April 2017

This time of year, many people eagerly check their mailboxes looking for their tax return check from the IRS. But, what do most people plan to do with the money? GO Banking Rates recently surveyed Americans and asked the question - “What do you plan on doing with your tax refund?” The results of the survey were interesting. Here is what they plan to do with their money: 41% - Put it into...

Real Estate mogul, Sean Conlon, host of The Deed: Chicago on CNBC, was recently asked the question, should you buy? Or should you rent a house? Conlon responded: “I am a true believer that you save every penny and you buy your first house… and that is still the fastest path to wealth in this country.” Conlon went on to suggest that first-time buyers put down 10-20% “if they can make it...

In school, we all learned the theory of supply and demand. When the demand for an item is greater than the supply of that item, the price will surely rise. SUPPLY The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently reported that the inventory of homes for sale stands at a 3.8-month supply. This is considerably lower than the 6-month supply necessary for a normal...

Saving for a down payment is often the biggest hurdle for a first-time homebuyer. Depending on where you live, median income, median rents, and home prices all vary. So, we set out to find out how long would it take you to save for a down payment in each state? Using data from the United States Census Bureau and Zillow, we determined how long it would take, nationwide, for a first-time buyer to save...

Some Highlights: Interest rates are still below historic numbers. 88% of property managers raised their rent in the last 12 months! The credit score requirements for mortgage approval continue to...

Many Americans got some depressing news last week; either their tax return was not as large as they had hoped or, in some cases, they were told they owed additional money to either the Federal or State government or both. One way to save on taxes is to own your own home. According to the Tax Policy Center’s Briefing Book -“A citizen's guide to the fascinating (though often complex) elements of...

Forbes.com recently released the results of their new American Dream Index, in which they measure “the prosperity of the middle class, and…examine which states best support the American Dream.” The monthly index measures several different economic factors, including goods-producing employment, personal and commercial bankruptcies, building permits, startup activity, unemployment insurance...

Sold for $883,000 Click Here for Details Wonderfully updated home in Coventry on English Hill. The light filled 2,390 s.f. floorplan features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths on a sunny 8,396 s.f. lot. Many updates includes updated kitchen & baths, new carpet, hardwood floors, refreshed interior paint & white millwork! The gracious two story entry welcomes you in. Formal living room with big windows...

Sold for $1,300,000 Click Here for Details This custom built recently updated home is located on a private 35,011 s.f. lot. Ideally positioned in the easily accessible English Hill area, the home features 4 bedrooms, 4 separate baths, den, 4,150 s.f. and a park-like lot. Wonderful home for entertainment with cozy spaces in a flowing layout. Craftsmanship shows throughout with ample molding,...

According to the Beracha, Hardin & Johnson Buy vs. Rent (BH&J) Index, the U.S. housing market has continued to move deeper into buy territory, supporting the belief that housing markets across the country remain a sound investment. The BH&J Index is a quarterly report that attempts to answer the question: In today’s housing market, is it better to rent or buy a...

Sold for $985,003 Click Here for Details Completely remodeled home in the desirable neighborhood of Eastbrook. This spacious floorplan boasts 3,070 s.f. and features 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths on a shy acre lot. The list of recent and extensive updates include: Outside - high quality roof and maintenance free Azek deck. Inside - updated kitchen with top of the line appliances and built in espresso machine,...

If you thought about selling your house this year, now may be the time to do it. The inventory of homes for sale is well below historic norms and buyer demand is skyrocketing. We were still in high school when we learned the concept of supply and demand: the best time to sell something is when supply of that item is low and demand for that item is high. That defines today’s real estate...

Some Highlights: ‘Millennials’ are defined as 18-36 year olds according to the US Census Bureau. According to NAR’s latest Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, the median age of all first-time home buyers is 31 years old. More and more ‘Old Millennials’ (25-36 year olds) are realizing that homeownership is within their reach...

The media has extensively covered the rise in mortgage interest rates since last fall (from 3.42% last September to the current 4.1% according to Freddie Mac). However, a less covered aspect of the mortgage market is that requirements to get a mortgage have eased while rates have risen. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) quantifies the availability of mortgage credit each month with their...

A recent report released by Down Payment Resource shows that 65% of first-time homebuyers purchased their homes with a down payment of 6% or less in the month of January. The trend continued through all buyers with a mortgage, as 62% made a down payment of less than 20%, which is consistent with findings from December. An article by DS News points to the new wave of millennial homebuyers: “It...

There are many benefits to homeownership. One of the top benefits is being able to protect yourself from rising rents by locking in your housing cost for the life of your mortgage. Don’t Become Trapped  Jonathan Smoke, Chief Economist at realtor.com, reported on what he calls a “Rental Affordability Crisis.” He warns that, “Low rental vacancies and a lack of new...

When a homeowner decides to sell their house, they obviously want the best possible price for it with the least amount of hassles along the way. However, for the vast majority of sellers, the most important result is actually getting their homes sold. In order to accomplish all three goals, a seller should realize the importance of using a real estate professional. We realize that technology has...

Some Highlights: “The majority of millennials said they consider owning a home more sensible than renting for both financial and lifestyle reasons — including control of living space, flexibility in future decisions, privacy and security, and living in a nice home.” At 93%, the top reason Millennials choose to buy is to have control over their living space. Many Millennials who rent a...

Some industry experts are claiming that the housing market may be headed for a slowdown as we proceed through 2017, based on rising home prices and a potential jump in mortgage interest rates. One of the data points they use is the Housing Affordability Index, as reported by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Here is how NAR defines the index: “The Housing Affordability Index measures...

KIRKLAND, Washington (April 6, 2017) - Northwest Multiple Listing Service brokers expected an uptick in the number of new listings during March, and that expectation was met with a significant gain - up more than 50 percent from February. Members added 10,321 new listings last month, but they also reported an even greater number of pending sales (10,447), leaving inventory near historic...

Traditionally, spring is the busiest season for real estate. Buyers come out in force and homeowners list their houses for sale hoping to capitalize on buyer activity. This year will be no different! Buyers have already been out in force looking for their dream homes and more are on their way, but the challenge is that the inventory of homes for sale has not kept up with demand, which has lead to A...

Sold for $950,000 Click Here for Details Private and unique, Burnstead built home in the desirable neighborhood of Sheffield on English Hill. The elegant floorplan boasts 3,342 s.f. and features 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths on a 1+ acre lot. The home features many updates and gorgeous hardwood floors throughout. Ideally set on a large lot and dubbed the “Tree House”, the home’s connection with...

Some Highlights: The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently released their latest Quarterly Home Price Index report. In the report, home prices are compared both regionally and by state. Based on the latest numbers, if you plan on relocating to another state, waiting to move may end up costing you more! Alaska, Delaware, West Virginia & Wyoming were the only...

The success of the housing market is strongly tied to the consumer’s confidence in the overall economy. For that reason, we believe 2017 will be a great year for real estate. Here is just a touch of the news coverage on the subject. HousingWire: “Consumers’ faith in the housing market is stronger than it’s ever been before, according to a newly released survey from Fannie...