Homeowner expenses are more than your mortgage New buyers can be caught off guard by the costs of owning a home. Here are some top home expenses to consider before buying: Annual repair and maintenance Property taxes and homeowner’s... Read More

Mortgage interest rates have risen by more than half of a point since the beginning of the year, and many assume that if mortgage rates rise, home values will fall. History, however, has shown this not to be true. Where are home values today... Read More

What is a down payment? A down payment is what you pay for a home purchase. How much down payment do you need for a house? Anything from zero to 100 percent. The difference between your down payment and the purchase price is your mortgage. You must... Read More

So you made an offer, it was accepted, and now your next task is to have the home inspected prior to closing. Oftentimes, agents make your offer contingent on a clean home inspection. This contingency allows you to renegotiate the price you... Read More

There are many unsubstantiated theories as to why home values are continuing to increase. From those who are worried that lending standards are again becoming too lenient (data shows this is untrue), to those who are concerned that prices... Read More

Rents race to the top If you’re renting a house in hopes of saving money, you might want to re-think that strategy. According to a new report, single-family rents are up significantly over the year–particularly on lower-end... Read More

There are obvious benefits in buying a house. Not least, you get somewhere to live. But there are a number of other upsides that are slightly or considerably less apparent, and they aren't all about money. There are seven "hidden" benefits of owning... Read More

According to the Beracha, Hardin & Johnson Buy vs. Rent (BH&J) Index, the U.S. housing market has continued to move deeper into buy territory, supporting the belief that housing markets across the country remain a sound investment.... Read More

The Federal Reserve lifted the federal funds rate last Wednesday by a quarter percentage point to a range of 1.5 percent to 1.75 percent. Two more rate hikes are expected this year. Three are expected in 2019, rather than two as initially... Read More

The price of any item is determined by the supply of that item, as well as market demand. The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) surveys “over 50,000 real estate practitioners about their expectations for home... Read More

CoreLogic’s latest Equity Report revealed that 675,000 US homeowners regained positive equity in their homes in 2017. This is great news for the country, as 95.1% of all mortgaged properties are now in a positive equity... Read More

Affordability at 40-year high There’s a lot of talk about the housing affordability crisis faced by Millennial home buyers. But according to new data from Trulia, today’s buyers are actually enjoying a much more affordable market than... Read More

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... Read More

According to the latest Aspiring Home Buyers Profile by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 82% of surveyed renters desire to own a home in the future, with 80% believing homeownership is a big part of achieving their American Dream. The... Read More

According to the National Association of REALTORS most recent Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, married couples once again dominated the first-time homebuyer statistics in 2017 at 57% of all buyers. It is no surprise that... Read More