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Articles for Home Buyers

The Benefits of a 20% Down Payment

The Benefits of a 20% Down Payment | Simplifying The MarketIf you are in the market to buy a home this year, you may be confused about how much money you need to come up with for your down payment. Many people you talk to will tell you that you need to save 20% or you won’t be able to secure a mortgage. The truth […]

Home Buyers are Optimistic About Homeownership!

Home Buyers are Optimistic About Homeownership! | Simplifying The MarketWhen we consider buying an item, we naturally go through a research process prior to making our decision. We ask our friends and family members who have made similar purchases about their experience, we get opinions and insights, and we read reviews online. There’s no difference when considering a home purchase! Most homebuyers start by […]

Why Access Is One of the Most Important Factors in Getting Your House Sold!

Why Access Is One of the Most Important Factors in Getting Your House Sold! | Simplifying The MarketSo, you’ve decided to sell your house. You’ve hired a real estate professional to help you through the entire process, and they have asked you what level of access you want to provide to your potential buyers. There are four elements to a quality listing. At the top of the list is access, followed by condition, financing, […]

The Cost of Renting vs. Buying This Spring [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights:

Historically, the choice between renting or buying a home has been a tough decision.
Looking at the percentage of income needed to rent a median-priced home today (27.7%) vs. the percentage needed to buy a median-priced home (17.5…

Your Fabulous New Dream Home is Now Available

Your Fabulous New Dream Home is Now Available |Simplifying The MarketOver the last several years, many “baby boomers” have undergone a metamorphosis. Their children have finally moved out and they can now dream about their own future. For many, a change in lifestyle might necessitate a change in the type of home they live in. That two-story, four-bedroom colonial with three bathrooms no longer fits […]

2 Trends Helping Keep Housing Affordable

2 Trends Helping Keep Housing Affordable | Simplifying The MarketTwo positive trends have started to emerge that impact the 2019 Spring Housing Market. Mortgage interest rates for a 30-year fixed rate loan have dropped to new lows, right as reports show that wages have increased at their highest rate in decades! These two factors have helped keep housing affordable despite low supply of houses […]

What Would Make You Sell Your House?

What Would Make You Sell Your House? | Simplifying The MarketThere are many reasons why a homeowner decides to sell their house and move. The latest Generational Trends Report from the National Association of Realtors asked recent home sellers to share their reason for moving. The younger the respondents, the more likely their top response centered around needing a larger home (ages 29 to 53). […]

How Quickly Can You Save Your Down Payment?

How Quickly Can You Save Your Down Payment? | Simplifying The MarketSaving for a down payment is often the biggest hurdle for a first-time homebuyer. Depending on where you live, median income, median rents, and home prices all vary. So, we set out to find out how long it would take to save for a down payment in each state. Using data from HUD, Census and […]

Existing Home Sales Slow to Start Spring [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights:

Existing Home Sales slowed to an annual pace of 5.21 million home sales in March.
Low inventory levels are still impacting home sales! The current month’s supply of homes for sale is 3.9-months.
Median home prices were up 3.8% over …

Renters Paying Substantially More While Owning Costs Less

Renters Paying Substantially More While Owning Costs Less | Simplifying The MarketIn a recent Insights Blog, CoreLogic reported that rent prices have skyrocketed since 2005. Meanwhile, the typical mortgage payment has actually decreased. “CoreLogic’s national rent index was up 36% in December 2018 compared with December 2005, while the typical mortgage payment was down 4% over that period.” Why the difference between the costs of renting […]

New Study Reveals One Surprising Reason for the Inventory Shortage

New Study Reveals One Surprising Reason for the Inventory Shortage | Simplifying The MarketThere has been a great amount written on millennials and their impact on the housing market. However, the headlines often contradict each other. Some claim this generation is becoming the largest share of first-time home buyers, while others claim millennials don’t want to own a home, blaming them for the dip in homeownership rate. While […]

With Inventory Low: Will Your Dream Home Need Some TLC?

With Inventory Low: Will Your Dream Home Need Some TLC? | Simplifying The MarketAccording to a new survey from Move.com, the wave of first-time homebuyers hitting the market this summer has resulted in an interesting statistic. Nearly 60% of buyers searching for a home this spring are willing to consider buying a fixer-upper, with 95% believing that the projects needed will increase their new home’s value! Realtor.com’s Chief […]

Selling Your House: Here’s Why You Need A Pro In Your Corner!

Selling Your House: Here’s Why You Need A Pro In Your Corner! | Simplifying The MarketWith home prices on the rise and buyer demand still strong, some sellers may be tempted to try to sell their homes on their own rather than using the services of a real estate professional. Real estate agents are trained and experienced in negotiation while, in most cases, the seller is not. Sellers must realize […]

5 Reasons Why Millennials Buy a Home [INFOGRAPHIC]

5 Reasons Why Millennials Buy a Home [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

Some Highlights:

  • “The majority of millennials said they consider owning a home more sensible than renting for both financial and lifestyle reasons — including control of living space, flexibility in future decisions, privacy and security, and living in a nice home.”
  • The top reason millennials choose to buy is to have control over their living space, at 93%.
  • Many millennials who rent a home or apartment prior to buying their own homes dream of the day when they will be able to paint the walls whatever color they’d like or renovate an outdated part of their living space.

Buyer Demand Surging as Spring Market Begins

Last fall, some predicted that the 2019 residential real estate market would be a disaster. There was even belief we might experience a housing crash like the one that occurred during the last decade. However, according to two separate reports*, buyer demand dramatically increased over the last three months, leading into this spring buyers’ market […]