Posts Tagged ‘Homeownership’
Are Home Prices Going Up or Down? That Depends…
Kevin Brierton – 6.12.2023 Media coverage about what’s happening with home prices can be confusing. A large part of that is due to the type of data being used and what they’re choosing to draw attention to. For home prices, there are two different methods used to compare home prices over different time periods: year-over-year…
Read MoreThe Main Reason Mortgage Rates Are So High
Kevin Brierton – 6.7.2023 Today’s mortgage rates are top-of-mind for many homebuyers right now. As a result, if you’re thinking about buying for the first time or selling your current house to move into a home that better fits your needs, you may be asking yourself these two questions: Here’s context you need to help…
Read MoreReal Estate Is Still Considered the Best Long-Term Investment
Kevin Brierton – 6.6.2023 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,…
Read MoreThe True Value of Homeownership
Kevin Brierton – 6.1.2023 Buying and owning your home can make a big difference in your life by bringing you joy and a sense of belonging. And with June being National Homeownership Month, it’s the perfect time to think about all the benefits homeownership provides. Of course, there are financial reasons to buy a house,…
Read MoreKeys to Success for First-Time Homebuyers
Kevin Brierton – 5.31.2023 Buying your first home is an exciting decision and a major milestone that has the power to change your life for the better. As a first-time homebuyer, it’s a vision you can bring to life, but, as the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shares, you’ll have to overcome some factors that…
Read MoreThe Benefits of Selling Now, According to Experts
Kevin Brierton – 5.25.2023 If you’re trying to decide if now’s the time to sell your house, here’s what you should know. The limited number of homes available right now gives you a big advantage. That’s because there are more buyers out there than there are homes for sale. And, with so few homes on…
Read MoreOwning a Home Helps Protect Against Inflation
Kevin Brierton – 5.24.2023 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…
Read MorePowerful Job Market Fuels Homebuyer Demand
Kevin Brierton – 5.18.2023 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…
Read MoreWhat You Need To Know About Home Price News
Kevin Brierton – 5.17.2023 The National Association of Realtors (NAR) will release its latest Existing Home Sales Report tomorrow. The information it contains on home prices may cause some confusion and could even generate some troubling headlines. This all stems from the fact that NAR will report the median sales price, while other home price indices…
Read MoreThe Worst Home Price Declines Are Behind Us
Kevin Brierton – 5.16.2023 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. Contrary to those headlines, home prices aren’t in a freefall. The latest…
Read MoreThe Best Time To Sell Your House Is When Others Aren’t Selling
Kevin Brierton – 5.11.2023 If you’re thinking about selling your house, you should know the number of homes for sale right now is low. That’s because, this season, there are fewer sellers listing their houses for sale than the norm. Looking back at every April since 2017, the only year when fewer sellers listed their…
Read MoreThe Impact of Inflation on Mortgage Rates
Kevin Brierton – 5.10.2023 If you’re reading headlines about inflation or mortgage rates, you may see something about the recent decision from the Federal Reserve (the Fed). But what does it mean for you, the housing market, and your plans to buy a home? Here’s what you need to know. Inflation and the Housing Market While…
Read MoreIt May Be Time To Consider a Newly Built Home
Kevin Brierton – 5.8.2023 If you’re looking to buy a house, you may find today’s limited supply of homes available for sale challenging. When housing inventory is as low as it is right now, it can feel like a bit of an uphill battle to find the perfect home for you because there just isn’t…
Read MoreBuyer Activity Is Up Despite Higher Mortgage Rates
Kevin Brierton – 5.3.2023 If you’re a homeowner thinking about making a move, you may wonder if it’s still a good time to sell your house. Here’s the good news. Even with higher mortgage rates, buyer traffic is actually picking up speed. Data from the latest ShowingTime Showing Index, which is a measure of buyers actively…
Read MoreWhy Buying a Home Makes More Sense Than Renting Today
Kevin Brierton – 5.1.2023 Wondering if you should continue renting or if you should buy a home this year? If so, consider this. Rental affordability is still a challenge and has been for years. That’s because, historically, rents trend up over time. Data from the Census shows rents have been climbing pretty steadily since 1988. …
Read MoreWhy Today’s Foreclosure Numbers Are Nothing Like 2008
Kevin Brierton – 4.27.2023 You’ve likely seen headlines about the number of foreclosures climbing in today’s housing market. That may leave you with a few questions, especially if you’re thinking about buying a house. Understanding what they really mean is mission-critical if you want to know the truth about what’s happening today. According to a…
Read MoreThe Three Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today
Kevin Brierton – 4.26.2023 There’s been a lot of focus on higher mortgage rates and how they’re creating affordability challenges for today’s homebuyers. It’s true that rates climbed dramatically since the record-low we saw during the pandemic. But home affordability is based on more than just mortgage rates – it’s determined by a combination of…
Read MoreWhat Are the Experts Saying About the Spring Housing Market?
Kevin Brierton – 4.25.2023 The housing market’s been going through a lot of change lately, and there’s been uncertainty surrounding what will happen this spring. You may be wondering if more homes will go on the market, what’s next with home prices and mortgage rates, or what the best advice is for someone in your…
Read MoreThe Power of Pre-Approval
Kevin Brierton – 4.24.2023 If you’re buying a home this spring, today’s housing market can feel like a challenge. With so few houses on the market right now, plus higher mortgage rates, it’s essential to have a firm grasp on your homebuying budget. You’ll also need a sense of determination to find the right house…
Read MoreWhat’s the Difference Between a Home Inspection and an Appraisal?
Kevin Brierton – 4.20.2023 If you’re planning to buy a home, an inspection is an important step in the process. It assesses the condition of the house before you finalize the transaction. It’s also a different step in the process from an appraisal, which is a professional evaluation of the market value of the home…
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