home prices are appreciating at near-historic rates, and that’s creating some challenges when it comes to home appraisals. In recent months, it’s become increasingly common for an appraisal to come in below […]
Is the Recent Dip in Interest Rates Here to Stay?
[ad_1] Interest rates for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage climbed consistently throughout 2018 until the middle of November. After that point, rates returned to levels that we saw in August to close out the year at 4.55%, according to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey. After the first week of 2019, rates have continued their […]
Belief in Homeownership as an Investment is Far from Dead
[ad_1] Following last year’s real estate market was like riding a rollercoaster. The market started off strong in 2018 and then softened before finishing with a mild flurry. However, one thing that did not waiver was America’s belief that owning a home makes sense from a financial standpoint. An end-of-the-year survey by the Federal Reserve Bank’s […]
Where is the Housing Market Headed in 2019? [INFOGRAPHIC]
[ad_1] Some Highlights: Interest rates are projected to increase steadily throughout 2019, but buyers will still be able to lock in a rate lower than their parents or grandparents did when they bought their homes! Home prices will rise at a rate of 4.8% over the course of 2019 according to CoreLogic. All four major […]
24 Hours that Suddenly Improved the Market
[ad_1] This year started strong for real estate, but then the market began to soften. Home inventory in the starter and move-up categories dwindled to almost nothing, mortgage rates were projected to rise, and home sales have now decreased for several months in a row. To many, the outlook heading into 2019 appeared dim… at […]
Buyers Are Looking for Your Home, Now [INFOGRAPHIC]
[ad_1] Some Highlights: Existing home sales are currently at an annual pace of 5.32 million and have increased on a monthly basis for the last two months. The inventory of existing homes for sale remains below the 6-months needed for a normal market and is now at a 3.9-month supply. Inventory remains low due to […]
4 Quick Reasons NOT to Fear a Housing Crash
[ad_1] There is a lot of uncertainty regarding the real estate market heading into 2019. That uncertainty has raised concerns that we may be headed toward another housing crash like the one we experienced a decade ago. Here are four reasons why today’s market is much different: 1. There are fewer foreclosures now than there […]
Homeownership Remains a Huge Part of the American Dream
[ad_1] As we head into 2019, many news outlets and housing experts warn that the housing market may slow down. Over the last six years, the inventory of homes for sale has been near historic lows, which has been the force behind increasing home prices. This has been great news for sellers as many of […]
No Bubble Here! How New Mortgage Standards Are Helping
[ad_1] Real estate is shifting to a more normal market; the days of national home appreciation topping 6% annually are over and inventories are increasing which is causing bidding wars to almost disappear. Some see these as signs that the market will soon come tumbling down as it did in 2008. As it becomes easier […]
What If I Wait A Year to Buy a Home?
[ad_1] National home prices have increased by 5.4% since this time last year. Over that same time period, interest rates have remained near historic lows which has allowed many buyers to enter the market and lock in low rates. As a seller, you will likely be most concerned about ‘short-term price’ – where home values are headed […]
The Tale of Two Markets [INFOGRAPHIC]
[ad_1] Some Highlights: An emerging trend for some time now has been the difference between available inventory and demand in the premium and luxury markets and that in the starter and trade-up markets and what those differences are doing to prices! Inventory continues to rise in the luxury and premium home markets which is causing […]
2008 vs. Now: Are Owners Using Their Homes as ATMs Again?
[ad_1] Over the last six years, we have experienced strong price appreciation which has increased home equity levels dramatically. As the number of “cash-out” refinances begins to approach numbers last seen during the crash, some are afraid that we may be repeating last decade’s mistake. However, a closer look at the numbers shows that homeowners […]