You’ve probably heard the term “credit score” before – especially if you’ve purchased a car, applied for a mortgage, etc. But, what exactly is a credit score? They’re used to assess risk and determine whether a borrower is approved or declined for a mortgage, credit card or some other type of credit. The score is […]
Some homeowners decide to downsize – normally in their 60’s and 70’s – to smaller homes for reasons such as convenience, less maintenance, a change of lifestyle or even to just save money. Those homeowners are more likely to have large equities and don’t normally feel the same constraints as younger homeowners, including the substantial […]
A concession is a discount or incentive which is offered during a real estate transaction. Some sellers offer concessions to provide an incentive to encourage buyers to purchase their home. Concessions are paid for by the seller, as they benefit the buyer in ways that may be more appealing than possibly, being able to purchase […]
Been thinking of buying a home? You’ll want the right team. You see, there are a lot of professionals involved in the homebuying process. And when these people can function as a team, the buyer is much more likely to end up where they want to be…in their new home. The lender is an integral […]
August 14, 1935 – this date was the establishment of Social Security, which was a breakthrough movement in caring for our country’s elderly during their retirement years.Today, about 65 million or 1/6 of Americans collect benefits and the average monthly retirement amount received in January 2022 was $1,614 per month or about $19,370 per year. […]
There are some very difficult decisions which can tend to arise when you’re a homeowner. Sometimes, those decisions are what can make or break the idea of renting vs buying. If you think about it, the idea of an asset which is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars can be slightly terrifying to some! Not […]
If you’ve thought about waiting until mortgage rates come down until your buy a home, you might not be making the best decision. Here’s a reason – if you are correct, and the rates do come down by two percent, the savings you benefit from a lower rate will most likely be devoured by the […]
This topic makes me think of a record. Remember back in the day, watching records spin while you listened to your favorite music? The housing market, especially when it comes to affordability, almost makes me think of those spinning records. A question many of us are asked as realtors is “when is the market going […]
“It’s a fact that many households are impacted by higher mortgage rates as they no longer earn the qualifying income for the median-priced home.” Nadia Evangelou, NAR Economist. What this means is that the rapid rise in mortgage rates during 2022 is coupled with continued appreciation of home prices. This has limited the number of […]
I’m sure you’ve heard, but mortgage rates are still rising. It’s causing some would-be buyers to pause their decisions until they determine whether rates are going to come back down. It may be possible, but the probability is that prices are going to continue to increase. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate on December 23, […]
