This was sent to me by one of my lenders, Jason Pike with Waterstone Mortgage.  I thought it was really great and wanted to pass it on. You can either run from the challenge, “by ignoring the present, calming yourself by thinking this will all be over in 3 to 6 months” or you “jump into the reality of today with the attitude of not concerned on how long this will last”.  You adapt your business...

NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE AS OF 9/19/2022 The National Association of Realtors reports active housing market inventory continues to grow, up 27% from a year ago. Versus last year, shoppers have more homes to consider, although inventory still isn’t back to pre-pandemic levels. A recent study reveals adults with school-aged children will account for nearly one in four home sales over the next 10...

MARKET UPDATE Mortgage rates jumped again this past week, surpassing the 6% mark and reaching the highest level since the fall of 2008. This could accelerate the market correction, which is already well underway, by making purchasing a home even more expensive for cash-strapped buyers, pricing many completely out of the market. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.02% in the week ending September...

There is joy that comes from owning your own home, but there are responsibilities you must stay on top of. It is important that you avoid putting off key home maintenance items when they come up. Doing a small but necessary job now can help you avoid a big, costly problem later. Attending to these things is not that difficult or expensive—and it will save you money overall. Here is a list of...

Labor Day normally indicates the end of summer and the beginning of fall.  Schools have started and families are back to a more stable routine.  Now how does this all effect the housing market?  Well, here is what is being said about it nationally: In July, total residential construction spending fell 1.5% below June’s revised estimate, to a $920.4 million annual rate. However, that number is...

Existing Home Sales slipped for the sixth straight month in July. But the good news was, median prices fell 2.4%, inventory continued to rise, and demand was strong, with 82% of homes sold in less than a month. Housing Starts dropped in July. Starts for single-families are down 18.5% yearly, but up 17.4% for buildings with 5 units or more. Building Permits are down 11.7% annually for...

The biggest story of 2022's housing market has been rapidly rising mortgage rates. After all, mortgage rates haven't risen so fast in 40 years. The average rate on 30-year fixed rate mortgages was 2.7% last August, and reached 5.7% in June 2022. Higher rates affect the entire housing market, as higher monthly payments mean depressed buyer demand and homeowners who decide not to sell because they don't...

Realtor.com reports active inventory continues to grow, up 30% from a year ago. This jump in supply gives today’s shoppers an extra home to consider for every three that were on the market this time last year. Freddie Mac tells us: “Declines in purchase demand continue to diminish while supply remains fairly tight….The consequence is that house prices likely will continue to rise, but at a...