After finding a house to buy and making an offer, one of the next steps in the process is to get the home professionally inspected. This is done for a couple of reasons. One, it provides the home's buyer with necessary information about the health and upkeep of the home's various systems. But, additionally, it can be used to negotiate a fair price for the home. For example, if you made an offer on a house, then discovered during the inspection there were issues that might mean costly repairs, your offer could then … [Read more...]

Every month, Fannie Mae surveys Americans to better understand how they view the housing market, their personal finances, and the overall economy. Their Home Purchase Sentiment Index is a measure of how people around the country feel about buying or selling a home. And, according to the most recent results, they currently feel like it's time to buy. In fact, there was a 10 percent increase in the number of respondents who said they felt like it was the right time compared to February's survey. Doug Duncan, Fannie … [Read more...]

Mortgage rates have been increasing lately and there is an expectation that they will move higher this year. But while home prices get a lot of attention, rising mortgage rates are a little more difficult for buyers to calculate in terms of what it will cost them. Here's some help. According to one recent model, a less than one percent increase in mortgage rates over the next year would result in a $100 increase to the typical monthly mortgage payment. But since the costs of homeownership are influenced by many … [Read more...]

When considering the costs of homeownership, it's sometimes easy to forget about property tax. Home buyers focus a lot of attention on their prospective mortgage payment and the potential cost of any remodels and renovations but often forget to think about how much taxes will run them each year. This is a mistake. Take, for example, new research from ATTOM Data Solutions. Their recent tax analysis found that the average property tax on a single family home last year was $3,399, a 3 percent increase from 2016. … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates were virtually unchanged last week, remaining at two-month lows. But despite favorable rates, demand for mortgage applications fell. Mike Fratantoni, MBA's chief economist, told CNBC buyers may have been leery due to recent fluctuations in the stock market. “Potential home buyers may be a little rattled by the swings in the stock market the past few weeks, but the job market continues to strengthen, which should power … [Read more...]

It's said that there are two sides to every story. Well, there are also two sides to the housing market. For example, since the end of the recession in 2009, home prices have risen 37 percent, according to Freddie Mac's most recent monthly outlook. But while those price gains mean there aren't as many bargains on the market as there were eight years ago, it also means current homeowners have enjoyed a record rebound in home equity. Len Kiefer, Freddie Mac's deputy chief economist, says the housing market is on the … [Read more...]

Increasingly, people rely on technology to simplify tasks that were once difficult or time consuming. These days, everything from grocery shopping to running a business can be done with an assist from a smartphone app. So it's no surprise that home shoppers would also go to the internet to gather information on how, what, and where to buy a house. And it's for that reason that photography has become an important tool for homeowners who are looking to sell a house. For example, a recent National Association of … [Read more...]

Most regions offer house hunters a variety of architectural styles to choose from. Whether you prefer bungalows to ranches or modern over contemporary, you can likely find something that fits your preference. But, according to one recent survey, what you're looking for might depend on your age. That's because the results show millennial home buyers are looking for a different kind of home than older buyers. For example, younger buyers expressed a preference for colonial and contemporary homes, when they had a … [Read more...]

If you want to get a feel for how many home buyers there are currently active in the housing market, the National Association of Realtors' Pending Home Sales Index is a good place to start. It tracks the number of contracts to buy homes signed during the month and, because it measures contract signings and not closings, it's a good future indicator of where home sales will be a month or so down the road. In short, if there are a lot of pending sales, there will likely be a lot of final sales. Which is why, … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates rose last week but the increase did nothing to dampen demand for loans. In fact, refinance activity was up 7 percent from the week before and requests for purchase loan applications increased 3 percent. Demand for loans to buy homes is now 8 percent higher than at the same time last year. What does this mean? Well, the fact that demand for mortgages rose during a week when average mortgage rates were also up indicates … [Read more...]