Posts Tagged ‘Loans’
Pre-Approval in 2023: What You Need To Know
Kevin Brierton – 1.19.2023 One of the first steps in your home-buying journey is getting pre-approved. To understand why it’s such an important step, you need to understand what pre-approval is and what it does for you. Business Insider explains: “In a preapproval [sic], the lender tells you which types of loans you may be eligible to take out, how much you…
Read MoreThink Twice Before Waiting for 3% Mortgage Rates
Kevin Brierton – 1.17.2023 Last year, the Federal Reserve took action to try to bring down inflation. In response to those efforts, mortgage rates jumped up rapidly from the record lows we saw in 2021, peaking at just over 7% last October. Hopeful buyers experienced a hit to their purchasing power as a result, and some decided to press pause on their…
Read MoreWhat 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 More3 Best Practices for Selling Your House This Year
Kevin Brierton – 1.5.2023 A new year brings with it the opportunity for new experiences. If that resonates with you because you’re considering making a move, you’re likely juggling a mix of excitement over your next home and a sense of attachment to your current one. A great way to ease some of those emotions and…
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 MoreWhat 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 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 MorePlanning to Retire? It Could Be Time To Make a Move.
Kevin Brierton – 12.15.2022 If you’re thinking about retirement or have already retired this year, you may be planning your next steps. One of your goals could be selling your house and finding a home that more closely fits your needs. Fortunately, you may be in a better position to make a move than you realize. Here are…
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 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…
Read MoreWhat You Want To Know If You’re Pursuing Your Dream of Homeownership
Kevin Brierton – 12.1.2022 If you’re a young adult, you may be thinking about your goals and priorities for the months and years ahead. And if homeownership ranks high on your goal sheet, you’re in good company. Many of your peers are also pursuing their dream of owning a home. The 2022 Millennial & Gen Z Borrower Sentiment…
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