Buyers Market - 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 [...]
Home Buyers Top Mortgage Fears - Let's get real, shall we? Getting a mortgage can be a little frightening. Heck, a lot. Who doesn't get jittery at the prospect of coughing up a huge down payment, of letting lenders probe their financial past, and of ultimately committing to paying back what's owed, month after month, regardless [...]
Cost Rent vs. Buying in the US Highlights: Historically, the choice between renting or buying a home has been a tough decision. Looking at the percentage of income needed to rent a median-priced home today (29.2%) vs. the percentage needed to buy a median-priced home (15.8%), the choice becomes obvious. Every market is different. [...]
Home Equity - CoreLogic’s latest Equity Report revealed that 91,000 properties regained equity in the first quarter of 2017. This is great news for the country, as 48.2 million of all mortgaged properties are now in a positive equity situation. Price Appreciation = Good News for Homeowners Frank Nothaft, CoreLogic’s Chief Economist, explains: “One million borrowers achieved positive equity over the [...]
Buying means cheaper - The results of the latest 12 Key Differences show that home ownership remains cheaper than renting with a traditional 30-year fixed rate mortgage in the 100 largest metro areas in the United States. Stats actually show that the range is an average of 3.5% less expensive in San Jose (CA), all the way [...]
Are home prices approaching bubble territory - As home values continue to rise, some are questioning whether we are approaching another housing bubble. Zillow just reported that: “National home values have surpassed the peak hit during the housing bubble and are at their highest value in more than a decade.” Though that statement is correct, [...]
69 percent buyers wrong - 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. 69 Percent Buyers Wrong Nearly 40% of mortgage industry professionals surveyed believe that a lack of knowledge [...]
Fix these 10 things - There are a lot of things you can't control in the home-selling process. You can't force people to come see your home or make an offer on it. But you can make sure to take care of some easy repairs that would otherwise turn off prospective buyers. Look around and [...]