There’s no question that today’s housing market belongs to the sellers, but that doesn’t mean it’s a wise choice to list your home at a higher price. Pricing your house correctly actually sets you up for greater success. DM me for advice on how to set the right price if you’re ready to make a move this year.
#pricedtosell #sellyourhouse #homepricing #expertanswers #stayinformed #staycurrent #powerfuldecisions #confidentdecisions #realestate #homevalues #homeownership #realestateexpert #realestateadvice #realestatemarket #keepingcurrentmatters
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Home values appreciated by about ten percent in 2020, and they’re forecast to appreciate by about five percent this year. This has some voicing concern that we may be in another housing bubble like the one we experienced a little over a decade ago. Here are three reasons why this market is totally different.
1. This time, housing supply is extremely limited The price of any market item is determined by supply and demand. If supply is high and demand is low, prices normally decrease. If supply is low and demand is high, prices naturally increase. In real estate, supply and demand are measured in “months’ supply of inventory,” which is based on the number of current homes for sale compared to the number of buyers in the market. The normal months’ supply of inventory for the market is about 6 months. Anything above that defines a buyers’ market, indicating prices will soften. Anything below that defines a sellers’ market in which prices normally appreciate. Between 2006 and 2008, the months’ supply of inventory increased from just over 5 months to 11 months. The months’ supply was over 7 months in twenty-seven of those thirty-six months, yet home values continued to rise. Months’ inventory has been under 5 months for the last 3 years, under 4 for thirteen of the last fourteen months, under 3 for the last six months, and currently stands at 1.9 months – a historic low. Remember, if supply is low and demand is high, prices naturally increase. 2. This time, housing demand is real During the housing boom in the mid-2000s, there was what Robert Schiller, a fellow at the Yale School of Management’s International Center for Finance, called “irrational exuberance.” The definition of the term is, “unfounded market optimism that lacks a real foundation of fundamental valuation, but instead rests on psychological factors.” Without considering historic market trends, people got caught up in the frenzy and bought houses based on an unrealistic belief that housing values would continue to escalate. The mortgage industry fed into this craziness by making mortgage money available to just about anyone, as shown in the Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI) published by the Mortgage Bankers Association. The higher the index, the easier it is to get a mortgage; the lower the index, the more difficult it is to obtain one. Prior to the housing boom, the index stood just below 400. In 2006, the index hit an all-time high of over 868. Again, just about anyone could get a mortgage. Today, the index stands at 122.5, which is well below even the pre-boom level. In the current real estate market, demand is real, not fabricated. Millennials, the largest generation in the country, have come of age to marry and have children, which are two major drivers for homeownership. The health crisis is also challenging every household to redefine the meaning of “home” and to re-evaluate whether their current home meets that new definition. This desire to own, coupled with historically low mortgage rates, makes purchasing a home today a strong, sound financial decision. Therefore, today’s demand is very real. Remember, if supply is low and demand is high, prices naturally increase. 3. This time, households have plenty of equity Again, during the housing boom, it wasn’t just purchasers who got caught up in the frenzy. Existing homeowners started using their homes like ATM machines. There was a wave of cash-out refinances, which enabled homeowners to leverage the equity in their homes. From 2005 through 2007, Americans pulled out $824 billion dollars in equity. That left many homeowners with little or no equity in their homes at a critical time. As prices began to drop, some homeowners found themselves in a negative equity situation where the mortgage was higher than the value of their home. Many defaulted on their payments, which led to an avalanche of foreclosures. Today, the banks and the American people have shown they learned a valuable lesson from the housing crisis a little over a decade ago. Cash-out refinance volume over the last three years was less than a third of what it was compared to the 3 years leading up to the crash. This conservative approach has created levels of equity never seen before. According to Census Bureau data, over 38% of owner-occupied housing units are owned ‘free and clear’ (without any mortgage). Also, ATTOM Data Solutions just released their fourth quarter 2020 U.S. Home Equity Report, which revealed: “17.8 million residential properties in the United States were considered equity-rich, meaning that the combined estimated amount of loans secured by those properties was 50 percent or less of their estimated market value…The count of equity-rich properties in the fourth quarter of 2020 represented 30.2 percent, or about one in three, of the 59 million mortgaged homes in the United States.” If we combine the 38% of homes that are owned free and clear with the 18.7% of all homes that have at least 50% equity (30.2% of the remaining 62% with a mortgage), we realize that 56.7% of all homes in this country have a minimum of 50% equity. That’s significantly better than the equity situation in 2008. Bottom Line This time, housing supply is at a historic low. Demand is real and rightly motivated. Even if there were to be a drop in prices, homeowners have enough equity to be able to weather a dip in home values. This is nothing like 2008. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. SOURCE KCM #BuyingMyths #DistressedProperties #Pricing #SellingMyths #SimardRealtyGroup Over the past year, our homes have become an integral part of our lives more than ever. They’re much more than the houses we live in. They’re our workplaces, virtual schools, and safe havens that provide shelter, stability, and protection through the evolving health crisis. Today, 65.8% of Americans are fortunate enough to call their homes their own.
