by The KCM Crew on February 20, 2017 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Move-Up Buyers
According to the Beracha, Hardin & Johnson Buy vs. Rent (BH&J) Index, the U.S. housing market has continued to move deeper into buy territory, supporting the belief that housing markets across the country remain a sound investment. The BH&J Index is a quarterly report that attempts to answer the question: In today’s housing market, is it better to rent or buy a home? The index examines the entire US housing market and then isolates 23 major cities for comparison. The researchers “measure the relationship between purchasing property and building wealth through a buildup in equity versus renting a comparable property and investing in a portfolio of stocks and bonds.”  While most of the metropolitan markets examined . . .

by The KCM Crew on February 6, 2017 in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates
The housing crisis is finally in the rear-view mirror as the real estate market moves down the road to a complete recovery. Home values are up. Home sales are up. Distressed sales (foreclosures and short sales) have fallen dramatically. It seems that 2017 will be the year that the housing market races forward again. However, there is one thing that may cause the industry to tap the brakes: a lack of housing inventory. While buyer demand looks like it will remain strong throughout the winter, supply is not keeping up. Here are the thoughts of a few industry experts on the subject: National Association of Realtors “Total housing inventory at the end of December dropped 10.8%...which is the lowest level since NAR began tracking the supply of all housing . . .

by The KCM Crew on January 27, 2017 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Move-Up Buyers Highlights: 5.45 million existing homes were sold in 2016! This is the highest mark set since 2006.Inventory of existing homes for sale dropped to a 3.6-month supply, the lowest level since NAR began tracking in 1999.The median price of homes sold in December was $232,200. This is the 58th consecutive month of year-over-year price gains. . . .

by The KCM Crew on December 30, 2016 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Infographics, Move-Up Buyers                    Some Highlights: As we usher in the new year, one thing is for certain… if you plan to buy or sell a house this year, you need a real estate professional on your team! There are many benefits to using a local professional! Pick a pro who knows your local market and can help you navigate the housing . . .

by The KCM Crew on December 16, 2016 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Interest Rates, Move-Up Buyers
Some Highlights: Your monthly housing cost is directly tied to the price of the home you purchase and the interest rate you secure for your mortgage.Over the last 30 years, interest rates have fluctuated greatly with rates in the double digits in the 1980s, all the way down to the near 4% we are experiencing now.Your purchasing power is greatly impacted by the interest rate you secure. Act now before rates go up! . . .

by The KCM Crew on November 22, 2016 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Interest Rates, Move-Up Buyers
According to Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage interest rate jumped up to 3.94% last week. Interest rates had been hovering around 3.5% since June, and many are wondering why there has been such a significant increase so quickly.  Why did rates go up? Whenever there is a presidential election, there is uncertainty in the markets as to who will win. One way that this is noticeable is through the actions of investors. As we get closer to the first Tuesday of November, many investors pull their funds from the more volatile and less predictive stock market and instead, choose to invest in Treasury Bonds. When this happens, the interest rate on Treasury Bonds does not have to be . . .

by The KCM Crew on November 1, 2016 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Move-Up Buyers
Are you thinking of buying a home? Are you dreading having to walk through strangers’ houses? Are you concerned about getting the paperwork correct? Hiring a professional real estate agent can take away most of the challenges of buying. A great agent is always worth more than the commission they charge, just like a great doctor or great accountant. You want to deal with one of the best agents in your marketplace. To do this, you must be able to distinguish an average agent from a great one. Here are the top 4 demands to make of your real estate agent when buying a home: 1. Tell the Truth About the Price When making an offer on the home you want to buy, make sure that your agent walks you through their plan for getting both the seller – and the . . .

by The KCM Crew on October 24, 2016 in Distressed Properties, For Sellers
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently released their latest Existing Home Sales Report revealing that distressed property sales accounted for 4% of sales in September. This is down from 7% in 2015, and is the lowest figure since NAR began tracking distressed sales in October 2008. Below is a graph that shows just how far the market has come since January 2012 when distressed sales accounted for 35% of all sales. Existing Home Sales Hit 2nd Highest Figure Since June  Mortgage interest rates remained well below 4% in September at 3.46%, prompting existing home sales to stay at a healthy annual pace of 5.47 million. Month-over-month sales were up 3.2%. Inventory of homes for sale remains below the 6-month supply that is necessary for a normal market, . . .

Why We All Need a ‘Phil Dunphy’ on Our Side by The KCM Crew on September 28, 2016 in First Time Homebuyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Move-Up Buyers
Whether or not you’ve ever seen an episode of Modern Family, or know who Phil Dunphy’s character is, the concept of knowing that you have someone in your corner who is looking out for your best interests is something we all want. When it comes to buying a home, whether you are a rookie homebuyer or have gone through the process many times, having a local real estate expert who is well versed in the neighborhood you are looking to move into, and the trends of the area, should be your goal. For those who aren’t familiar, the character Phil Dunphy is a Realtor with a huge heart who always strives to do the best for his family and his clients. In one recent episode, Phil even shared the . . .

There are some experts questioning whether the current pace of residential home sales is sustainable. Are too many people buying homes like in 2004-2006? Are we headed for another housing crisis? Actually, if we look closely at the numbers, we can see that we are looking at a very healthy real estate market. Why the concern? Some are looking at the last three years of home sales and comparing them to the three years just prior to the housing bubble. Looking at the graph below, we can understand that thinking. However, if we go further back in history, we can see the real picture. After taking out the “boom & bust” years, the pace of sales is growing at a quite natural pace. And new home sales are way below historic numbers. Trulia’s Chief Economist Ralph McLaughlin explains: “Adjusted for population, [new home sales] are at about 63% of their fifty-year . . .