Economy

Economy, Market Advice, Real Estate Forecast

Your Home Is a Powerful Investment

Going into 2023, there was a lot of talk about a possible recession that would cause the housing market to crash. Some in the media were even forecasting home prices would drop by as much as 10-20%—and that might have made you feel a bit unsure about buying a home. But here’s what actually happened: home prices went up more […]
Economy, Market Advice

What To Know About Credit Scores Before Buying a Home

If you want to buy a home, you should know your credit score is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to qualifying for a mortgage. Lenders review your credit to see if you typically make payments on time, pay back debts, and more. Your credit score can also help determine your mortgage rate. An […]
Economy, Market Advice

The Truth About Down Payments

If you’re planning to buy your first home, saving up for all the costs involved can feel daunting, especially when it comes to the down payment. That might be because you’ve heard you need to save 20% of the home’s price to put down. Well, that isn’t necessarily the case. Unless specified by your loan type or lender, […]
Economy, Market Advice, Mortgage Rates

Are More Homeowners Selling as Mortgage Rates Come Down?

If you’re looking to buy a home, the recent downward trend in mortgage rates is good news because it helps with affordability. But there’s another way this benefits you – it may inspire more homeowners to put their houses up for sale. The Mortgage Rate Lock-In Effect Over the past year, one factor that’s really limited the options […]

Economy Your Home Is a Powerful Investment Going into 2023, there was a lot of talk about a possible recession that would cause the housing market to crash. Some in the media were even forecasting home prices would drop by as much as 10-20%—and that might have made you feel a bit unsure about buying a home. But here’s what actually happened: home prices went up more […]

Economy What To Know About Credit Scores Before Buying a Home If you want to buy a home, you should know your credit score is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to qualifying for a mortgage. Lenders review your credit to see if you typically make payments on time, pay back debts, and more. Your credit score can also help determine your mortgage rate. An […]

Economy The Truth About Down Payments If you’re planning to buy your first home, saving up for all the costs involved can feel daunting, especially when it comes to the down payment. That might be because you’ve heard you need to save 20% of the home’s price to put down. Well, that isn’t necessarily the case. Unless specified by your loan type or lender, […]

Economy Are More Homeowners Selling as Mortgage Rates Come Down? If you’re looking to buy a home, the recent downward trend in mortgage rates is good news because it helps with affordability. But there’s another way this benefits you – it may inspire more homeowners to put their houses up for sale. The Mortgage Rate Lock-In Effect Over the past year, one factor that’s really limited the options […]

Economy Experts Project Home Prices Will Rise over the Next 5 Years Even with so much data showing home prices are actually rising in most of the country, there are still a lot of people who worry there will be another price crash in the immediate future. In fact, a recent survey from Fannie Mae shows that 23% of consumers think prices will fall over the next 12 months. That’s nearly one in four […]

Economy Is Wall Street Buying Up All the Homes in America? If you’re thinking about buying a home, you may find yourself interested in the latest real estate headlines so you can have a pulse on all of the things that could impact your decision. If that’s the case, you’ve probably heard mention of investors, and wondered how they’re impacting the housing market right now. That could leave you asking yourself […]

Economy November Eastside Stats

Economy October Eastside Stats Inventory remains tight, but rising interest rates continue to wreak havoc. Ok, that is a little dramatic, but things are a little weird. Prices are down month-over-month by 2%, but I think that is more ‘noise’ and prices are realistically more flat than declining. Remember, pricing is a tricky metric to measure, as there are […]

Economy Explaining Today’s Low Housing Supply Some Highlights Wondering why the supply of homes for sale is limited today? There are a few factors at play. Lack of building over time, the mortgage rate lock-in effect, and people staying in their houses longer are three of the main reasons why supply is low. But real estate agents know exactly where to look and what to do to make your dream a reality. Let’s […]

