Home Buyers

Hire A Professional, Home Buyers, Money Talk, Selling Your Home

What’s the Latest with Mortgage Rates?

Recent headlines may leave you wondering what’s next for mortgage rates. Maybe you’d previously heard there were going to be cuts this year that would bring rates down. That refers to the Federal Reserve (the Fed) and what they do to their Fed Funds Rate. While cutting, or lowering, the Fed Funds Rate doesn’t directly determine mortgage rates, it does […]
Hire A Professional, Home Buyers, Money Talk

What Every Homebuyer Should Know About Closing Costs

Before making the decision to buy a home, it’s important to plan for all the costs you’ll be responsible for. While you’re busy saving for the down payment, don’t forget you’ll want to prep for closing costs too. Here’s some helpful information on what those costs are and how much you should budget for them. What Are Closing […]
Hire A Professional, Home Buyers, Money Talk

3 Helpful Tips for First-Time Homebuyers [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights Trying to buy your first home? If you’re worried about affordability today or the limited number of homes for sale, these tips can help. Look into homebuyer programs, expand your search area, and consider a multi-generational home. Connect with a local real estate agent so you have an expert on your side to help you make your dream a reality.
Hire A Professional, Home Buyers, Money Talk, Selling Your Home

What Are Experts Saying About the Spring Housing Market?

If you’re planning to move soon, you might be wondering if there’ll be more homes to choose from, where prices and mortgage rates are headed, and how to navigate today’s market. If so, here’s what the professionals are saying about what’s in store for this season. Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist, First American: “. . . it seems our general expectation […]

Hire A Professional What’s the Latest with Mortgage Rates? Recent headlines may leave you wondering what’s next for mortgage rates. Maybe you’d previously heard there were going to be cuts this year that would bring rates down. That refers to the Federal Reserve (the Fed) and what they do to their Fed Funds Rate. While cutting, or lowering, the Fed Funds Rate doesn’t directly determine mortgage rates, it does […]

Hire A Professional What Every Homebuyer Should Know About Closing Costs Before making the decision to buy a home, it’s important to plan for all the costs you’ll be responsible for. While you’re busy saving for the down payment, don’t forget you’ll want to prep for closing costs too. Here’s some helpful information on what those costs are and how much you should budget for them. What Are Closing […]

Hire A Professional 3 Helpful Tips for First-Time Homebuyers [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights Trying to buy your first home? If you’re worried about affordability today or the limited number of homes for sale, these tips can help. Look into homebuyer programs, expand your search area, and consider a multi-generational home. Connect with a local real estate agent so you have an expert on your side to help you make your dream a reality.

Hire A Professional What Are Experts Saying About the Spring Housing Market? If you’re planning to move soon, you might be wondering if there’ll be more homes to choose from, where prices and mortgage rates are headed, and how to navigate today’s market. If so, here’s what the professionals are saying about what’s in store for this season. Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist, First American: “. . . it seems our general expectation […]

Hire A Professional Does It Make Sense To Buy a Home Right Now? Thinking about buying a home? If so, you’re probably wondering: should I buy now or wait? Nobody can make that decision for you, but here’s some information that can help you decide. What’s Next for Home Prices? Each quarter, Fannie Mae and Pulsenomics publish the results of the Home Price Expectations Survey (HPES). It asks more than 100 experts—economists, real estate professionals, and […]

Hire A Professional Homeowners Today Have Options To Avoid Foreclosure Even with the latest data coming in, the experts agree there’s no chance of a large-scale foreclosure crisis like the one we saw back in 2008. While headlines may be calling attention to a slight uptick in foreclosure filings recently, the bigger picture is that we’re still well below the number we’d see in a more normal year for […]

Hire A Professional 4 Tips To Make Your Strongest Offer on a Home Are you thinking about buying a home soon? If so, you should know today’s market is competitive in many areas because the number of homes for sale is still low – and that’s leading to multiple-offer scenarios. And moving into the peak homebuying season this spring, this is only expected to ramp up more. Remember these four […]

