![Where Did Americans Move in 2018? [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/13121720/2019-02-15-Share-KCM.jpg "Where Did Americans Move in 2018? [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters")
Where Did Americans Move in 2018? [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Where Did Americans Move in 2018? [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/15111805/MovingAcrossAmerica2019-KCM.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- Every year United Van Lines conducts their National Movers Study by tracking their customer’s movement state-to-state over the course of the year.
- Vermont claimed the top spot of states with the highest percentage of inbound residents following a campaign that covered relocation costs for skilled workers who moved to the state.
- The most common response for why someone relocated to another state was for a new job or company transfer.
First Comes Love… Then Comes Mortgage? Couples Lead the Way
According to the National Association of REALTORS most recent Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, married couples once again dominated the first-time homebuyer statistics in 2018 at 54% of all buyers. It is no surprise that buying a home is more attainable with two incomes to save for down payments and contribute to monthly housing costs.
Why Homeownership Matters Now More Than Ever
Study after study shows that no matter what generation American’s belong to, the vast majority believe that homeownership is an important part of their American Dream. The benefits of homeownership can be broken into two main categories: financial and non-financial (often referred to as emotional or social reasons.)
How To List Your Home for the Best Price
If your plan for 2019 includes selling your home, you will want to pay attention to where experts believe home values are headed. According to the latest Home Price Index from CoreLogic, home prices increased by 4.7% over the course of 2018.
Thinking of Selling Your House? This is a Perfect Time!
It is common knowledge that a great number of homes sell during the spring buying season. For that reason, many homeowners hold off putting their homes on the market until then. The question is whether or not that is a good strategy this year.
![5 Reasons to Love Hiring A Real Estate Pro [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/06144744/2019.02.08-KCM-Share.jpg "5 Reasons to Love Hiring A Real Estate Pro [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters")
5 Reasons to Love Hiring A Real Estate Pro [INFOGRAPHIC]
![5 Reasons to Love Hiring A Real Estate Pro [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/06144700/2019.02.08-5-Reasons-to-Love-NM-ENG.jpg)
Highlights:
- Hiring a real estate professional to guide you through the process of buying a home or selling your house can be one of the best decisions you make!
- They are there for you to help with contracts, explaining the process, negotiations, and pricing (both when making an offer or setting the right price for your home).
- One of the top reasons to hire a real estate professional is their understanding of your local market and how the conditions in your neighborhood will impact your experience.
How to Get a Better Perspective on Affordability
Headlines spotlight the fact that buying a home is less affordable today than it was at any other time in more than a decade. Those headlines are accurate.
The KonMari Method: Helping You Prep Your House For Sale
One of the biggest challenges sellers face when listing their house is decluttering. Cleaning out some of the more personal decorating choices allows buyers to imagine themselves living in the house.
One More Time… You Do Not Need 20% Down to Buy a Home
The largest obstacle renters face when planning to buy a home is saving for a down payment. This challenge is amplified by rising rents, which has eaten into the amount of money renters have leftover for savings each month after paying expenses.
Whose Mortgage Do You Want to Pay? Yours or Your Landlord’s?
There are some people who haven’t purchased homes because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. However, everyone should realize that unless you are living with your parents rent-free, you are paying a mortgage – either yours or your landlord’s.
![5 Reasons Homeowners Throw the Best Super Bowl Parties! [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/29110127/20190201-Share-KCM.jpg "5 Reasons Homeowners Throw the Best Super Bowl Parties! [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters")
5 Reasons Homeowners Throw the Best Super Bowl Parties! [INFOGRAPHIC]
![5 Reasons Homeowners Throw the Best Super Bowl Parties! [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/29105736/20190201-NM-ENG.jpg)
Highlights:
- Watching the big game at home with your friends & family offers many advantages.
- There’s more room to entertain a large crowd, and you don’t have to worry about complaints to your landlord if you cheer too loudly!
- The kitchen is big enough to make as many appetizers as you want, and if some of your guests are only there to watch the commercials, they can do so on a different TV in another room!
Do You Know How Much Your Home Has Increased in Value?
