When you buy a house, you're not just purchasing a place to live. You're also making an investment in the real estate market. Which means, as your home's value grows, so does your equity. Equity, of course, refers to the amount a property is worth minus the amount still owed on the mortgage. Put simply, if your equity is growing, that's good news. Which is why new numbers from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System are encouraging. That's because they show homeowner equity on the rise. In fact, the … [Read more...]

Home flipping – which typically refers to the practice of buying a home, renovating it, and selling it for a profit – is popular again and, according to one recent analysis, has now returned to levels not seen since 2006. ATTOM Data Solutions' Year-End 2017 U.S. Home Flipping Report shows that the number of single-family homes and condos that were flipped in 2017 was at an 11-year high. But, while home flipping got a bad name after the housing crash, this time is different. “The surge in home flipping in the last … [Read more...]

Buying a house in a competitive market can be challenging, even for buyers that have been through it before. Getting into a bidding war with another buyer means possibly pushing your budget, or worse, losing the house you set your sights on. But finding and buying a house in a competitive market is especially intimidating for a first-time buyer, who may already be a little overwhelmed by the process. The good news is that, though there are generally fewer homes available to buy across the country, not all markets … [Read more...]

A rising number of Americans surveyed for Fannie Mae's monthly Home Purchase Sentiment Index say their income is higher than it was last year at this time. But has more money made them more likely to buy or sell a house? Well, according to February's survey results, it's hard to say. That's because, after an increase in January, housing sentiment fell in February - with respondents expressing less confidence in a number of categories. In fact, the number of participants who said it's a good time to buy a house was … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates were mostly flat last week. In fact, the average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances, as well as loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, was largely unchanged from the week before. Only rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages saw any significant movement. Still steady rates didn't lead to much change in overall demand, as a lack of affordable homes to … [Read more...]

Buying a house is a major financial transaction and, for most Americans, the largest one they'll ever undertake. So pulling the necessary resources together to be able to afford the upfront costs, in addition to the ongoing obligations, maintenance, and upkeep can be difficult. Especially for first-time home buyers who don't have the benefit of being able to sell a home to help fund their down payment. For this reason, many millennials who aspire to homeownership have decided it's worth making a few sacrifices in … [Read more...]

In January, there were more people looking to purchase homes but fewer people signing contracts to buy. The numbers, from the National Association of Realtors' Pending Home Sales Index, show that pending home sales – which refer to contract signings, not closings – were down 4.7 percent from the previous month. But, rather than a drop in home buying interest, the data may reflect something else. According to NAR's chief economist, Lawrence Yun, it shows that there are too few homes available for the number of … [Read more...]

If you're a homeowner, you know the to-do list is never ending. And, if you're a buyer, you'll know soon enough. That's because, owning a home means maintaining a home. Proof of that can be seen in the fifth annual LightStream Home Improvement Survey. According to the results, 58 percent of surveyed homeowners say they're planning to spend money on home improvement projects in 2018. And the number who said they plan on spending $35,000 or more has doubled from last year. But though there are more homeowners … [Read more...]

It's no secret that home prices have been increasing lately, and especially in the nation's most populous metropolitan areas. So what are home buyers doing to ensure they find – not only a house they love – but one that fits well into their budget? Well one strategy is to look beyond the priciest locations for a more affordable neighborhood in the surrounding area. In other words, home buyers are getting creative in their search for a great home at a great price. And while this usually means moving to the suburbs, … [Read more...]