As a homeowner, it’s always tempting to dream about the next big project you’re going to tackle. The possibilities are endless. Should I renovate? Should I refinance? Should I stay? Should I move? The list goes on and on. In today’s housing market, it’s actually a great time to shift your thoughts toward selling your house and moving up into the home of your dreams. Here’s...
After 28 years in the English Hill neighborhood, raising 3 children to have families of their own and achieving retirement; Kim & I realized we needed to move close to our 6 grandchildren on the east coast. There is no doubt in our minds that Tony Meier and his team were instrumental in helping us to realize that dream by selling our home. From his first walk through with suggestions of how to...
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...
The following analysis of the Western Washington real estate market is provided by Windermere Real Estate Chief Economist Matthew Gardner. We hope that this information may assist you with making better-informed real estate decisions. For further information about the housing market in your area, please don’t hesitate to contact your Windermere agent. ECONOMIC OVERVIEW Washington State...
Shifting trends and industry-leading research are pointing toward some valuable projections about the status of the housing market for the rest of the year. If you’re thinking of buying or selling, or if you just want to know what experts are saying is on the horizon, here are the top three things to put on your radar as we head into the coming months: Home prices are appreciating at a more...
We’re halfway through the year, and with a decline in interest rates as well as home price and wage appreciation, many are wondering what the experts predict for the second half of 2019. Here’s what some have to say: Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com “Lower mortgage rates, higher wages and more homes for sale have helped counteract rising home prices, and ultimately, made it so...
If you’re currently renting and have dreams of owning your own home, it may be a good time to think about your next move. With rent costs rising annually and many helpful down payment assistance programs available, homeownership may be closer than you realize. According to the 2018 Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report, 74% of renters plan on buying within the next 5 years, and 38%...
Some Highlights: Interest rates are projected to increase steadily heading into 2020. The higher your interest rate, the more money you will end up paying for your home and the higher your monthly payment will be. Rates are still low right now – don’t wait until they hit 5% to start searching for your dream...
Over the last few years, many sellers have been hesitant to put their houses on the market because they feared not being able to find another home to buy. We’ve reported on inventory shortages in the past, and it’s been a constant concern for potential buyers throughout recent years. New research shows the inventory concern is starting to decrease among potential buyers. According to First...
Over 10% of all residential homes are purchased by investors, and that number continues to rise. Who are these investors? Many have speculated that the large institutional conglomerates such as Blackstone, American Homes 4 Rent, and Colony Starwood dominate investor purchases. However, a special report on investor home buying by CoreLogic, Don’t Call it a Comeback: Housing Investors Have Been...
Owning a home has great financial benefits. In a recent research paper, Homeownership and the American Dream, Laurie S. Goodman and Christopher Mayer of the Urban Land Institute explained: “Homeownership appears to help borrowers accumulate housing and nonhousing wealth in a variety of ways, with tax advantages, greater financial flexibility due to secured borrowing, built-in ‘default’...
KIRKLAND, Washington (July 8, 2019) - Inventory, pending sales and prices all increased during June compared to a year ago, according to the latest report from Northwest Multiple Listing Service. The same report, which covers 23 counties in Washington state, shows year-over-year drops area-wide in both the volume of new listings and closed sales. "Clearly we now see that the market is moderating -...
Homes priced at the top 25% of the price range for a particular area of the country are considered “premium homes.” In today’s real estate market, there are deals to be had at the higher end! This is great news for homeowners wanting to upgrade from their current house. Much of the demand for housing over the past couple of years has come from first-time buyers looking for their starter home....
Some Highlights: Real estate has outranked stocks/mutual funds, gold, savings accounts/CDs, and bonds as the best long-term investment among Americans for the last 6 years. Stock owners are more positive about real estate than stocks as an investment. Of the 4 listed, real estate is the only investment you can also live...
Rising home prices coupled with a lack of inventory in today’s market may cause some homeowners to consider selling their home on their own (known in the industry as a For Sale By Owner). However, a FSBO might not be a good idea for the vast majority of sellers. The top 5 reasons are listed below: 1. Online Strategy for Prospective Purchasers Recent studies have shown that 95% of buyers...
Some Highlights: If you are thinking of buying a home, you may not know where to start. Here is a simple list of 10 steps that you will go through to purchase a home. Make sure to ask your agent for details about each step and what else may be required in your...
The housing crisis of the last decade was partially caused by unhealthy levels of mortgage debt. Homeowners were using their homes as ATMs by refinancing and swapping their equity for cash. When prices started to fall, many homeowners found themselves in a negative equity situation (where their mortgage was higher than the value of their home). As a result, they walked away. This caused prices to...
When deciding to buy a home, people are presented with many different options. The type of home you buy depends on your needs, budget, and in many cases, the desired maintenance level. For many millennials, their choice has been buying a condominium! According to CoreLogic, “Last year about 43% of all condo home-purchase mortgage applications were submitted by FTHBs… Similarly, the data show...
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