As we continue to think about the future, our goals for the year, and what we want to achieve well beyond 2021, it’s a great time to look at the benefits of owning a home. Below are some highlights and quotes on the benefits of homeownership shared by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). From feel-good motivations to economic and social impacts on the local community, these items may give you reason to believe homeownership stretches well beyond your financial investment. Non-Financial Benefits Owning a home brings a sense of happiness, satisfaction, and pride.
Financial Benefits Buying a home is also an investment in your financial future.
Economic Benefits Homeownership is even a local economic driver.
Bottom Line The benefits of homeownership go well beyond the basics. Homeownership is truly a way to build financial freedom, find greater satisfaction and happiness, and make a substantial impact in your community. If owning a home is part of your dream this year, contact a local real estate professional to begin the homebuying process today. SOURCE KCM #RentVSBuy #ForBuyers #SimardRealtyGroup While our usual traditions and parties for the big game are on hold this year, it’s never too early to dream of how amazing they’ll be next year. If the celebration you’re picturing doesn’t really fit in your current house, it may be time to move up to a home that has the space and features you need. DM me to learn about the opportunities in our market.
#gameday #homegoals #realestate #homeownership #homebuying #realestategoals #realestateagency #realestateadvice #realestatemarket #realestateexperts #realestateagents #instarealestate #instarealtor #realestatetipsoftheday #keepingcurrentmatters Some Highlights
SOURCE KCM #NewConstruction #Infographics #SimardRealtyGroup
No matter how soon the groundhog says spring will come, don't wait to put your house on the market. Let's connect to talk about why now is a great time to sell.
#TopGranbyRealtor #StephenSimard #ExpRealty #GranbyRealEstate #GranbyConnecticut #FindyourGranbyhome #Newhomesforsale #SimardRealtyGroup #Granbyhomesforsale #JoinExpRealty #Simsburyhomes In today’s housing market, there are clear financial benefits to owning a home: increasing equity, the chance to build your net worth, and appreciating home values, just to name a few. If you’re a renter, it’s never too early to think about how homeownership can propel you toward a stronger future. Here’s a dive into three often-overlooked financial benefits of homeownership and how preparing for them now can steer you in the direction of greater financial security and savings.
1. You Won’t Always Have a Monthly Housing Payment Personal finance advisor Dave Ramsey explains: “Every payment brings you closer to owning the house. When you pay your rent, that money is spent. Gone. Bye. Not returning. But when you pay your mortgage, you work toward full ownership.” As a homeowner, you can eventually eliminate the monthly payment you make on your house. That’s a huge win and a big factor in how homeownership can drive stability and savings in your life. As soon as you buy a home, your monthly housing costs begin to work for you as forced savings in the form of equity. When you build equity and grow your net worth, you can continue to reinvest those savings into your future, maybe even by buying that next dream home. The possibilities are truly endless. 2. Homeownership Is a Tax Break One thing people who have never owned a home don’t always think about are the tax advantages of homeownership. The same article states: “You have tax advantages. Many of the costs of owning a home—like property taxes—are tax deductible. And if you’re paying off a mortgage, you’ll get to count your mortgage interest as a deduction when you file your tax return.” Whether you’re living in your first home or your fifth, it’s a huge financial advantage to have some tax relief tied to the interest you pay each year. It’s one thing you definitely don’t get when you’re renting. Be sure to work with a tax professional to get the best possible benefits on your annual return. 3. Monthly Housing Costs Are Predictable A third benefit is the fact that monthly costs start to become more predictable with homeownership, something that doesn’t happen if you’re renting. Ramsey also notes: “Rent rates will go up. Even if you found a killer deal in a hot area, inflation, competition, and rising property values will cause your rent to go up year after year.” With a mortgage, you can keep your monthly housing costs relatively steady and predictable. Your monthly costs are most likely based on a fixed-rate mortgage, which allows you to budget your finances over a longer period of time. Rental prices have been skyrocketing since 2012, and with today’s low mortgage rates, it’s a great time to get more for your money when purchasing a home. If you want to lock-in your monthly payment at a low rate and have a solid understanding of what you’re going to spend in your mortgage payment each month, buying a home may be your best bet. Bottom Line If you’re ready to start feeling the benefits of stability, savings, and predictability that come with owning a home, reach out to a local real estate professional to determine if buying sooner rather than later is right for you. SOURCE KCM #RentVSBuy #InterestRates #ForBuyers #SimardRealtyGroup Two of the hottest topics in real estate right now are #mortgagerates and #housinginventory, both of which are sitting at record-lows as we start the new year. Low rates are creating a great number of hopeful buyers, but since there aren’t enough homes available for sale, the housing market’s supply and demand are unbalanced and driving prices higher. DM me to learn how these variables could impact your plans this year.
