Ways To Overcome Affordability Challenges in Today’s Housing Market [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Emerald Coast Mortgage Syndicated User on May 1, 2023. Posted in Emerald Coast Mortgage, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Interest Rates, Mortgage Emerald Coast, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing.

Some HighlightsWith so few homes on the market right now, widening the scope of your search to include nearby areas could help you find more options in your budget.You can also work with a trusted lender to consider alternative financing options and search for down payment assistance.If you’ve been searching for a home but are concerned about rising costs, make sure you have a team of trusted real estate professionals for expert advice.

The Three Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today

Written by Emerald Coast Mortgage Syndicated User on May 1, 2023. Posted in Emerald Coast Mortgage, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Mortgage Emerald Coast, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing.

There’s been a lot of focus on higher mortgage rates and how they’re creating affordability challenges for today’s homebuyers. It’s true that rates climbed dramatically since the record-low we saw during the pandemic. But home affordability is based on more than just mortgage rates – it’s determined by a combination of mortgage rates, home prices, and wages.Considering how each one of these factors is changing gives you the full picture of home affordability today. Here’s the latest.1. Mortgage RatesWhile mortgage rates are higher than they were a year ago, they’ve hovered primarily between...

What You Should Know About Rising Mortgage Rates

Written by Emerald Coast Mortgage Syndicated User on March 1, 2023. Posted in Emerald Coast Mortgage, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Mortgage Emerald Coast, Move-Up Buyers.

After steadily falling over the winter, mortgage rates have started to rise in recent weeks. This is concerning to some potential homebuyers as the combination of higher mortgage rates and higher prices have made homes less affordable. So, if you’re planning to purchase a home this year, you too may be wondering if now’s the right time to buy or if you should hold off on your search until rates come back down.

What Does the Rest of the Year Hold for the Housing Market?

Written by Emerald Coast Mortgage Syndicated User on June 1, 2022. Posted in Emerald Coast Mortgage, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Mortgage Emerald Coast, Move-Up Buyers.

If you’re thinking of buying or selling a house, you’re at an exciting decision point. And anytime you make a big decision like that, one thing you should always consider is timing. So, what does the rest of the year hold for the housing market? Here’s what experts have to say. The Number of Homes Available for Sale Is Likely To Grow There are early signs housing inventory is starting to grow and experts say that should continue in the months ahead. According to Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com: “The gap between this year’s homes for sale and last year’s is one-fifth the size...

What’s Happening with Mortgage Rates, and Where Will They Go from Here?

Written by Emerald Coast Mortgage Syndicated User on April 1, 2022. Posted in Emerald Coast Mortgage, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Mortgage Emerald Coast, Pricing.

Based on the Primary Mortgage Market Survey from Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has increased by 1.2% (3.22% to 4.42%) since January of this year. The rate jumped by more than a quarter of a point from just a week ago. Here’s a visual to show how mortgage rate movement throughout 2021 was steady compared to the rapid increase in mortgage rates this year: Just a few months ago, Freddie Mac projected mortgage rates would average 3.6% in 2022. Earlier this month, Fannie Mae forecast mortgage rates would average 3.8% in 2022. As the chart above shows, rates have already surpassed...

Owning Is More Affordable than Renting in the Majority of the Country

Written by Emerald Coast Mortgage Syndicated User on February 1, 2022. Posted in Buying Myths, Emerald Coast Mortgage, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Interest Rates, Mortgage Emerald Coast, Pricing, Rent vs. Buy.

If you were thinking about buying a home this year, but already pressed pause on your plans due to rising home prices and increasing mortgage rates, there’s something you should consider. According to the latest report from ATTOM Data, owning a home is more affordable than renting in the majority of the country. The 2022 Rental Affordability Report says: “. . . Owning a median-priced home is more affordable than the average rent on a three-bedroom property in 666, or 58 percent, of the 1,154 U.S. counties analyzed for the report. That means major home ownership expenses consume a smaller portion...

Expert Insights on the 2022 Housing Market

Written by Emerald Coast Mortgage Syndicated User on January 1, 2022. Posted in Emerald Coast Mortgage, For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Mortgage Emerald Coast, Pricing.

As we move into 2022, both buyers and sellers are wondering, what’s next? Will there be more homes available to buy? Will prices keep climbing? How high will mortgage rates go? For the answer to those questions and more, we turn to the experts. Here’s a look at what they say we can expect in 2022. Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist, First American: “Consensus forecasts put rates at about 3.7% by the end of next year. So, that’s still historically low, but certainly higher than they are today.” Danielle Hale, Chief Economist, realtor.com: “Affordability will increasingly be a challenge...

Housing Challenge or Housing Opportunity? It Depends.

Written by Emerald Coast Mortgage Syndicated User on November 1, 2021. Posted in Emerald Coast Mortgage, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Mortgage Emerald Coast, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing.

The biggest challenge in real estate today is the lack of available homes for sale. The low housing supply has caused homes throughout the country to appreciate at a much faster rate than what we’ve experienced historically. There are many reasons for the limited number of homes on the market, but as you can see in the graph below, we’re well below where we’ve been for most of the past 10 years. Today, across the country, there is only a 2.4-month supply of homes available for sale. The Opportunity This lack of homes for sale is creating a challenge for many buyers who are growing frustrated...

Fact or Fiction: Homebuyer Edition [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Emerald Coast Mortgage Syndicated User on September 11, 2021. Posted in Buying Myths, Emerald Coast Mortgage, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Interest Rates, Mortgage Emerald Coast, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing.

Some Highlights When it comes to the current housing market, there are multiple misconceptions – from what the current supply of available homes looks like to how much houses are selling for. It takes professionals who study expert opinions and data to truly understand the real estate market and separate fact from fiction. Trust the pros. If you want to understand why it’s still a good time to buy, let’s connect today. Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

Reasons You Should Consider Selling This Fall

Written by Emerald Coast Mortgage Syndicated User on September 11, 2021. Posted in Emerald Coast Mortgage, For Sellers, Interest Rates, Mortgage Emerald Coast, Move-Up Buyers.

If you’re trying to decide when to sell your house, there may not be a better time to list than right now. The ultimate sellers’ market we’re in today won’t last forever. If you’re thinking of making a move, here are four reasons to put your house up for sale sooner rather than later. 1. Your House Will Likely Sell Quickly According to the Realtors Confidence Index released by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), homes continue to sell quickly – on average, they’re selling in just 17 days. As a seller, that’s great news for you. Average days on market is a strong indicator of buyer demand....

Category: Interest Rates