With all the headlines circulating about home prices and rising mortgage rates, you may wonder if it still makes sense to invest in homeownership right now. A recent poll from Gallup shows the answer is yes. In fact, real estate was voted the best long-term investment for the 11th consecutive year, consistently beating other investment types like gold, stocks, and bonds (see graph below): If...
During the fourthquarter of last year, many housing experts predicted home prices were going to crash this year. Here are a few of those forecasts: Jeremy Siegel, Russell E. Palmer Professor Emeritus of Finance at the Wharton School of Business: “I expect housing prices fall 10% to 15%, and the housing prices are accelerating on the downside.” Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s...
Some Highlights June is National Homeownership Month, and it’s a perfect time to think about all the benefits that come with owning your home. Owning a home not only makes you feel proud and accomplished, but it’s also a big step toward having a secure and stable financial future. Are you ready to enjoy all the amazing advantages that come with owning a home? Let’s get in touch to start...
Buying your first home is an exciting decision and a major milestone that has the power to change your life for the better. As a first-time homebuyer, it’s a vision you can bring to life, but, as the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shares, you’ll have to overcome some factors that have made it more challenging in recent years: “Since 2011, the share of first-time home buyers has been...
Comparing real estate metrics from one year to another can be challenging in a normal housing market. That’s due to possible variability in the market making the comparison less meaningful or accurate. Unpredictable events can have a significant impact on the circumstances and outcomes being compared. Comparing this year’s numbers to the two ‘unicorn’ years we just experienced is almost...
Understanding the April 2023 Market Update for Home Buyers and Sellers In the world of real estate, an understanding of market updates can be extremely beneficial for homebuyers and sellers alike. As we dive into the April 2023 market update, it’s essential to keep in mind that the market remains relatively unchanged from a month-to-month perspective overall. However, there are some notable changes...
For many of us, visiting the same vacation spot every year is a summer tradition that’s fun, relaxing, and restful. If that sounds like you, now’s the time to think about your plans and determine if buying a vacation home this year makes more sense than renting one again. According to Forbes: “. . . if the idea of vacationing at the same place every year makes you feel instantaneously...
The process of buying a home can feel a bit intimidating, even under normal circumstances. But today's market is still anything but normal. There continues to be a very limited number of homes for sale, and that’s creating bidding wars and driving home prices back up as buyers compete over the available homes. Navigating all of this can be daunting if you’re trying to do it alone. That’s why...
Some Highlights If you’re looking to buy a home, you should know even a small change in mortgage rates has an impact on your purchasing power. These charts show how rates generally affect your monthly payment. The best way to navigate changing mortgage rates and make an informed buying decision is to rely on the expertise of a local real estate professional and mortgage...
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) will release its latest Existing Home Sales Report tomorrow. The information it contains on home prices may cause some confusion and could even generate some troubling headlines. This all stems from the fact that NAR will report the median sales price, while other home price indices report repeat sales prices. The vast majority of the repeat sales indices...