Home Prices Are Rebounding

By Posted on 3 min read 353 views

If you’re following the news today, you may feel a bit unsure about what’s happening with home prices and fear whether or not the worst is yet to come. That’s because today’s headlines are painting an unnecessarily negative picture. If we take a year-over-year view, home prices did drop some, but that’s because we’re comparing to a ‘unicorn’ year when prices peaked well beyond the norm. To avoid an unfair comparison …

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Americans Still View Homeownership as the American Dream

By Posted on 2 min read 256 views

Everyone’s interpretation of the American Dream is unique and personal. But, for many people, it’s tied to a sense of success, freedom, and prosperity. These are all things that owning a home can help provide. A recent survey from Bankrate asked respondents which achievements they feel most embody the American Dream. The responses prove owning a home is still important to so many Americans today (see graph below): As the graph …

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Why Homeownership Wins in the Long Run

By Posted on 2 min read 556 views

Today’s higher mortgage rates, inflationary pressures, and concerns about a potential recession have some people questioning: should I still buy a home this year? While it’s true this year has unique challenges for homebuyers, it’s important to think about the long-term benefits of homeownership when making your decision. Consider this: if you know people who bought a home 5, 10, or even 30 years ago, you’re probably going to have a …

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The True Cost of Selling Your House on Your Own

By Posted on 3 min read 292 views

Selling your house is no simple task. While some homeowners opt to sell their homes on their own, known as a FSBO (For Sale by Owner), they often encounter various challenges without the guidance of a real estate agent. If you’re currently considering selling your house on your own, here’s what you should know. The most recent Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) surveyed …

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Saving for a Down Payment? Here’s What You Need To Know.

By Posted on 2 min read 315 views

If you’re planning to buy your first home, then you’re probably focused on saving for all the costs involved in such a big purchase. One of the expenses that may be at the top of your mind is your down payment. If you’re intimidated by how much you need to save for that, it may be because you believe you must put 20% down. That doesn’t necessarily have to be the …

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This Real Estate Market Is the Strongest of Our Lifetime

By Posted on 2 min read 213 views

When you look at the numbers today, the one thing that stands out is the strength of this housing market. We can see this is one of the most foundationally strong housing markets of our lifetime – if not the strongest housing market of our lifetime. Here are two fundamentals that prove this point.  1. The Current Mortgage Rate on Existing Mortgages First, let’s look at the current rate on existing mortgages. According …

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Real Estate Is Still Considered the Best Long-Term Investment

By Posted on 1 min read 345 views

With all the headlines circulating about home prices and rising mortgage rates, you may wonder if it still makes sense to invest in homeownership right now. A recent poll from Gallup shows the answer is yes. In fact, real estate was voted the best long-term investment for the 11th consecutive year, consistently beating other investment types like gold, stocks, and bonds (see graph below): If you’re thinking about purchasing a home, …

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Today’s Real Estate Market: The ‘Unicorns’ Have Galloped Off

By Posted on 2 min read 1095 views

Comparing real estate metrics from one year to another can be challenging in a normal housing market. That’s due to possible variability in the market making the comparison less meaningful or accurate. Unpredictable events can have a significant impact on the circumstances and outcomes being compared.  Comparing this year’s numbers to the two ‘unicorn’ years we just experienced is almost worthless. By ‘unicorn,’ this is the less common definition of the …

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Owning a Home Helps Protect Against Inflation

By Posted on 2 min read 371 views

You’re probably feeling the impact of high inflation every day as prices have gone up on groceries, gas, and more. If you’re a renter, you’re likely experiencing it a lot as your rent continues to rise. Between all of those elevated costs and uncertainty about a potential recession, you may be wondering if it still makes sense to buy a home today. The short answer is – it does. Here’s why.  …

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Powerful Job Market Fuels Homebuyer Demand

By Posted on 2 min read 242 views

The spring housing market has been surprisingly active this year. Even with affordability challenges and a limited number of homes for sale, buyer demand is strong, and getting stronger. One way we know there are interested buyers right now is because showing traffic is up. Data from the latest ShowingTime Showing Index, which is a measure of buyers actively touring homes, makes it clear more people are out looking at homes …

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