4 Reasons to Sell Your House This Winter [INFOGRAPHIC]
![4 Reasons to Sell Your House This Winter [INFOGRAPHIC]](https://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/12115010/20181214-STM-Share.jpg)
Some Highlights: Buyer demand continues to outpace the supply of homes for sale which means that buyers are often competing with one another for the few listings that are available! Housing inventory is still under the 6-month supply needed to sustain a normal housing market. Perhaps the time has come...
No Bubble Here! How New Mortgage Standards Are Helping
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....
Don’t Get Caught in the Rental Trap in 2019
Every year around this time, we take time to reflect and plan for next year. If you are renting your current home but have dreams of homeownership, your plan for the new year may include buying, and you wouldn’t be alone! According to the 2018 Bank of America Homebuyer Insights...
How to Simply Increase Your Family Wealth by Paying for Housing
Everyone should realize that unless you are living somewhere rent-free, you are paying a mortgage – either yours or your landlord’s. Buying your own home provides you with a form of ‘forced savings’ that allows you to use your monthly housing costs to increase your family’s wealth. Every month that...
What If I Wait A Year to Buy a Home?
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...
The Tale of Two Markets [INFOGRAPHIC]
![The Tale of Two Markets [INFOGRAPHIC]](https://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/04164646/20181207-Share-STM.jpg)
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...
2008 vs. Now: Are Owners Using Their Homes as ATMs Again?
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...
Where Are Interest Rates Headed in 2019?
The interest rate you pay on your home mortgage has a direct impact on your monthly payment. The higher the rate, the greater the payment will be. That is why it is important to know where rates are headed when deciding to start your home search. Below is a chart...
Homeowners Aged 65+ Have 48x More Net Worth Than Renters
Every three years, the Federal Reserve conducts their Survey of Consumer Finances in which they collect data across all economic and social groups. Their latest survey data covers responses from 2013-2016. The study revealed that the median net worth of a homeowner was $231,400 – a 15% increase since 2013. At the same time,...
4 Reasons to Buy A Home This Winter!
Here are four great reasons to consider buying a home today instead of waiting. 1. Prices Will Continue to Rise CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Insight report revealed that home prices have appreciated by 5.6% over the last 12 months. The same report predicts that prices will continue to increase at a rate of...
Home Prices Up 6.34% Across the Country! [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Home Prices Up 6.34% Across the Country! [INFOGRAPHIC]](https://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/28140447/20181130-Share-STM.jpg)
Some Highlights: The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently released their latest Quarterly Home Price Index report. In the report, home prices are compared both regionally and by state. Based on the latest numbers, if you plan on relocating to another state, waiting to move may end up costing you more!
Further Proof It’s NOT 2008 All Over Again
Home sales numbers are leveling off, the rate of price appreciation has slowed to more historically normal averages, and inventory is finally increasing. We are headed into a more normal housing market. However, some are seeing these adjustments as red flags and are suggesting that we are headed back to...
24% of Renters Believe Winter is the Best Time to Buy a Home
In real estate, the spring is often seen as the ideal time to buy or sell a house. The term “Spring Buyer’s Season” exists for a reason, as renters and those looking to move on from their current home thaw out from the winter and hit the market ready to...
The #1 Reason to Not Wait Until Spring to Sell Your House
Many sellers believe that spring is the best time to place their homes on the market because buyer demand traditionally increases at that time of year, but what they don’t realize is that if every homeowner believes the same thing, then that is when they will have the most competition!...
Buyers: Don’t Be Surprised by Closing Costs!
Many homebuyers think that saving for their down payment is enough to buy the house of their dreams, but what about the closing costs that are required to obtain a mortgage? By law, a homebuyer will receive a loan estimate from their lender 3 days after submitting their loan application...
Existing Home Sales Slowed by a Lack of Listings [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Existing Home Sales Slowed by a Lack of Listings [INFOGRAPHIC]](https://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/21112153/20181122-Share-STM1.jpg)
Some Highlights: Existing home sales are currently at an annual pace of 5.22 million, which is up 1.4% over last month. This reverses the six-month trend of dips in sales every month. The inventory of existing homes is still below the 6-month supply needed for a normal market and is...
Will Your Side Hustle Buy You a House This Year?
The top concern for most first-time home buyers is their ability to save for a down payment. According to a new survey, 36% of millennials took on a second job to make their dreams of homeownership a reality in 2017. Among millennials with incomes over $100,000 a year, the top...
7 Reasons to List Your House For Sale This Holiday Season
Every year at this time there are many homeowners who decide to wait until after the holidays to list their homes for the first time, while others who already have their homes on the market decide to take them off until after the holidays. Here are seven great reasons not...
The Cost of Renting vs. Buying a Home [INFOGRAPHIC]
![The Cost of Renting vs. Buying a Home [INFOGRAPHIC]](https://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/06150929/20181116-Share-STM.jpg)
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 (28.4%) vs. the percentage needed to buy a median-priced home (17.5%), the choice becomes obvious. Every market is different. Before you...
Wage Increases Make Home Buying More Affordable
Everyone knows that housing affordability has been negatively impacted by rising prices and increasing mortgage rates, but there is another piece to the affordability equation – wages. How much a family earns obviously impacts how easy or difficult it is for them to afford to own a home. Because of...
Home Sellers in Q3 Netted $61K at Resale
According to a recent report by ATTOM Data Solutions, home sellers who sold their homes in the third quarter of 2018 benefited from rising home prices and netted an average of $61,232. This is the highest average price gain since the second quarter of 2007 and represents a 32% return...
