Entries by The KCM Crew

How To Use KCM to Stay Top of Mind

As a Member, you have access to the latest reports on what’s really going on in the housing market. The same reports that CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and every other media outlet are reporting on everyday. The difference? Our headlines are there to tell you and your consumers what’s really going on in the […]

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This Is NOT Your Parents’ 3% Down Payment Plan

In their latest Housing Market Insight & Outlook report, Freddie Mac revealed that recent low down payment initiatives have raised concerns that we may be returning to the same lax mortgage qualifications that caused the housing crisis from which we are just now recovering. The report went on to explain that today’s underwriting guidelines are […]

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Pending Home Sales Remain Strong In June

The National Association of REALTORS’ Pending Home Sales Index is “a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings”. The higher the Pending Home Sales Index number, the more contracts have been signed by buyers that will soon translate to sales. The latest index was released last week, with the headline: Pending Home Sales Dip in June […]

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Are Home Values REALLY at Record Levels?

Last week, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) released their Existing Home Sales Report. The report announced that the median existing-home price in June was $236,400. That value surpasses the peak median sales price set in July 2006 ($230,400). This revelation created many headlines exclaiming that home prices had hit a “new record”: Wall Street […]

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Buyer Demand Continues To Outpace Housing Supply

The price of any item is determined by the supply of that item, and the market demand. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently released their latest Existing Home Sales Report. Inventory Levels & Demand Sales of existing homes rose 3.2% from May, outpacing year-over-year figures for the ninth consecutive month. Total unsold housing inventory […]

Interest Rates & Your Buyer’s Purchasing Power

Interest Rates have remained at or above 4% since they first crossed the threshold on June 4th (according to Freddie Mac’s Weekly Mortgage Market Survey). The experts are in agreement that rates will increase. With the exception of Fannie Mae, they all believe that rates will jump by a full percentage point by this time […]

5 Reasons You Should Sell Now!

As the temperature continues to rise, buyers are coming out ready to purchase their dream home. Here are five reasons that you should list your house for sale now. 1. Strong Buyer Demand Foot traffic refers to the number of people out actually physically looking at homes right now. The latest foot traffic numbers show […]

Freddie Mac: Equity Matters (a Lot!)

According to a Merrill Lynch survey, over 80% of the people in this country believe that homeownership is still “an important part of the American Dream”. There are many financial and non-financial reasons people feel this way. One of the biggest reasons is because it helps build family wealth. Last week, Freddie Mac posted about […]

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Home Sales Will Remain Hot This Summer

People always talk about the “spring buying season” when they talk real estate. However, this year it appears as though the summer real estate market will be just as hot. The most recent Foot Traffic Report released by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) revealed that there are more buyers out looking at homes right […]

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The Main Reason You Should Not Wait to Buy…

The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University recently released their 2015 State of the Nation’s Housing report. The report concentrated on the challenges renters in this country are facing because of the diminishing supply of quality rental units and dramatically escalating rents. However, there was also information buried within the report that revealed […]

Homeownership: A Key to Well-Being in Retirement

There has been much talk about homeownership and whether it is a true vehicle for building wealth. A new report looks at the impact owning a home has on the financial wellbeing of people closing in on their retirement years (ages 55-64). In recently released study by the Hamilton Project, Ten Economic Facts about Financial […]