Young buyers (Millennials & Gen Z) have waited longer than previous generations to enter the housing market for their first home. However, this hasn’t stopped them from dreaming about the home they will eventually buy. Many spend hours searching listings and building Pinterest boards of their favorite home features.

According to a survey from Open Listings, 70% of single renters are more likely to spend their Sunday nights swiping through house listings than dating profiles.

All that time window shopping has led 45% of millennials to expect the first home they buy to be their “dream home”! They are willing to wait longer, save more for a larger down payment, and are pickier about the listings they want to tour and the features that they want to see in their first home.

Waiting a little longer to buy a home than their parents or grandparents did has also helped young buyers become more established in their careers prior to making such a large purchase. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s Chief Economist, recently commented,

“Older millennials are now entering the prime earning stages of their careers, and the size and costs of homes they purchase reflect this. Their choices are falling more in line with their Gen X and boomer counterparts.”
 
In some areas of the country, high competition in the starter home market forces young buyers to wait longer. The extra money they save during that time opens their search to bigger, more expensive homes.

If this trend continues, older millennials will skip the starter home altogether, going straight to a trade-up or premium home instead.

Bottom Line
If you are one of the many young renters planning on buying your first home soon, meet with a local real estate professional who can help determine what type of home will best suit your present and future needs.

SOURCE KCM
#RentVSBuy #MoveUpBuyers #SimardRealtyGroup #eXpRealty

Many experts are revising their initial predictions for 2019 to reflect more aggressive projections for home price appreciation. This is great news for homeowners who will gain even more equity in their homes as prices rise! Let's get together to chat about what this means for you!

#GranbyHomes
#Homesforsale
#Realestate
#Simsburyhomes
#HomeValues
#RealEstateAdvise
#RealtorGranby
#RealEstateSimsbury
#StephenSimard
#eXpRealty​

Whether it is your first time or your fifth, it is always important to know all the facts when it comes to buying a home. With the large number of mortgage programs available that allow buyers to purchase homes with down payments below 20%, you can never have too much information about Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI).

What is PMI?
Freddie Mac defines PMI as:

“An insurance policy that protects the lender if you are unable to pay your mortgage. It’s a monthly fee, rolled into your mortgage payment, that is required for all conforming, conventional loans that have down payments less than 20%.

Once you’ve built equity of 20% in your home, you can cancel your PMI and remove that expense from your mortgage payment.”

As the borrower, you pay the monthly premiums for the insurance policy, and the lender is the beneficiary. Freddie Mac goes on to explain that:

“The cost of PMI varies based on your loan-to-value ratio – the amount you owe on your mortgage compared to its value – and credit score, but you can expect to pay between $30 and $70 per month for every $100,000 borrowed.” 

According to the National Association of Realtors, the average down payment for all buyers last year was 13%. For first-time buyers, that number dropped to 7%, while repeat buyers put down 16% (no doubt aided by the sale of their homes). This just goes to show that for a large number of buyers last year, PMI did not stop them from buying their dream homes.
​
Here’s an example of the cost of a mortgage on a $200,000 home with a 5% down payment & PMI, compared to a 20% down payment without PMI:

The larger the down payment you can make, the lower your monthly housing cost will be, but Freddie Mac urges you to remember:
​
“It’s no doubt an added cost, but it’s enabling you to buy now and begin building equity versus waiting 5 to 10 years to build enough savings for a 20% down payment.”

Bottom Line
If you have questions about whether you should buy now or wait until you’ve saved a larger down payment, let’s get together to discuss our market’s conditions and help you make the best decision for you and your family.

SOURCE KCM
#Mortgage #PMI #SimardRealtyGroup #eXpRealty

When buying a home today, why is there so much paperwork mandated by the lenders for a mortgage loan application? It seems like they need to know everything about you. Furthermore, it requires three separate sources to validate each and every entry on the application form. Many buyers are being told by friends and family that the process was a hundred times easier when they bought their home ten to twenty years ago.

