Posts Tagged ‘Homebuyer’
What Past Recessions Tell Us About the Housing Market
Kevin Brierton – 1.16.2023 It doesn’t matter if you’re someone who closely follows the economy or not, chances are you’ve heard whispers of an upcoming recession. Economic conditions are determined by a broad range of factors, so rather than explaining them each in-depth, let’s lean on the experts and what history tells us to see…
Read MoreUnderstanding the Steps of the Homebuying Process
Kevin Brierton – 1.8.2023 So you’re ready to buy a house, but you aren’t sure how the whole process works. While each real estate deal is different and can vary in a multitude of ways, for the most part, buying a house is pretty straightforward and follows the same timeline. It’s important to keep a…
Read MoreHow much does it impact your credit score to have your credit pulled for a new lease or rental?
Having your credit checked as part of the rental application process can potentially impact your credit score. Credit checks for rental applications are known as “soft inquiries,” which means they are not visible to lenders and do not affect your credit score. However, if you have a lot of soft inquiries in a short period…
Read MoreAvoid the Rental Trap in 2023
Kevin Brierton – 1.4.2023 If you’re a renter, you likely face an important decision every year: renew your current lease, start a new one, or buy a home. This year is no different. But before you dive too deeply into your options, it helps to understand the true costs of renting moving forward. In the…
Read MoreWondering How Much You Need To Save for a Down Payment?
Kevin Brierton – 1.3.2023 If you’re getting ready to buy your first home, you’re likely focused on saving up for everything that purchase involves. One cost that’s likely top of mind is your down payment. But don’t let a common misconception about how much you need to save make the process harder than it could…
Read More5 potential benefits of using a doctor mortgage program:
What Are Your Goals in the Housing Market This Year?
Kevin Brierton – 1.2.2023 If buying or selling a home is part of your dreams for 2023, it’s essential for you to understand today’s housing market, define your goals, and work with industry experts to bring your homeownership vision for the new year into focus. In the last year, high inflation had a big impact on the…
Read MoreApplying For a Mortgage? Here’s What You Should Avoid Once You Do.
Kevin Brierton – 12.28.2022 While it’s exciting to start thinking about moving in and decorating after you’ve applied for your mortgage, there are some key things to keep in mind before you close. Here’s a list of things you may not realize you need to avoid after applying for your home loan. Don’t Deposit Large Sums of Cash Lenders need to…
Read MoreConfused About What’s Going on in the Housing Market? Lean on a Professional.
Kevin Brierton – 12.27.2022 If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, you probably want to know what’s really happening with home prices, mortgage rates, housing supply, and more. That’s not an easy task considering how sensationalized headlines are today. Jay Thompson, Real Estate Industry Consultant, explains: “Housing market headlines are everywhere. Many are quite sensational, ending with exclamation points or…
Read MoreWhat Makes a House a Home?
Kevin Brierton – 12.22.2022 There’s no denying the long-term financial benefits of owning a home, but today’s housing market may have you wondering if now’s still the time to buy. While the financial aspects of buying a home are important, the non-financial and emotional reasons are too. Home means something different to all of us. Whether it’s sharing memories with…
Read MoreWhat To Expect From the Housing Market in 2023
The 2022 housing market has been defined by two key things: inflation and rapidly rising mortgage rates. And in many ways, it’s put the market into a reset position. As the Federal Reserve (the Fed) made moves this year to try to lower inflation, mortgage rates more than doubled – something that’s never happened before in a calendar year. This…
Read MoreHomeowners Still Have Positive Equity Gains over the Past 12 Months
If you’re a homeowner, your net worth got a big boost over the past few years thanks to rapidly rising home prices. Here’s how it happened and what it means for you, even as the market moderates. Equity is the current value of your home minus what you owe on the loan. Because there was…
Read MoreMortgage Rates Are Dropping. What Does That Mean for You?
Kevin Brierton – 12.19.2022 Mortgage rates have been a hot topic in the housing market over the past 12 months. Compared to the beginning of 2022, rates have risen dramatically. Now they’re dropping, and that has to do with everything happening in the economy. Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist and Director of Forecasting at the National Association of…
Read MoreYou May Have More Negotiation Power When You Buy a Home Today
Kevin Brierton – 12.14.2022 Did the frequency and intensity of bidding wars over the past two years make you put your home search on hold? If so, you should know the hyper competitive market has cooled this year as buyer demand has moderated and housing supply has grown. Those two factors combined mean you may see less competition from…
Read MoreReady To Sell? Today’s Housing Supply Gives You Two Opportunities.
Kevin Brierton – 12.13.2022 At first glance, the increase in housing supply compared to last year may not sound like good news for prospective sellers, but it actually gives you two key opportunities in today’s housing market. An article from Calculated Risk helps put the inventory gains the market has seen in 2022 into perspective by comparing it to recent years…
Read MoreWhat Every Seller Should Know About Home Prices
Kevin Brierton – 12.12.2022 If you’re trying to decide whether or not to sell your house, recent headlines about home prices may be top of mind. And if those stories have you wondering what that means for your home’s value, here’s what you really need to know. What’s Really Happening with Home Prices? It’s possible you’ve…
Read MoreHomeownership Is an Investment in Your Future
Kevin Brierton – 12.8.2022 There are many people thinking about buying a home, but with everything affecting the economy, some are wondering if it’s a smart decision to buy now or if it makes more sense to wait it out. As Bob Broeksmit, President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), explains: “The desire for homeownership is strong.…
Read MoreKey Advantages of Buying a Home Today
Kevin Brierton – 12.7.2022 There’s no doubt buying a home today is different than it was over the past couple of years, and the shift in the market has led to advantages for buyers today. Right now, there are specific reasons that make this housing market attractive for those who’ve thought about buying but have sidelined their…
Read MoreWhat’s Going on with Home Prices? Ask a Professional.
Kevin Brierton – 12.6.2022 If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home this year, you may have questions about what’s happening with home prices today as the market cools. In the simplest sense, nationally, experts don’t expect prices to come crashing down, but the level of home price moderation will depend on factors like supply and demand in each local…
Read MorePrioritizing Your Wants and Needs as a Homebuyer in Today’s Market
Kevin Brierton – 12.5.2022 There’s no denying mortgage rates are higher now than they were last year. And if you’re thinking about buying a home, this may be top of mind for you. That’s because those higher rates impact how much it costs to borrow money for your home loan. As you set out to make a…
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