First Time Home Buyers
Kids’ Opinions Matter Big When Buying a Home A recent survey conducted by Harris Poll and released by SunTrust Mortgage found that “55% of homeowners with a child under the age of 18 at the time when they purchased their home said that the opinion of their offspring played a major role in their home…
VA Loans … Since the creation of the Veterans Affairs the VA Loans Program has helped over 22 million veterans achieved the American Dream of home ownership. Many veterans do not know the details of the program and therefore do not take advantage of the benefits available to them. If you are a veteran or…
The Aspiring Home Buyers Profile from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that the American public is still somewhat confused about what is required to qualify for a home mortgage loan in today’s housing market. The results of the survey show that the main reason why non-homeowners do not own their own homes is because they believe that…
Homeownership the American Dream… Homeownership is a major part of the American Dream. As evidence of that, 91% of Americans believe that owning a home is either essential (43%) or important (48%) to achieving that “dream.” In a market where some people may be unsure about the benefits and possibilities of buying a home, it…
What truly causes a housing bubble and the inevitable crash? For the best explanation, let’s go to a person who correctly called the last housing bubble – a year before it happened. “A bubble requires both overvaluation based on fundamentals and speculation. It is natural to focus on an asset’s fundamental value, but the real…
Thinking of Buying a Home? Everyone wants to save money. Did you know buying a home is cheaper than renting. Here’s why…… In the latest Rent vs. Buy Report from Trulia, they explained that buying a home remains cheaper than renting with a traditional 30-year fixed rate mortgage in the 100 largest metro areas in the…
Net Worth = Rent vs. Buy… Every three years, the Federal Reserve conducts their Survey of Consumer Finances in which they collect net worth data across all economic and social groups. The latest survey data, covering 2013-2016 was released two weeks ago. The study revealed that the 2016 median net worth of homeowners was $231,400 – a 15% increase since…
Millennials to Millionaire… In a CNBC article, self-made millionaire David Bach explained that “the single biggest mistake millennials are making” is not purchasing a home because buying real estate is “an escalator to wealth.” Bach went on to explain: “If millennials don’t buy a home, their chances of actually having any wealth in this country are little to none. The…
Down Payment… The Aspiring Home Buyers Profile from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that the American public is still somewhat confused about what down payment is required to qualify for a home mortgage loan in today’s housing market. The results of the survey show that non-homeowners cite the main reason for not currently owning…
Two Real Estate Markets… Six months ago, we reported that the mismatch between the type of inventory of homes for sale and the demand of buyers in the US was causing the formation of two real estate markets. In the starter and trade-up home categories, there were significantly more buyers than there were homes for…
Homeownership The American Dream… Hearth just released their 2017 State of the American Dream report which showed that Americans still see homeownership as an integral piece of the American Dream. The report confirmed that “all generations–including millennials – agree homeownership is very important to achieving the American Dream.” Americans ranked “owning a home I love”…
What You Want vs. What You Need – Dream Home… In this day and age of being able to shop for anything anywhere, it is really important to know what you’re looking for when you start your dream home search. If you’ve been thinking about buying a home of your own for some time now,…
Don’t Let Your FICO® Score Keep You From Your New Home? The results of countless studies have shown that potential home buyers, and even current homeowners, have an inflated view of what is really required to qualify for a mortgage in today’s market due to their FICO® score. One such study by the Wharton School of Business at…
Here are four great reasons to consider buying a home today, instead of waiting. 1. Prices Will Continue to Rise CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index reports that home prices have appreciated by 6.7% over the last 12 months. The same report predicts that prices will continue to increase at a rate of 5.0% over the next year. The…
Think about Your Home Value… Over the next five years, home prices are expected to appreciate 3.64% per year on average and to grow by 18.4% cumulatively, according to Pulsenomics’ most recent Home Price Expectation Survey. So, what does this mean for homeowners and their equity position? As an example, let’s assume a young couple purchased and closed on…
3 Home Buying Questions to Ask… 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 interests at heart, they may not be fully aware of your needs and what is currently happening in the real estate market. Ask…
What’s Your Homeowner’s Net Worth? Every three years, the Federal Reserve conducts their Survey of Consumer Finances in which they collect data across all economic and social groups. The latest survey, which includes data from 2010-2013, reports that a homeowner’s net worth is 36 times greater than that of a renter ($194,500 vs. $5,400). The latest…
Real Estate is Best Long-Term Investment According to Bankrate’s latest Financial Security Index Poll, Americans who have money to set aside for the next 10 years would rather invest in real estate than any other type of investment. Bankrate asked Americans to answer the following question: “What is the best way to invest money you…
Before You Buy Your Dream Home If you are debating purchasing a dream home right now, you are probably getting a lot of advice. Though your friends and family will 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….
Down payment needs According to a recent survey conducted by Genworth Financial Inc. at the Annual Mortgage Bankers’ Association Secondary Market Conference, mortgage professionals say that first-time buyers still believe a 20% down payment is necessary to buy in today’s market. Nearly 40% of mortgage industry professionals surveyed believe that a lack of knowledge about the home-buying process is keeping…
Owning a Home – Good Financial Decision According to the National Association of Realtors®’ 2017 National Housing Pulse Survey, 84% of Americans now believe that purchasing a home is a good financial decision. This is the highest percentage since 2007 – before the housing crisis. Those surveyed pointed out five major reasons why they believe homeownership is…
Competitive Real Estate Market In today’s highly competitive real estate market, where inventory levels are not keeping up with the constant stream of buyer demand, there are steps you can take to ensure you are most prepared for success when buying a home. The 3 tips we are going to expand on today come from…
Home Buyers In Realtor.com’s recent article, “Home Buyers’ Top Mortgage Fears: Which One Scares You?” they mention that “46% of potential home buyers fear they won’t qualify for a mortgage to the point that they don’t even try.” Myth #1: “I Need a 20% Down Payment” Buyers overestimate the down payment funds needed to qualify…
We previously reported how a shortage of inventory in the starter and trade-up home markets is driving prices up and causing bidding wars, creating a true seller’s market. At the same time, in the premium home market, an over-abundance of inventory has started to see prices come down and put buyers in the driver’s seat,…
Recently, Freddie Mac reported on the important benefits of real estate homeownership. According to their report, here are the five benefits that “should be at the top of everyone’s list.” Homeownership can help you build equity over time. Your monthly payments will remain stable. You may have some tax benefits. You can take pride in…