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How Today’s Mortgage Rates Impact Your Home Purchase

If you’re planning to buy a home, it’s critical to understand the relationship between mortgage rates and your purchasing power. Purchasing power is the amount of home you can afford to buy that’s within your financial reach. Mortgage rates directly impact the monthly payment you’ll have on the home you purchase. So, when rates rise, so does the monthly payment you’re able to lock in on your home loan. In a rising-rate environment like we’re in today, that could limit your future purchasing power.
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2022 Housing Market Forecast [INFOGRAPHIC]

2022 Housing Market Forecast [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

Some Highlights

  • What does the rest of the year hold for the housing market? Here’s what experts have to say about what lies ahead.
  • Home prices are projected to rise and so are mortgage rates. Experts are also forecasting another strong year for home sales as people move to meet their changing needs.
  • Let’s connect so you can make your best move this year.
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Things That Could Help You Win a Bidding War on a Home

With a limited number of homes for sale today and so many buyers looking to make a purchase before mortgage rates rise further, bidding wars are common. According to the latest report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), nationwide, homes are getting an average of 4.8 offers per sale. Here’s a look at how that breaks down state-by-state (see map below):
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Is It Enough To Offer Asking Price in Today’s Housing Market?

If you’re planning to buy a home this season, you’re probably thinking about what you’ll need to do to get your offer accepted. In previous years, it was common for buyers to try and determine how much less than the asking price they could offer to still get the home. The buyer and seller would then negotiate and typically agree on a revised price that was somewhere between the buyer’s bid and the home’s initial asking price.
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How To Approach Rising Mortgage Rates as a Buyer

In the last few weeks, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Freddie Mac inched up to 5%. While that news may have you questioning the timing of your home search, the truth is, timing has never been more important. Even though you may be tempted to put your plans on hold in hopes that rates will fall, waiting will only cost you more. Mortgage rates are forecast to continue rising in the year ahead.
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What Is Multigenerational Housing? [INFOGRAPHIC]

What Is Multigenerational Housing? [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

Some Highlights

  • If you have additional loved ones coming to live with you but don’t have enough space, it may be time to consider a larger, multigenerational home.
  • Some key benefits of multigenerational living include a combined homebuying budget, shared caregiving duties, enhanced relationships, and more. These benefits might be why more people are choosing to live in multigenerational homes today.
  • Let’s connect so you can find a house that meets your changing needs and has plenty of space for you and your loved ones.
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Do You Know How Much Equity You Have in Your Home? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Do You Know How Much Equity You Have in Your Home? [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

Some Highlights

  • If you’re a homeowner, your net worth has gotten a big boost. That’s because recent home price appreciation has increased your equity.
  • Your equity grows as you pay down your loan and as your home increases in value. Over the past year, the average homeowner’s equity grew by $55,300.
  • Ready to sell? Let’s connect to talk about how you can use that equity to fuel your next move.
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What You Need To Budget for When Buying a Home

When it comes to buying a home, it can feel a bit intimidating to know how much you need to save and where to find that information. But you should know, you’re not expected to have all the answers yourself. There are many trusted professionals who can help you understand your finances and what you’ll need to budget for throughout the process.
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How an Energy Efficient Home Can Be a Bright Idea [INFOGRAPHIC]

How an Energy Efficient Home Can Be a Bright Idea [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

Some Highlights

  • With inflation driving up the cost of everyday items, seeking out an energy-efficient home can be a great way to decrease the expenses you can control.
  • Energy efficiency can help lower your utility bills and possibly even save you money on your taxes. Options to look for include efficient appliances, windows, and solar panels.
  • If you’re planning to buy a home this year, consider energy efficiency in your search. Let’s connect so you can better understand features that can save you money for years to come.
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What You Need To Know if You’re Thinking About Building a Home

If you’re ready to move up, you may be trying to decide whether you want to buy a home that's already on the market or build a new one. And since the supply of homes available for sale today is low, you’re willing to consider either avenue. While home builders are doing everything they can to construct more houses and help narrow the supply shortage, they’re also facing delays due to factors outside of their control.
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Did Your Dream Home Just Come on the Market?

For the first time in a long time, the number of newly listed homes is beginning to rise. In their latest monthly release, realtor.com reveals the number of existing homes entering the market has increased for two months in a row (this comes after six months of declines). Here’s a graph showing the monthly new listings going back to January of last year. The green bars indicate the first gains since June.
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Don’t Get Caught Off Guard by Closing Costs

As a homebuyer, it’s important to plan and budget for the expenses you’ll encounter when you purchase a home. While most people understand the need to save for a down payment, a recent survey found 41% of homebuyers were surprised by their closing costs. Here’s some information to help you get started so you’re not caught off guard when it’s time to close on your home.
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Key Terms for Homebuyers [INFOGRAPHIC]

Key Terms for Homebuyers [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

Some Highlights

  • Knowing key housing terms and how they relate to today’s market is important. For example, when mortgage rates and home prices rise, it impacts how much home you can afford.
  • Terms like appraisal (what lenders rely on to validate a home’s value) and the inspection contingency (which gives buyers essential information on a home’s condition) directly impact the transaction.
  • Buying a home can be intimidating if you’re not familiar with the terms used throughout the process. Let’s connect so you have an expert guide and advice for any questions that may come up.
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How To Navigate a Market Where Multiple Offers Is the New Normal

If you’re thinking of buying a home today, you already know that the number of homes available for sale is low. But what does that really mean for you? As a buyer, low housing supply coupled with high buyer demand means you should be prepared to navigate a highly competitive market where homes sell fast and get multiple offers. Realtor.com has this to say:
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Millennials: Do You Need a Home with More Space?

If you’re a millennial, homebuying might be top of mind for you. Your generation is the largest group of homebuyers in the market today and has been since 2014, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). And while other millennials are looking to buy for the first time, you may be one of the many who are now discovering you’ve outgrown your home.