The busy spring real estate season is here. Are you thinking of selling your house? Are you dreading having to deal with strangers walking through the house? Are you concerned about getting the paperwork correct? Hiring a professional real estate agent can take away most of the challenges of selling. A great agent is always […]
Today, Freddie Mac is scheduled to start buying mortgages with down payments of only three percent – the first time down payments have been this low on Freddie Mac loans in nearly five years. The program is called Freddie Mac Home Possible AdvantageSM. In a recent Executive Perspectives, Dave Lowman EVP, Single-Family Business Freddie Mac, […]
The Spring 2015 Buyer & Seller Guides are now available for Download & Customization! As with prior seasons, we’ve provided you with “Things to Consider When Buying a Home” & “Things to Consider When Selling Your House” in English & Spanish and in both PDF and the ever popular, editable, PowerPoint version. Download Them Today! Simply […]
Billionaire money manager John Paulson was interviewed at the Delivering Alpha Conference presented by CNBC and Institutional Investor. During his session he boldly stated: “I still think, from an individual perspective, the best deal investment you can make is to buy a primary residence that you’re the owner-occupier of.” Who is John Paulson? Paulson is the person who, back in 2005 & 2006, […]
There are many benefits to homeownership, one of top ones, is being able to protect yourself from rising rents and lock in your housing cost for the life of your mortgage. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) just released their findings of a study in which they studied “income growth, housing costs and changes in […]
The 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate is currently still below 4%. Many buyers may be on the fence as to whether to act now and purchase a new home, or wait until next year, believing they still have time to lock in a low rate. If you look at what the experts are predicting over […]
The Bureau of Labor Statistics just released their latest report showing that for the first time since 1984, unemployment fell in every state and D.C. last year. Below is a map showing the decline year-over-year from 2013-2014. In 2014, fourteen states had unemployment levels below 5%, while the nation as a whole stayed below double […]
A recent Demand Institute report revealed “nearly half of all American households plan to move at some point in the future.” Seventy-five percent of those surveyed in the report cited one or more ‘location-related reasons’ for their eagerness to move. Here are the top 5 reasons: Safer Neighborhood – 30% Closer to Family – 27% […]
After the housing market bust we experienced across the country in 2008, many experts have been quick to warn that a new bubble may be forming in some areas. One particular example of this is a recent article pointing toward the California Bay Area’s price gains over the last 18 months. The quickest and easiest […]
Now that the market has showed signs of recovery, some sellers may be tempted to try and sell their home on their own (FSBO) without using the services of a real estate professional. Real estate agents are trained and experienced in negotiation. In most cases, the seller is not. The seller must realize their ability […]
There have been some who have voiced doubt as to whether or not the younger generations still consider buying a home as being part of the “American Dream”. A recent study by Merrill Lynch puts that doubt to rest. According to their research, every living generation still maintains that owning a home is in fact important. […]
A recent Bloomberg Business article reports that both Lowes & Home Depot experienced fourth quarter profits that beat revenue projections by the most in six quarters. So what does that mean to the housing market? Consumer Confidence Lowe’s Chief Executive Officer Robert Niblock said, “Consumers are feeling better about their jobs, their wages and certainly […]
If you haven’t yet joined the exclusive “Members Only” Facebook Group… What are you waiting for? Are you a new agent looking for some guidance on where to start in your KCM Membership? or your business? Are you a veteran agent looking for new ideas to use in your business? Have a question for The […]
That headline might be a little aggressive. However, as the data on the 2015 housing market begins to roll in, we can definitely say one thing: If you are considering selling, IT IS TIME TO LIST YOUR HOME! We realize that existing home sales stumbled in January compared to December. But, if we compare the […]
Just like our clocks this weekend in the majority of the country, the housing market will soon “spring forward”! Similar to tension in a spring, the lack of inventory available for sale in the market right now is what is holding back the market. Many potential sellers believe that waiting until Spring is in their […]
For the last several years, home sellers had to compete with huge inventories of distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales). The great news is that the supply of these properties is falling like a rock in the vast majority of housing markets (only 11% of homes sold in January). Many homeowners are now thinking of […]
When a homeowner decides to sell their house, they obviously want the best possible price with the least amount of hassles. However, for the vast majority of sellers, the most important result is to actually get the home sold. In order to accomplish all three goals, a seller should realize the importance of using a […]
The FHFA released the 4th Quarter Home Prices for 2014. Looking at the breakdown regionally, year-over-year, prices are up across the country. We always like to give you the regional outlook so you can compare different areas of the country. Breaking down prices by state, with the exception of Vermont & Maryland, the entire country is […]
The interest rate you pay on your home mortgage has a direct impact on your monthly payment. The higher the rate the greater the payment will be. That is why it is important to look at where rates are headed when deciding to buy now or wait until next year. Below is a chart created […]
In a recent post, we explained that the supply of homes for sale in December was at its lowest level in over a year. The January National Housing Trend Report from realtor.com now reveals that inventory in January has decreased another 6.7% month over month and 8.7% year over year. This is occurring at the […]
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