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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 fall.
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 [...]
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 claims, labor force participation, and layoffs.The [...]
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 [...]
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 now!
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 rental construction [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]