#supplyanddemand #sellersmarket #homepriceappreciation #affordability #realestate #homevalues #homeownership #homebuying #buyingahome #sellingyourhouse #FHFA #realestatetips #realestatemarket #realestatetipsandadvice #keepingcurrentmatters Is the idea of saving for a down payment holding you back from buying a home right now? You may be eager to take advantage of today’s low mortgage rates, but the thought of needing a large down payment might make you want to pump the brakes. Today, there’s still a common myth that you have to come up with 20% of the total sale price for your down payment. This means people who could buy a home may be putting their plans on hold because they don’t have that much saved yet. The reality is, whether you’re looking for your first home or you’ve purchased one before, you most likely don’t need to put 20% down. Here’s why. According to Freddie Mac: “The most damaging down payment myth—since it stops the homebuying process before it can start—is the belief that 20% is necessary.” If saving that much money sounds daunting, potential homebuyers might give up on the dream of homeownership before they even begin – but they don’t have to. Data in the 2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) indicates that the median down payment actually hasn’t been over 20% since 2005, and even then, that was for repeat buyers, not first-time homebuyers. As the image below shows, today’s median down payment is clearly less than 20%. What does this mean for potential homebuyers?
As we can see, the median down payment was lowest for first-time buyers with the 2020 percentage coming in at 7%. If you’re a first-time buyer and putting down 7% still seems high, understand that there are programs that allow qualified buyers to purchase a home with a down payment as low as 3.5%. There are even options like VA loans and USDA loans with no down payment requirements for qualified applicants. It’s important for potential homebuyers (whether they’re repeat or first-time buyers) to know they likely don’t need to put down 20% of the purchase price, but they do need to do their homework to understand the options available. Be sure to work with trusted professionals from the start to learn what you may qualify for in the homebuying process. Bottom Line Don’t let down payment myths keep you from hitting your homeownership goals. If you’re hoping to buy a home this year, contact a local real estate professional to review your options. SOURCE KCM #BuyingMyths #DownPayments #SimardRealtyGroup Every year, households across the country make the decision to rent for another year or take the leap into homeownership. They look at their earnings and savings and then decide what makes the most financial sense. That equation will most likely take into consideration monthly housing costs, tax advantages, and other incremental expenses. Using these measurements, recent studies show that it’s still more affordable to own than rent in most of the country. There is, however, another financial advantage to owning a home that’s often forgotten in the analysis – the wealth built through equity when you own a home. Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist for First American, discusses this point in a recent blog post. She explains: “Once you include the equity benefit of price appreciation, owning made more financial sense than renting in 48 out of the 50 top markets, with the only exceptions being San Francisco and San Jose, Calif.” What has this equity piece meant to homeowners in the past? ATTOM Data Solutions, the curator of one of the nation’s premier property databases, just analyzed the typical home-price gain owners nationwide enjoyed when they sold their homes. Here’s a breakdown of their findings: The typical gain in the sale of the home (equity) has increased significantly over the last five years. CoreLogic, another property data curator, also weighed in on the subject. According to their latest Homeowner Equity Insights Report, the average homeowner gained $17,000 in equity in just the last year alone. What does the future look like for homeowners when it comes to equity? Here are the seven major home price appreciation forecasts for 2021: The National Association of Realtors (NAR) just reported that today, the median-priced home in the country sells for $309,800. If homes appreciate by 5% this year (the average of the forecasts), the homeowner will increase their wealth by $15,490 in 2021 through increased equity.
Bottom Line As you make your plans for the coming year, be sure to consider the equity benefits of home price appreciation as you weigh the financial advantages of buying over renting. When you do, you may find this is the perfect time to jump into homeownership. SOURCE KCM #BuyingMyths #pricing #HousingMarketUpdate #SimardRealtyGroup #eXpRealty |
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