Keeping Current Matters Confidence Is the Key to Success for Young Homebuyers Buying your first home can seem overwhelming. Thankfully, there’s a lot of great information out there to help you feel more confident as you learn about the process. For those in younger generations who aspire to buy, here are three things to consider sooner rather than later in your journey: 1. Understand What it Takes […]
Keeping Current Matters New Homes Coming to the Housing Market This Year The number of building permits issued for single-family homes is the best indicator of how many newly built homes will begin to come to market over the next few months. According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Residential Construction Report, the number of building permits issued in January was 1,551,000. This is […]
Keeping Current Matters How Interest Rates Can Impact Your Monthly Housing Payments Spring is right around the corner, so flowers are starting to bloom, and many potential homebuyers are getting ready to step into the market. If you’re thinking of buying this season, here’s how mortgage interest rates are working in your favor. Freddie Mac explains: “If you’re in the market to buy a home, today’s average mortgage […]
Keeping Current Matters 10 Steps to Buying a Home Some Highlights: ·       If you’re thinking of buying a home and you’re not sure where to start, you’re not alone. ·       Here’s a guide with 10 simple steps to follow in the homebuying process. ·       Be sure to work with a trusted real estate professional to find out the specifics of what to do in your local area.
Keeping Current Matters The #1 Misconception in the Homebuying Process After over a year of moderating home prices, it appears home value appreciation is about to reaccelerate. Skylar Olsen, Director of Economic Research at Zillow, explained in a recent article:  “A year ago, a combination of a government shutdown, stock market slump and mortgage rate spike caused a long-anticipated inventory rise. That supposed boom turned out to be a […]
Keeping Current Matters How the Housing Market Benefits with Uncertainty in the World It’s hard to listen to today’s news without hearing about the uncertainty surrounding global markets, the spread of the coronavirus, and tensions in the Middle East, just to name a few. These concerns have caused some to question their investment plans going forward. As an example, in Vanguard’s Global Outlook for 2020, the fund explains, “Slowing global […]
Keeping Current Matters Strength of the Economy Is Surprising the Experts We’re currently in the longest economic recovery in U.S. history. That has caused some to ask experts to project when the next economic slowdown (recession) could occur. Two years ago, 67% of the economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) for the Economic Forecasting Survey predicted we would have a recession no later than the end of this […]
Keeping Current Matters Should I Sell My House This Year? If one of the questions you’re asking yourself today is, “Should I sell my house this year?” the current Housing Opportunities and Market Experience (HOME) Survey from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) should boost your confidence as it relates to the current selling sentiment in the housing market. Even with all the information overload in the media circling around talk of a […]
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Keeping Current Matters The #1 Reason It Is Difficult to Find Your Dream Home The headlines in real estate today all revolve around one major point: there is a shortage of homes available for sale. Price appreciation is accelerating again because there is a shortage of homes available for sale. First-time buyers are taking longer to purchase a home because there is a shortage of homes available for sale in the lower price […]
Keeping Current Matters Homes Are More Affordable Today, Not Less Affordable There’s a current narrative that owning a home today is less affordable than it has been in the past. The reason some are making this claim is because house prices have substantially increased over the last several years. It’s not, however, just the price of a home that matters. Homes, in most cases, are purchased […]
Keeping Current Matters Where Homebuyers Are Heading By Generation Some Highlights: ·       Whether capitalizing on job opportunities, affordability, or warm-weather places to retire, Americans are making moves to these top cities to take advantage of the strength in the current housing market. ·       A strong economy and lower mortgage rates have made it easier for many would-be buyers to get into the market. According to realtor.com, it […]
Keeping Current Matters 2020 Forecast Shows Continued Home Price Appreciation Questions continue to rise around where home prices will head in 2020. The latest forecast from CoreLogic shows continued appreciation at 5.4% over the next year:Additionally, ARCH Mortgage Insurance Company in their current Housing and Mortgage Market Review revealed their latest ARCH Risk Index, which estimates the probability of home prices being lower in two years. Based on the most recent results, 32 of […]
Keeping Current Matters 5,300 Reasons to Be Happy You’re a Homeowner Studies have shown that, in many cases, the largest asset a family owns is the house they live in. Over the last twelve months, that asset has gained substantial value. CoreLogic just released their 2019 3rd Quarter Homeowner Equity Insights Report. The report revealed that: “U.S. homeowners with mortgages (roughly 64% of all properties) have seen their […]
Keeping Current Matters A 365 Day Difference in Homeownership Over the past year, mortgage rates have fallen more than a full percentage point. This is a great driver for homeownership, as today’s low rates provide consumers with some significant benefits. Here’s a look at three of them: 1.     Refinance: If you already own a home, you may want to decide if you’re going to refinance. It’s […]
Keeping Current Matters Have You Budgeted for Closing Costs? Saving for a down payment is a key step in the homebuying process, and it’s not the only piece you need to include in your budget. Another factor that’s important to plan for is the closing costs required to obtain a mortgage. What Are Closing Costs? According to Trulia, “When you close on a home, a […]
Keeping Current Matters Tips to Sell Your Home Faster When selling your house, there are a few key things you can prioritize to have the greatest impact for a faster sale: 1. Make Buyers Feel at Home Declutter your home! Pack away all personal items like pictures, awards, and sentimental belongings. Make buyers feel like they belong in the house. According to the 2019 Profile of Home […]
Keeping Current Matters The True Cost of Not Owning Your Home There are great advantages to owning a home, yet many people continue to rent. The financial benefits are just some of the reasons why homeownership has been a part of the long-standing American dream. Realtor.com reported that: “Buying remains the more attractive option in the long term – that remains the American dream, and it’s true in many […]
Keeping Current Matters 7 Reasons to List Your House This Holiday Season Around this time each year, many homeowners decide to wait until after the holidays to list their houses. Similarly, others who already have their homes on the market remove their listings until the spring. Let’s unpack the top reasons why listing your house now or keeping it on the market this winter may be the […]
Keeping Current Matters 2 Myths Holding Back Home Buyers In a recent article, First American shared how millennials are not really any different from previous generations when it comes to the goal of homeownership; it is still a huge part of their American Dream. The piece, however, also reveals,  “Saving for a down payment is one of the biggest obstacles faced by first-time home buyers. Dispelling […]
Keeping Current Matters Homeownership Rate Remains on the Rise In the third quarter of 2019, the U.S. homeownership rate rose again, signaling another strong indicator of the current housing market. The U.S. Census Bureau announced, “The homeownership rate of 64.8 percent was not statistically different from the rate in the third quarter 2018 (64.4 percent), but was 0.7 percentage points higher than the rate in the […]