Hire A Professional The Latest Trends in Housing [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights With the number of new listings going up and average days on market going down, buyers may have more options, but will still want to move fast. For sellers, inventory is still low and houses are selling fast, meaning your house should stand out and may get multiple offers if you price it right. If you want to know more about what’s happening in your area, […]

Hire A Professional Your Home Is a Powerful Investment Going into 2023, there was a lot of talk about a possible recession that would cause the housing market to crash. Some in the media were even forecasting home prices would drop by as much as 10-20%—and that might have made you feel a bit unsure about buying a home. But here’s what actually happened: home prices went up more […]

Hire A Professional What Mortgage Rate Do You Need To Move? If you’ve been thinking about buying a home, mortgage rates are probably top of mind for you. They may even be why you’ve put your plans on hold for now. When rates climbed near 8% last year, some buyers found the numbers just didn’t make sense for their budget anymore. That may be the case for you too. Data from Bright MLS shows the top reason buyers […]

Hire A Professional Finding Your Perfect Home in a Fixer Upper If you’re trying to buy a home and are having a hard time finding one you can afford, it may be time to consider a fixer-upper. That’s a house that needs a little elbow grease or some updates, but has good bones. Fixer-uppers can be a really great option if you’re looking to break into the housing market or […]

Hire A Professional The Benefits of Downsizing When You Retire If you’re taking a look at your expenses as you retire, saving money where you can has a lot of appeal. One long-standing, popular way to do that is by downsizing to a smaller home. When you think about cutting down on your spending, odds are you think of frequent purchases, like groceries and other goods. But […]

Hire A Professional Why There Won’t Be a Recession That Tanks the Housing Market There’s been a lot of recession talk over the past couple of years. And that may leave you worried we’re headed for a repeat of what we saw back in 2008. Here’s a look at the latest expert projections to show you why that isn’t going to happen. According to Jacob Channel, Senior Economist at LendingTree, the […]

Hire A Professional What To Know About Credit Scores Before Buying a Home If you want to buy a home, you should know your credit score is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to qualifying for a mortgage. Lenders review your credit to see if you typically make payments on time, pay back debts, and more. Your credit score can also help determine your mortgage rate. An […]

Hire A Professional The First Step: Getting Pre-Approved for a Mortgage [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights If you’re looking to buy a home in 2024, getting pre-approved is a key piece of the puzzle. Mortgage pre-approval means a lender checks your finances and decides how much you’re qualified to borrow. As more buyers re-enter the market, it’ll help you make a strong offer that stands out from the crowd. Talk to a trusted professional to learn more and begin your homebuying process today.

Hire A Professional Why We Aren’t Headed for a Housing Crash If you’re holding out hope that the housing market is going to crash and bring home prices back down, here’s a look at what the data shows. And spoiler alert: that’s not in the cards. Instead, experts say home prices are going to keep going up. Today’s market is very different than it was before the housing crash in […]

Hire A Professional Why You Want an Agent’s Advice for Your Move No matter how you slice it, buying or selling a home is a big decision. And when you’re going through any change in your life and you need some guidance, what do you do? You get advice from people who know what they’re talking about. Moving is no exception. You need insights from the pros to help you feel […]

Hire A Professional The Truth About Down Payments If you’re planning to buy your first home, saving up for all the costs involved can feel daunting, especially when it comes to the down payment. That might be because you’ve heard you need to save 20% of the home’s price to put down. Well, that isn’t necessarily the case. Unless specified by your loan type or lender, […]

Hire A Professional How Changing Mortgage Rates Impact You [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights If you’re looking to buy a home, it’s important to know how mortgage rates impact what you can afford and how much you’ll pay each month. That’s because even a small change in mortgage rates can have a big impact on your purchasing power. The best way to navigate changing mortgage rates and make an informed buying decision is to rely on the expertise of a […]

Hire A Professional Expert Home Price Forecasts for 2024 Revised Up Over the past few months, experts have revised their 2024 home price forecasts based on the latest data and market signals, and they’re even more confident prices will rise, not fall. So, let’s see exactly how experts’ thinking has shifted – and what’s caused the change. 2024 Home Price Forecasts: Then and Now The chart below shows what seven […]