There are two very good reasons that the loan process is much more onerous on today’s buyer than perhaps any other time in history.

1. The government has set new guidelines that now demand that the bank proves beyond any doubt that you are indeed capable of paying the mortgage.

During the run-up to the housing crisis, many people ‘qualified’ for mortgages that they could never pay back. This led to millions of families losing their home. The government wants to make sure this can’t happen again.

2. The banks don’t want to be in the real estate business.

Over the last several years, banks were forced to take on the responsibility of liquidating millions of foreclosures and negotiating an additional million plus short sales. Just like the government, they don’t want more foreclosures. For that reason, they have to double (maybe even triple) check everything on the application.

However, there is some good news in this situation.
The housing crash that mandated that banks be extremely strict on paperwork requirements also allowed you to get a low mortgage interest rate.

The friends and family who bought homes ten or twenty years ago experienced a simpler mortgage application process, but also paid a higher interest rate (the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage was 8.12% in the 1990s and 6.29% in the 2000s).

If you went to the bank and offered to pay 7% instead of around 4%, they would probably bend over backward to make the process much easier.

Bottom Line
Instead of concentrating on the additional paperwork required, let’s be thankful that we are able to buy a home at historically low rates.

SOURCE KCM
#ForBuyers #ForSellers #Mortgage #SimardRealtyGroup  #eXpRealty

Here are 5 compelling reasons listing your home for sale this summer makes sense.

1. Demand Is Strong
The latest Buyer Traffic Index from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that buyer demand remains strong throughout the vast majority of the country. These buyers are ready, willing, and able to purchase… and are in the market right now! More often than not, multiple buyers are competing with each other for the same home.
Take advantage of the buyer activity currently in the market.

2. There Is Less Competition Now
Housing inventory is still under the 6-month supply needed for a normal housing market. This means that, in most of the country, there are not enough homes for sale to satisfy the number of buyers.

Historically, the average number of years a homeowner stayed in his or her home was six, but that number has hovered between nine and ten years since 2011. Many homeowners have a pent-up desire to move, as they were unable to sell over the last few years due to a negative equity situation. As home values continue to appreciate, more and more homeowners are granted the freedom to move.

Many homeowners were reluctant to list their home over the last couple of years for fear that they would not find a home to move in to. That is all changing now as more homes come to market at the higher end. The choices buyers have will continue to increase. Don’t wait until additional inventory comes to market before you to decide to sell.

3. The Process Will Be Quicker
Today’s competitive environment has forced buyers to do all they can to stand out from the crowd, including getting pre-approved for their mortgage financing. Buyers know exactly what they can afford before home shopping. This makes the entire selling process much faster and simpler. According to Ellie Mae’s latest Origination Insights Report, the time to close a loan has dropped to 43 days. (Last numbers available.)

4. There Will Never Be a Better Time to Move Up
If your next move will be into a premium or luxury home, now is the time to move up! The inventory of homes for sale at these higher price ranges has created a buyer’s market. This means that if you are planning on selling a starter or trade-up home, it will sell quickly, AND you’ll be able to find a premium home to call your own!

According to CoreLogic, prices are projected to appreciate by 4.8% over the next year. If you are moving to a higher-priced home, it will wind up costing you more in raw dollars (both in down payment and mortgage payment) if you wait.

5. It’s Time to Move on with Your Life
Look at the reason you decided to sell in the first place and determine whether it is worth waiting. Is money more important than being with family? Is money more important than having the freedom to go on with your life the way you think you should?

Only you know the answers to these questions. You have the power to take control of the situation by putting your home on the market. Perhaps the time has come for you and your family to start living the life you desire.

That is what is truly important.

