Last week, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) released their Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator of home sales based on contract signings. The report revealed that this May’s numbers weren’t quite as good as the year before:

Every homeowner wants to make sure they get the best price when selling their home. But how do you guarantee that you receive maximum value for your house? Here are two keys to ensuring you get the highest price possible.

Some Highlights:

• Sales of existing homes reached the highest annual pace in over 9 years at 5.29 million.
• Inventory remains below the 6-month norm and prices are still on the rise.
• Interest rates are at a historic low of 3.48%.

In today’s housing market, where supply is very low and demand is very high, home values are increasing rapidly. One major challenge in such a market is the bank appraisal.

As the temperature rises, buyers are coming out ready to purchase their dream homes. The summer is a great time to list your home for sale. Here are five reasons why:

Some Highlights:  According to NAR's Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers:

• 88% of buyers look for their new home online.
• Using a real estate agent can net you $39,000 more than FSBO'ing.
• There is a long list of people that you will have to negotiate with when you decide to sell your home, using an experienced professional can help ease the process.

That headline might be a little aggressive. However, as the data on the 2016 housing market begins to roll in, we can definitely say one thing: If you are considering selling, IT IS TIME TO LIST YOUR HOME!

Yesterday, we reported that according to CoreLogic’s latest Equity Report, nearly 268,000 homeowners regained equity and are no longer underwater on their mortgage in the first quarter. Homes with negative equity have decreased by 21.5% year-over-year.

CoreLogic’s latest Equity Report revealed that 92% of all mortgaged properties are now in a positive equity situation, while 74% now actually have significant equity (defined as more than 20%)! The report also revealed that 268,000 households regained equity in the first quarter of 2016 and are no longer under water.

In today’s market, with home prices rising and a lack of inventory, some homeowners may consider trying to sell their home on their own, known in the industry as a For Sale by Owner (FSBO). There are several reasons why this might not be a good idea for the vast majority of sellers.

Some Highlights:

• According to CoreLogic, the national foreclosure rate dropped to 1.1% of all homes with a mortgage. This is the lowest percentage experienced since October 2007.
• April marked the 54th consecutive month of year-over-year declines in foreclosure inventory.
• Only 3% of homes in the United States are in serious delinquency. More and more homeowners are escaping negative equity as prices rise.

Almost every real estate conversation revolves around the continuous rise in house values over the last four years. Some have even mentioned a concern about another possible bubble forming. However, the recent increase in prices can be attributed to a very simple principle: supply and demand.

Some Highlights:

• Across the country, home prices are up by 5.67%.
• Each state is appreciating at a different rate, however, which is important to realize if you plan on relocating to a different state.
• Regionally, prices have appreciated year-over-year by as high as 8.15%.

Whether you are buying or selling a home, it can be quite an adventurous journey. You need an experienced Real Estate Professional to lead you to your ultimate goal. In this world of instant gratification and internet searches, many sellers think that they can For Sale by Owner or FSBO.

Yesterday, we ran a post quoting major housing experts on the increasing strength of the U.S. housing market. We were pleasantly surprised that, on the same day, the Wall Street Journal decided to run a front page story titled, “Housing Recovery Picks Up Steam” (article available to WSJ subscribers).

We want to let you know that “rumors of a new market meltdown” are not based on any reputable data. As proof, we offer you the comments of the following experts who have a totally different view on the current housing market.

Some Highlights:

• Both New Home Sales and Existing Home Sales are up month-over-month and year-over-year.
• Inventory remains low which continues to drive home prices up as demand continues to exceed the 4.7-month inventory.
• The median price of new homes is up 12% from March 2016, while the median price of existing homes is up 6.3% from April 2015.

You and your family have decided to sell your house. It is now time to choose a real estate professional to help with the process. One of the major attributes this agent must possess is trustworthiness. To what degree do you need to trust them?

In their current edition of the Home Price Expectation Survey released last week, Pulsenomics asked this question of the 100+ economists, real estate experts and investment & market strategists they surveyed:

Today, many real estate conversations center on housing prices and where they may be headed. That is why we like the Home Price Expectation Survey.

A study by Edelman Berland reveals that 33% of homeowners who are contemplating selling their house in the near future are planning to scale down. Let’s look at a few reasons why this might make sense for many homeowners, as the majority of the country is currently experiencing a seller’s market.

The National Association of Realtors’ most recent Existing Home Sales Report revealed that home sales were up rather dramatically over last year in five of the six price ranges they measure.

Some Highlights:

• Home sales are up 1.5% year-over-year and 5.1% month-over-month.
• Demand is still much higher than the available housing inventory which declined 2.2% from March 2015.
• This is the 49th consecutive month with year-over-year price gains.

In today’s highly competitive seller’s market where there are more buyers than there are listings for them to purchase, some sellers may feel like the ball is in their court.