Last year we saw headlines about a possible housing market bubble, and many wondered if Americans still felt confident about the value of their homes. Recently, the 2018 Houzz & Home Study revealed:
4 Proven Ways Real Estate Can Build Sizable Family Wealth
Recently, David Greene, co-host of the BiggerPockets podcast and a nationally renowned author and speaker, wrote an article in Forbes explaining how investing in real estate could help build wealth. Many of the points he made also apply to a family owning their own home. Here are a few:
Is Student Loan Debt A Threat to Homeownership? No!
Over the course of the last thirty years, a shift has happened. An entire generation has been raised to believe that a college education is their key to unlocking opportunities that were not available to their parent’s or grandparent’s generations.
Why It Makes No Sense to Wait for Spring to Sell
The price of any item (including residential real estate) is determined by the theory of ‘supply and demand.’ If many people are looking to buy an item and the supply of that item is limited, the price of that item increases.
![Think You Should For Sale By Owner? Think Again! [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/24142010/20190125-Share-KCM.jpg "Think You Should For Sale By Owner? Think Again! [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters")
Think You Should For Sale By Owner? Think Again! [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Think You Should For Sale By Owner? Think Again! [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/24141905/20190125-FSBO-NM-ENG.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- For Sale By Owner (FSBO) is the process of selling real estate without the representation of a real estate broker or real estate agent.
- According to the National Association of Realtors’ Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, 36% of homeowners who decided to FSBO last year did so to avoid paying a commission or fee. But, homes sold with an agent net 6% more than those sold as a FSBO according to Collateral Analytics!
- Before you decide to take on the challenges of selling your house on your own, sit with a real estate professional in your marketplace and see what they have to offer.
3 Things You Need in a Shifting Real Estate Market
Whether you are thinking of selling your house or buying a home, today’s real estate headlines can be confusing – perhaps even concerning. What is actually happening with mortgage rates? Are home values dropping or are they just rising at a slower pace? What impact will the economy have on the housing market?
The Importance of Homeownership to the American Dream
For centuries, people in this country have seen homeownership as part of the American Dream. Whether they were born here or immigrated from another country, they wanted to own a piece of America. With so many prominent societal changes over the last few decades, it is fair to ask if people in America still feel the same way about owning a home. The answer was made abundantly clear in two separate reports released earlier this month.
Do You Prefer the Charm of an Existing Home?
When homebuyers begin their research, they want to see all their available options! In many cases, they will include both new construction and existing homes in their search; but is a new construction home really the house of their dreams?
The Difference Having a Professional on Your Side Makes
In today’s fast-paced world, where answers are a Google search away, there are some who may wonder what the benefits of hiring a real estate professional to help them in their home search are. The truth is, with the addition of more information, comes more confusion.
What is the Cost of Waiting Until Next Year to Buy? [INFOGRAPHIC]
![What is the Cost of Waiting Until Next Year to Buy? [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/17122556/Cost-of-Waiting-NM-ENG.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- The cost of waiting to buy is defined as the additional funds it would take to buy a home if prices & interest rates were to increase over a period of time.
- Freddie Mac predicts interest rates to rise to 5.1% by the end of 2019.
- CoreLogic predicts home prices to appreciate by 4.8% over the next 12 months.
- If you are ready and willing to buy your dream home, find out if you are able to!
Last Chance! Homes are a Bargain Compared to Historic Norms
A loaf of bread used to be a nickel. A movie ticket was a dime. Not anymore. Houses were also much less expensive than they are now. Inflation raised the price of all three of those items, along with the price of almost every other item we purchase.
Selling Your Home? Make Sure the Price is Right!
If you’ve ever watched “The Price is Right,” you know that the only way to win is to be the one to correctly guess the price of the item you want without going over! That means your guess must be just slightly under the retail price.
Buying a Home Young is the Key to Building Wealth
Homeowners who purchase their homes before the age of 35 are better prepared for retirement at age 60, according to a new Urban Institute study. The organization surveyed adults who turned 60 or 61 between 2003 and 2015 for their data set.
Buying a House This Year? This Should Be Your 1st Step!
In many markets across the country, the number of buyers searching for their dream homes outnumbers the number of homes for sale. This has led to a competitive marketplace where buyers often need to stand out. One way to show that you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage before starting your search.
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