SOURCE KCM
#ForBuyers #ForSellers #HousingMarketUpdate #SimardRealtyGroup #eXpRealty

Just Listed in Granby!
37 Salmon Brook Street, Granby, CT 06035 @ $239,900

"Come see this value priced cape set on an open 1.6 acre level lot. Inside find a generous sized eat in kitchen with center island, pantry, bay window, and ample cabinet space. Hardwood floors throughout. Newer roof, vinyl siding, & energy efficient windows. Two car oversized garage with plenty of extra storage space. Outside find a cleared back yard and a shed with electricity & wood burning stove. Enjoy entertaining on the stamped concrete patio area with fire pit. New septic 2015."

View more info and photos here: https://37salmonbrookst.thebestlisting.com/

#JustListed #ForSale #Granby #SimardRealtyGroup #eXpRealty

Homeownership has a number of compelling benefits. Let’s get together to make your dream a reality if you are ready to buy a home of your own!

#GranbyHomes
#Homesforsale
#Realestate
#Simsburyhomes
#HomeValues
#RealEstateAdvise
#RealtorGranby
#RealEstateSimsbury
#StephenSimard
#eXpRealty

Some Highlights:

• If you are planning on listing your house for sale this year, these four home improvement projects will net you the most Return on Investment (ROI).
• Minor renovations can go a long way toward improving the quality of your everyday life and/or impressing potential buyers.
• Whether you plan to stay in your house for a long time or just a few years, it’s smart to know which home renovations add the most value

SOURCE KCM
#ForBuyers #ForSellers #Infographocs #SimardRealtyGroup #eXpRealty

During the housing market crash, Gen X homeowners lost more wealth than other generations. However, things are changing now! A strong economy, increasing home prices, and the recovery of the housing market are helping this generation to regain their lost wealth.
According to Pew Research Center,

“Their fortunes have rebounded more than those of other generations during the post-recession economic expansion and as home and stock prices have risen. Since 2010, the median net worth of Gen X households has risen 115%. In fact, in 2016, the most recent year with available data, the net worth of a typical Gen X household had surpassed what it was in 2007 ($84,200 vs. $63,400)”.

The same report also mentioned,
“15% of Gen X’s homeowners were ‘underwater’ on their homes in 2010 (meaning they owed more than they owned). By 2016 only 3% were underwater.”

As a result of homes regaining market value and their increasing net worth, many Gen Xers are presented with the opportunity of selling their current home in order to move up to the house they always dreamed of!

According to the 2019 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report by the National Associations of Realtors, in 2018 Gen Xers made up the second largest share of home buyers by generation at 24%.

The report also provided some highlights about their purchase:

• Greatest share that purchased a multi-generational home (16%).
• Largest share that purchased a detached single-family home (88%).
• Highest median household income ($111,100).
• Bought the most expensive homes of all the generations.
• Job-related relocation was identified as the primary reason to buy.

But this generation is not only buying- they are selling too!

• Largest share of home sellers (25%).
• Highest median household income among sellers ($123,6000).
• Tenure in the previous home was a median of 9 years.
• House too small was indicated as the primary reason to sell.
• 91% sold the home using a real estate professional.

Bottom Line
If you are a Gen Xer who would like to know exactly how much your house is worth today so that you can move up to the home of your dreams, contact a local real estate professional who can help you analyze your current circumstances.

SOURCE KCM
#Demographics #HousingMarketUpdates #SimardRealtyGroup #eXpRealty

FOR SALE!
13 N Pond Rd, Southwick MA

Unique opportunity to build your dream home on North Pond! Enjoy epic views from this elevated .82 acre lot. Over 170 feet of shoreline frontage on North Pond (Congamond Lakes) can now be yours. Allows for water sports of all kinds as well as great fishing. The 46-acre spring-fed pond North Pond is the deepest and clearest of the three sections. In the evening you will enjoy sitting on your dock or in the yard watching the sunset glistening over the lake. Hop on your boat for a long cruise North Pond offers it all. Set on the quiet end of the lake with a more natural feel. Access is off an established cul-de-sac of quality homes. All tests have been done, this is an approved building lot. Plans available and builders ready to build your dream home. Schedule your appointment to tour this special lot.

#ForSale #Southwick #SellingMA #SimardRealtyGroup #eXpRealty