by The KCM Crew on February 28, 2017 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Move-Up Buyers

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) keeps historical data on many aspects of homeownership. One of the data points that has changed dramatically is the median tenure of a family in a home. As the graph below shows, for over twenty years (1985-2008), the median tenure averaged exactly six years. However, since 2008, that average is almost nine years – an increase of almost 50%.

Why the dramatic increase?

The reasons for this change are plentiful!

The fall in home prices during the housing crisis left many homeowners in a negative equity situation (where their home was worth less than the mortgage on the property). Also, the uncertainty of the economy made . . .

Read More

by The KCM Crew on February 20, 2017 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Move-Up Buyers

According to the Beracha, Hardin & Johnson Buy vs. Rent (BH&J) Index, the U.S. housing market has continued to move deeper into buy territory, supporting the belief that housing markets across the country remain a sound investment.

The BH&J Index is a quarterly report that attempts to answer the question:

In today’s housing market, is it better to rent or buy a home?

The index examines the entire US housing market and then isolates 23 major cities for comparison. The researchers “measure the relationship between purchasing property and building wealth through a buildup in equity versus renting a comparable property and investing in a portfolio of stocks and . . .

Read More

by The KCM Crew on February 6, 2017 in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates

The housing crisis is finally in the rear-view mirror as the real estate market moves down the road to a complete recovery. Home values are up. Home sales are up. Distressed sales (foreclosures and short sales) have fallen dramatically. It seems that 2017 will be the year that the housing market races forward again.

However, there is one thing that may cause the industry to tap the brakes: a lack of housing inventory. While buyer demand looks like it will remain strong throughout the winter, supply is not keeping up.

Here are the thoughts of a few industry experts on the subject: National Association of Realtors

“Total housing inventory at the end of December dropped 10.8%...which is the lowest level since NAR . . .

Read More

by The KCM Crew on January 27, 2017 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Move-Up Buyers

Highlights: 5.45 million existing homes were sold in 2016! This is the highest mark set since 2006.Inventory of existing homes for sale dropped to a 3.6-month supply, the lowest level since NAR began tracking in 1999.The median price of homes sold in December was $232,200. This is the 58th consecutive month of year-over-year price gains. . . .

Read More

by The KCM Crew on December 30, 2016 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Infographics, Move-Up Buyers

                   Some Highlights: As we usher in the new year, one thing is for certain… if you plan to buy or sell a house this year, you need a real estate professional on your team! There are many benefits to using a local professional! Pick a pro who knows your local market and can help you navigate the housing . . .

Read More

by The KCM Crew on December 16, 2016 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Interest Rates, Move-Up Buyers

Some Highlights: Your monthly housing cost is directly tied to the price of the home you purchase and the interest rate you secure for your mortgage.Over the last 30 years, interest rates have fluctuated greatly with rates in the double digits in the 1980s, all the way down to the near 4% we are experiencing now.Your purchasing power is greatly impacted by the interest rate you secure. Act now before rates go up! . . .

Read More

by The KCM Crew on December 12, 2016 in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Pricing

Today, many real estate conversations center on housing prices and where they may be headed. That is why we like the Home Price Expectation Survey.

Every quarter, Pulsenomics surveys a nationwide panel of over one hundred economists, real estate experts, and investment & market strategists about where they believe prices are headed over the next five years. They then average the projections of all 100+ experts into a single number.

The results of their latest survey:

Home values will appreciate by 4.0% over the course of 2017, 3.2% in 2018 and 3.0% the next three years (as shown below). That means the average annual appreciation will be 3.24% over the next 5 years.

The prediction . . .

Read More

by The KCM Crew on November 22, 2016 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Interest Rates, Move-Up Buyers

According to Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage interest rate jumped up to 3.94% last week. Interest rates had been hovering around 3.5% since June, and many are wondering why there has been such a significant increase so quickly. 

Why did rates go up?

Whenever there is a presidential election, there is uncertainty in the markets as to who will win. One way that this is noticeable is through the actions of investors. As we get closer to the first Tuesday of November, many investors pull their funds from the more volatile and less predictive stock market and instead, choose to invest in Treasury Bonds.

When this happens, the interest . . .

Read More

by The KCM Crew on November 1, 2016 in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Move-Up Buyers

Are you thinking of buying a home? Are you dreading having to walk through strangers’ houses? Are you concerned about getting the paperwork correct? Hiring a professional real estate agent can take away most of the challenges of buying. A great agent is always worth more than the commission they charge, just like a great doctor or great accountant.

You want to deal with one of the best agents in your marketplace. To do this, you must be able to distinguish an average agent from a great one.

Here are the top 4 demands to make of your real estate agent when buying a home:

1. Tell the Truth About the Price

When making an offer on the home you want to buy, make sure that your agent walks you through . . .

Read More

by The KCM Crew on September 30, 2016 in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Update

Some Highlights: Existing home inventory is down 10.1% from last year.A lack of inventory explains the modest increase in home sales (0.8% year-over-year) despite strong buyer demand.Existing home prices increased 5.1% year-over-year, which is directly related to the lack of inventory. . . .

Read More