by Lum Hugh

Some Highlights:

  • Existing home sales are currently at an annual pace of 5.81 million, the highest pace since December 2006.
  • The inventory of existing homes for sale has dropped year-over-year for the last 30 consecutive months and is now at a 3.4-month supply.
  • NAR’s Chief Economist Lawrence Yun had this to say: “Faster economic growth in recent quarters, the booming stock market and continuous job gains are fueling substantial demand for buying a home as 2017 comes to an end.”

Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Infographics, Move-Up Buyers

by Lum Hugh

As home values continue to increase at levels greater than historic norms, some are concerned that we are heading for another crash like the one we experienced ten years ago. We recently explained that the lenient lending standards of the previous decade (which created false demand) no longer exist. But what about prices? Are prices […]

Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Pricing

by Lum Hugh

Top 5 Benefits of Hiring a Real Estate Agent | Simplifying The MarketThe National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently released their 2017 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers in which they surveyed recent home buyers and sellers about their experiences. An entire section of the profile is dedicated to buyers’ experiences with their real estate agents. If you are looking to buy in 2018, here are the […]

Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Move-Up Buyers

by Lum Hugh

Rents Are on the Rise: Don't Get Caught in the Rental Trap! | Simplifying The MarketThere are many benefits to homeownership. One of the top benefits is protecting yourself from rising rents, by locking in your housing cost for the life of your mortgage. Don’t Become Trapped  A recent article by Apartment List addressed rising rents by stating: “Rents are up 2.7% year-over-year at the national level. Year-over-year growth continues […]

Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Rent vs. Buy

by Lum Hugh

4 Reasons to Buy a Home This Winter! | Simplifying The MarketHere are four great reasons to consider buying a home today instead of waiting. 1. Prices Will Continue to Rise CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index reports that home prices have appreciated by 7.0% over the last 12 months. The same report predicts that prices will continue to increase at a rate of 4.7% over the […]

Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Move-Up Buyers

by Lum Hugh

What is the Cost of Waiting Until Next Year to Buy? | Simplifying The MarketWe recently shared that over the course of the last 12 months, home prices have appreciated by 7.0%. Over the same amount of time, interest rates have remained historically low which has allowed many buyers to enter the market. As a seller, you will likely be most concerned about ‘short-term price’ – where home values […]

Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Interest Rates, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing

by Lum Hugh

Before You Make an Offer, Here Are 4 Tips for Success! | Simplifying The MarketSo, you’ve been searching for that perfect house to call a ‘home,’ and you finally found it! The price is right, and in such a competitive market, you want to make sure that you make a good offer so that you can guarantee that your dream of making this house yours comes true! Freddie Mac covered “4 […]

Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Move-Up Buyers

by Lum Hugh

3 Tips for Making Your Dream Home a Reality [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

Some Highlights:

  • Realtor.com shared their “5 Habits to Start Now If You Hope to Buy a Home.”
  • Setting up an automatic savings plan that saves a small amount of every check is one of the best ways to save without thinking a lot about it.
  • Living within a budget will not only help you save money for down payments but will help you pay down other debts that might be holding you back.

Posted in Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics

by Lum Hugh

Home Prices Up 7% from Last Year | Simplifying The MarketAccording to CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index, national home prices have appreciated by 7.0% from October 2016 to October 2017. This marks the second month in a row with a 7.0% year-over-year increase. A lack of supply of homes for sale has led to upward pressure on home prices across the country, especially in areas […]

Posted in Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing

by Lum Hugh

Median Days on the Market Drops to 34! [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

Some Highlights:

  • The National Association of REALTORS® surveyed their members for their Confidence Index.
  • The REALTORS® Confidence Index is a key indicator of housing market strength based on a monthly survey sent to over 50,000 real estate practitioners. Practitioners are asked about their expectations for home sales, prices and market conditions.
  • Homes sold in less than 60 days in 44 out of 50 states, and Washington D.C.
  • Homes typically went under contract in 34 days in October!

Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Infographics