Everyone knows the social advantages of home ownership. However, some question the financial benefits of owning a home. Three recent studies shed some light on the issue. RealtyTrac recently released a report comparing home price appreciation to wage growth over the last two years. The study revealed that home price appreciation has outpaced wage growth in 76% of U.S. housing markets during that time period. By how much? Here is a graph showing their findings: And we all know the importance of home appreciation in … [Read more...]

Every seller wants to get the best price for their house. We learned in high school that the best price for any item will be determined by the demand for that item relative to the supply of that item. We have reported that the inventory of houses for sale is well below normal numbers. There is historical evidence that the demand for housing is about to increase dramatically. Each year, more homes sell in May, June, July and August than any other four months of the year. Here is a graph of home sales last year by … [Read more...]

The National Association of Realtors just released their 2015 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey which revealed that vacation home sales boomed in 2014 to above their most recent peak level in 2006. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said favorable conditions are driving second-home sales: “Affluent households have greatly benefited from strong growth in the stock market in recent years, and the steady rise in home prices has likely given them reassurance that real estate remains an attractive long-term … [Read more...]

If you are debating purchasing a home right now, you are surely getting a lot of advice. Though your friends and family will have your best interest at heart, they may not be fully aware of your needs and what is currently happening in real estate. Let’s look at whether or not now is actually a good time for you to buy a home. There are 3 questions you should ask before purchasing in today’s market: 1. Why am I buying a home in the first place? This truly is the most important question to answer. Forget the … [Read more...]

How Quickly Are Homes Selling In Your State? [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights: The National Association of REALTORS® surveyed their members for their Confidence Index The REALTORS® Confidence Index is a key indicator of housing market strength based on a monthly survey sent to over 50,000 real estate practitioners. Practitioners are asked about their expectations for home sales, prices and market conditions. Homes sold in less than 90 days in 36 out of 50 states and Washington D.C. Only 3 states had a … [Read more...]

There has been a lot of discussion about how difficult it is to get a home mortgage in this market. There is no doubt that the process is not as easy as it was eight to ten years ago and that’s probably good news. However, it does appear that availability to mortgage money is increasing with each passing day. The Mortgage Bankers’ Association publishes the Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI). According to their site the index is “a summary measure which indicates the availability of mortgage credit at a point … [Read more...]

According to Nationwide’s recently unveiled, Health of Housing Market (HoHM) Report, the US housing market is at it’s healthiest levels since the index’s creation in 2001. The index analyzes the health of the housing market across the country and in 373 metro areas every quarter. Using the data that they have collected over the past 15 years, Nationwide will look to give a “data-driven view of the near-term performance of housing markets based upon current health indicators.” The fourth quarter of 2014 ended with … [Read more...]

The most recent Pending Homes Sales Index from the National Association of Realtors revealed that homes going into contract in February increased to their highest level since June 2013. The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing. The Index is now 12.0 percent above February … [Read more...]

Matthew Rognlie, from the Department of Economics at MIT, recently released a paper: Deciphering the Fall and Rise in the Net Capital Share. One of the major findings of the report is that homeownership is and has been for the last fifty years a major component to family wealth. An article on the study in The Economist notes one of the findings of the study: “The return on non-housing wealth, in fact, has been remarkably stable since 1970. Instead, surging house prices are almost entirely responsible for growing … [Read more...]

The Difference A Year Can Make [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Important Points To Consider: The latest Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey reports the 30-year fixed rate at 3.7%. Freddie Mac's projection for Q2 2016 is that the rate will be 4.7% (a full percentage point higher) The Home Price Expectation Survey predicts that home prices will appreciate by 4.4% during this same time The impact waiting a year to purchase your dream home can make on your monthly payment is significant. Contact me today to … [Read more...]