Economy Home Price Forecasts Revised for 2023 Some Highlights Last year, some housing experts projected a decline in home prices by the end of 2023. But that didn’t happen – inventory was just too low. While it’s normal for experts to re-forecast throughout the year, the good news for 2023 is that prices are no longer projected to decrease. Let’s connect so you know what’s happening with home values in our local area. Sources https://www.mba.org/docs/default-source/research-and-forecasts/forecasts/mortgage-finance-forecast-dec-2022.pdf https://www.mba.org/docs/default-source/research-and-forecasts/forecasts/2023/mortgage-finance-forecast-aug-2023.pdf https://www.fanniemae.com/media/45801/display https://www.fanniemae.com/media/48726/display https://twitter.com/NewsLambert/status/1671900591113609216 (Morgan Stanley) https://twitter.com/NewsLambert/status/1671556169712672768 (AEI) […]

Economy About 11,000 Houses Will Sell Today Some homeowners have been waiting for months to put their house on the market because they don’t think people are buying homes right now. If that’s you, know that even though the housing market has slowed compared to the frenzy of a couple of years ago, it isn’t at a standstill. Contrary to what you may believe, buyers are still active […]

Economy Homeownership Helps Protect You from Inflation Some Highlights Wondering if it makes sense to buy a home today even when inflation is high? When other costs go up due to inflation, buying a home helps you keep your monthly housing expense steady. Rents typically increase with inflation. Maybe that’s why, according to a recent survey, 65.1% of landlords say they plan […]

Economy Saving for a Down Payment? Here’s What You Need To Know. If you’re planning to buy your first home, then you’re probably focused on saving for all the costs involved in such a big purchase. One of the expenses that may be at the top of your mind is your down payment. If you’re intimidated by how much you need to save for that, it may […]

Economy The Impact of Inflation on Mortgage Rates If you’re reading headlines about inflation or mortgage rates, you may see something about the recent decision from the Federal Reserve (the Fed). But what does it mean for you, the housing market, and your plans to buy a home? Here’s what you need to know. Inflation and the Housing Market While the Fed’s working hard […]

Economy Experts Forecast a Turnaround in the Housing Market in 2023 The housing market has gone through a lot of change recently, and much of that was a result of how quickly mortgage rates rose last year. Now, as we move through 2023, there are signs things are finally going to turn around. Home price appreciation is slowing from the recent frenzy, mortgage rates are coming down, inflation is easing, […]

Economy Have Home Values Hit Bottom? Whether you’re already a homeowner or you’re looking to become one, the recent headlines about home prices may leave you with more questions than answers. News stories are talking about home prices falling, and that’s raising concerns about a repeat of what happened to prices in the crash in 2008. One of the questions that’s on many minds, based on […]

Economy What Past Recessions Tell Us About the Housing Market It doesn’t matter if you’re someone who closely follows the economy or not, chances are you’ve heard whispers of an upcoming recession. Economic conditions are determined by a broad range of factors, so rather than explaining them each in depth, let’s lean on the experts and what history tells us to see what could lie […]

Economy Is the Housing Market Correcting? If you’re following the news, all of the headlines about conditions in the current housing market may leave you with more questions than answers. Is the boom over? Is the market crashing or correcting? Here’s what you need to know. The housing market is moderating compared to the last two years, but what everyone needs to remember is that […]

Economy Why Home Loans Today Aren’t What They Were in the Past In today’s housing market, many are beginning to wonder if we’re returning to the riskier lending habits and borrowing options that led to the housing crash 15 years ago. Let’s ease those concerns. Several times a year, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) releases an index titled the Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI). According to their website: “The MCAI provides the only standardized […]

Economy What Does the Rest of the Year Hold for the Housing Market? If you’re thinking of buying or selling a house, you’re at an exciting decision point. And anytime you make a big decision like that, one thing you should always consider is timing. So, what does the rest of the year hold for the housing market? Here’s what experts have to say. The Number of Homes Available for Sale Is […]