Keeping Current Matters

Keeping Current Matters

Why Is So Much Paperwork Required to Get a Mortgage?

When buying a home today, why is there so much paperwork mandated by the lenders for a mortgage loan application? It seems like they need to know everything about you. Furthermore, it requires three separate sources to validate each and every entry on the application form. Many buyers are being told by friends and family that the process […]
Keeping Current Matters

Top 4 Renovations for the Greatest Return on Investment!
Keeping Current Matters

3 Things to Know in the Housing Market Today!

A lot is happening in the world, and it’s having a direct impact on the housing market. The reality is this: some of it is positive and some of it may be negative. Some we just don’t know yet. The following three areas of the housing market are critical to understand: interest rates, building materials, […]
Keeping Current Matters

2 Myths Holding Back Home Buyers

Freddie Mac recently released a report entitled, “Perceptions of Down Payment Consumer Research.” Their research revealed that, “For many prospective homebuyers, saving for a down payment is the largest barrier to achieving the goal of homeownership. Part of the challenge for those planning to purchase a home is their perception of how much they will need to save for the down […]

Keeping Current Matters Why Is So Much Paperwork Required to Get a Mortgage? When buying a home today, why is there so much paperwork mandated by the lenders for a mortgage loan application? It seems like they need to know everything about you. Furthermore, it requires three separate sources to validate each and every entry on the application form. Many buyers are being told by friends and family that the process […]

Keeping Current Matters Top 4 Renovations for the Greatest Return on Investment!

Keeping Current Matters 3 Things to Know in the Housing Market Today! A lot is happening in the world, and it’s having a direct impact on the housing market. The reality is this: some of it is positive and some of it may be negative. Some we just don’t know yet. The following three areas of the housing market are critical to understand: interest rates, building materials, […]

Keeping Current Matters 2 Myths Holding Back Home Buyers Freddie Mac recently released a report entitled, “Perceptions of Down Payment Consumer Research.” Their research revealed that, “For many prospective homebuyers, saving for a down payment is the largest barrier to achieving the goal of homeownership. Part of the challenge for those planning to purchase a home is their perception of how much they will need to save for the down […]

Keeping Current Matters What is the Cost of Waiting Until Next Year to Buy?

Keeping Current Matters How Homeownership Delivers Unsurpassed Family Wealth There are many financial benefits to homeownership, but probably none more important than its ability to create family wealth. How Housing Matters is a joint project of the Urban Land Institute and the MacArthur Foundation. It is an online resource for research and information on how homeownership contributes to individual and community success. Their article, The First Rung on the […]

Keeping Current Matters 4 Reasons to Buy A Home This Summer Here are four reasons to consider buying today instead of waiting. 1. Prices Will Continue to Rise CoreLogic’s latest U.S. Home Price Insights reports that home prices have appreciated by 3.7% over the last 12 months. The same report predicts that prices will continue to increase at a rate of 4.8% over the next year. Home values will […]

Keeping Current Matters The Top Reasons to Own Your Home Some Highlights: · June is National Homeownership Month! · Now is a great time to reflect on the many benefits of homeownership that go way beyond the financial. · What reasons do you have to own your own home?

Keeping Current Matters The Ultimate Truth about Housing Affordability There have been many headlines decrying an “affordability crisis” in the residential real estate market. While it is true that buying a home is less affordable than it had been over the last ten years, we need to understand why and what that means. On a monthly basis, the National Association of Realtors (NAR), produces a Housing Affordability […]

Keeping Current Matters Multigenerational Homes Are on the Rise As loved ones start to get older, we start to wonder: how long will they be able to live alone? Will they need someone there to help them with daily life? There’s a reason to ask those questions now more than ever, as the average life expectancy in the U.S. is 78 years old! As a result, 41% of […]

Keeping Current Matters The Impact Staging Your Home Has On Your Sale Price Some Highlights: · The National Association of Realtors surveyed their members & released the findings of their Profile of Home Staging. · 62% of seller’s agents say that staging a home decreases the amount of time a home spends on the market. · 50% of staged homes saw a 1-10% increase in dollar-value offers from buyers. · 77% of buyer’s agents said […]

Keeping Current Matters Boomerang Buyers: Don’t Be Afraid to Buy a Home Again! According to CoreLogic, from 2006 to 2014 “there were 7.3 million housing foreclosures and 1.9 million short sales.” The hesitation some Americans feel after experiencing a foreclosure brings to mind the old saying: “Fool me once- shame on you. Fool me twice- shame on me.” According to the 2019 Home Buyer Report from NerdWallet, “Thirteen percent of Americans have […]

Keeping Current Matters Are Older Generations Really Not Selling Their Homes? Many studies suggest one of the main reasons for the inventory shortage in today’s market of homes for sale is that older generations have chosen to “age in place” over moving. The 2019 Home Buyers & Sellers Generational Trend Report by NAR clarifies this point! NAR’s findings show that Baby Boomers (43%) and the Silent Generation (12%) made up 56% […]

Keeping Current Matters Top Days to List Your Home for Sale Some Highlights: · ATTOM Data Solutions conducted an analysis of more than 29 million single family home and condo sales over the past eight years to determine the top days to list your home for sale. · The top five days to list your home brought in a 10% premium over market value and are all in either May or […]

Keeping Current Matters 4 Tips for Making a Competitive Offer So, you’ve been searching for that perfect house to call ‘home,’ and you’ve finally found it! The price is right, and in such a competitive market, you want to make sure you make a good offer so that you can guarantee that your dream of making this house yours comes true! Below are 4 steps provided by Freddie […]

Keeping Current Matters New Research Shows Housing Is Affordable For First-Time Buyers Home prices have been on the rise for the last seven years, leading many housing market analysts to conclude that first-time homebuyers are being shut out of the market due to affordability concerns. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports on the percentage of First-Time Home Buyers (FTHB) on a monthly and yearly basis. Their latest reportshows that […]

Keeping Current Matters Home Buyers are Optimistic About Homeownership! When 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 […]

Keeping Current Matters Why Access Is One of the Most Important Factors in Getting Your House Sold! So, 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, and price. There are […]

Keeping Current Matters Your Fabulous New Dream Home is Now Available Over 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 […]

Keeping Current Matters What Would Make You Sell Your House? There 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). Relocating for a job […]