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 […]
New Research Shows Housing Is Affordable For First-Time Buyers
October 8, 2019 by ·
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 report shows that […]
The Feeling You Get from Owning Your Home
October 1, 2019 by ·
We often talk about the financial reasons why buying a home makes sense. But, more often than not, the emotional reasons are the more powerful and compelling ones. No matter what shape or size your living space is, the concept and feeling of home can mean different things to different people. Whether it’s a certain […]
How Homeownership Delivers Unsurpassed Family Wealth
September 26, 2019 by ·
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 […]
Renters Paying Substantially More While Owning Costs Less
September 12, 2019 by ·
In a recent Insights Blog, CoreLogic reported that rent prices have skyrocketed since 2005. Meanwhile, the typical mortgage payment has actually decreased. “CoreLogic’s national rent index was up 36% in December 2018 compared with December 2005, while the typical mortgage payment was down 4% over that period.” Why the difference between the costs of renting versus owning? […]
3 Questions You Need To Ask Before Buying A Home
September 5, 2019 by ·
If you are debating purchasing a home right now, you are probably getting a lot of advice. Though your friends and family have your best interests at heart, they may not be fully aware of your needs and what is currently happening in the real estate market. Ask yourself the following three questions to help […]
Refinance Mortgages, HELOCS and Taxes
August 26, 2019 by ·
Once upon a time, if you used your home as collateral to borrow money, you could almost always count on claiming the interest expense as a deduction on your income taxes. These days, your ability to claim interest deductions will depend on how you use the money and how much you borrow.* Let’s take a […]
How Quickly Can You Save Your Down Payment?
August 19, 2019 by ·
Saving for a down payment is often the biggest hurdle for a first-time homebuyer. Depending on where you live, median income, median rents, and home prices all vary. So, we set out to find out how long it would take to save for a down payment in each state. Using data from HUD, Census and Apartment List, we determined how […]
What to Consider When Choosing Your Home To Retire In
August 19, 2019 by ·
As more and more baby boomers enter retirement age, the question of whether they should sell their homes and move has become a hot topic. In today’s housing market climate, with low available inventory in the starter and trade-up home categories, it makes sense to evaluate your home’s ability to adapt to your needs in […]
Looking to Upgrade Your Current Home? Now’s May Be The Time to Move-Up!
August 12, 2019 by ·
In every area of the country, homes that are priced at the top 25% of the price range for that area are considered to be Premium Homes. In today’s real estate market there are deals to be had at the higher end! This is great news for homeowners who want to upgrade from their current house […]
