When Is It A Good Time To Rent? Definitely NOT NOW!
People often ask whether or not now is a good time to buy a home. No one ever asks when a good time to rent is. However, we want to make certain that everyone understands that today is NOT a good time to rent.
Sales Up In Nearly Every Price Range
The National Association of Realtors’ most recent Existing Home Sales Report revealed that home sales were up rather dramatically over last year in five of the six price ranges they measure.
Warren Buffett: There is No Housing Bubble
With home prices expected to appreciate by over 5% this year, some are beginning to worry about a new housing bubble forming. Warren Buffet addressed this issue last week in an article by Fortune Magazine. He simply explained:
Investors: More Sales and Higher Prices
The National Association of Realtors recently released their 2016 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey. The survey revealed many characteristics of both vacation home purchasers and investors. Two weeks ago, we posted on the vacation home market. Today, we want to concentrate on the investor real estate market.
Selling Your Home? Make Sure the Price Is Right!
In today’s market, where demand is outpacing supply in many regions of the country, pricing a house is one of the biggest challenges real estate professionals face. Sellers often want to price their home higher than recommended, and many agents go along with the idea to keep their clients happy. However, the best agents realize that telling the homeowner the truth is more important than getting the seller to like them.
Vacation Home Sales: Sales Down, Prices Up
The National Association of Realtors recently released their 2016 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey. The survey revealed many characteristics of both vacation home purchasers and investors. Today, we want to concentrate on the vacation real estate market.
Don’t Wait! Move Up To Your Dream Home Now!
Now that the housing market has stabilized, more and more homeowners are considering moving up to the home they have always dreamed of. Prices are still below those of a few years ago and interest rates have stayed near historic lows.
Gap Between Homeowner’s & Appraiser’s Opinions Widen
In today’s housing market, where supply is very low and demand is very high, home values are increasing rapidly. One major challenge in such a market is the bank appraisal.
What If I Wait Until Next Year To Buy A Home?
As a seller, you will be most concerned about ‘short term price’ – where home values are headed over the next six months. As either a first-time or repeat buyer, you must not be concerned only about price but also about the ‘long term cost’ of the home.
The Difference An Hour Makes This Spring [INFOGRAPHIC]
![The Difference An Hour Makes This Spring [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/The-Difference-a-Hour-Makes-STM.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- Sunday, March 13th, we "Spring Forward" one hour for Daylight Savings Time (except for our friends in HI & AZ).
- Every hour in the United States, 624 homes will sell and 118 homes will regain positive equity.
- The median home value will also increase each hour in the United States by $1.84.
Put Your Housing Cost To Work For You!
There are many young people debating whether they should renew the lease on their apartment or sign a contract to purchase their first home. As we have said before, mortgage interest rates are still near historic lows and rents continue to rise.
Home Prices Up 5.76% Across The Country! [INFOGRAPHIC]
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, waiting to move may end up costing you more!
14,986 Homes Sold Yesterday... Did Yours?
There are some homeowners that have been waiting for months to get a price they hoped for when they originally listed their house for sale. The only thing they might want to consider is... If it hasn't sold yet, maybe it's not priced properly.
How To Get The Most Money When Selling Your House
Every homeowner wants to make sure they maximize their financial reward when selling their home. But how do you guarantee that you receive maximum value for your house? Here are two keys to ensuring you get the highest price possible.
Low Inventory Causes Home Prices to Accelerate
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released their latest Quarterly Metro Home Price report earlier this month. The report revealed that home prices are not only continuing to rise but that the increases are accelerating. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at NAR, discussed the impact of low inventory on buyers in the report:
Thinking of Buying A Home? What Are You Waiting For?
With spring right around the corner, you may be wondering if you should wait to enter the housing market. Here are four great reasons to consider buying a home today instead of waiting.
Future Home Values: Where Do The Experts Think They Are Headed?
Today, many real estate conversations center on housing prices and where they may be headed. That is why we like the Home Price Expectation Survey.
Will Appraisals Continue to be a Challenge in 2016?
First American Title issues a quarterly report, the Real Estate Sentiment Index (RESI), which “measures title agent sentiment on a variety of key market metrics and industry issues”. Their 2015 4th Quarter Edition revealed some interesting information regarding possible challenges with appraisal values as we head into 2016.
No Matter Which Groundhog You Listen To, You Should Sell Before Spring!
Is spring closer than we think? Depending on which Groundhog you witnessed today, you may have less time than you think to get your home on the market before the busy spring season.
Existing Home Sales Bounce Back [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Existing Home Sales Bounce Back [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/EHS-JAN-STM.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- Sales in December were 14.7% higher than those in November, marking the largest month-over-month increase ever recorded.
- Inventory levels are still below historic norms at 3.9-months supply.
- Median home price is up 7.6% from last year, marking the 46th consecutive month with year-over-year price gains.
Should I Buy Now Or Wait Until Next Year? [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Should I Buy Now Or Wait Until Next Year? [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Cost-of-Waiting-STM.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 4.8% by next year.
- CoreLogic predicts home prices to appreciate by 5.3% over the next 12 months.
- If you are ready and willing to buy your dream home, find out if you are able to!
Thinking of Buying a Home? 3 Questions Every Buyer Should Answer First
If you are debating purchasing a home right now, you are probably getting a lot of advice. Though your friends and family will have your best interest at heart, they may not be fully aware of your needs and what is currently happening in the real estate market.
Answering the following 3 questions will help you determine if now is actually a good time for you to buy in today’s market.
Change in Home Sales by Price Range [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Change in Home Sales by Price Range [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](https://files.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Change-in-Home-Sales-STM.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- Home Sales are up year-over-year in the top 4 price ranges and only slightly below last year's numbers in a fifth.
- A lack of distressed property inventory has led to a slow down in sales in the under $100K price range.
- As home prices continue to rise, there will be less homes available for sale in the lower ranges.
Building Family Wealth Over The Next 5 Years
As the economy continues to improve, more and more Americans are seeing their personal financial situations also improving. Instead of just getting by, many are now beginning to save and find other ways to build their net worth. One way to dramatically increase their family wealth is through the acquisition of real estate.
Home Prices: Where Are They Headed Over The Next 5 Years?
Today, many real estate conversations center on housing prices and where they may be headed. That is why we like the Home Price Expectation Survey.
Every quarter, Pulsenomics surveys a nationwide panel of over one hundred economists, real estate experts and investment & market strategists about where they believe prices are headed over the next five years. They then average the projections of all 100+ experts into a single number.
The results of their latest survey:
