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 […]
Many homeowners believe that they’re locked into a mortgage for the long run, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Refinancing your mortgage or borrowing a second mortgage at a lower interest rate or different term, can offer sizable benefits to homeownership including providing a way to save money, reduce debt obligations and build […]
Traditionally, spring is the busiest season for real estate. Buyers come out in force and homeowners list their houses for sale hoping to capitalize on buyer activity. This year will be no different! Buyers have already been out in force looking for their dream homes and more are on their way, but the challenge is […]
No matter how much you love your home, the time may eventually come to take the next step in home ownership: a larger property for you and your family. While purchasing a second property is often easier than buying your first – after all, you’ve been through it once before – there are still plenty […]
There are many benefits to homeownership. One of the top benefits is being able to protect yourself from rising rents by locking in your housing cost for the life of your mortgage. Don’t Become Trapped Jonathan Smoke, Chief Economist at realtor.com, reported on what he calls a “Rental Affordability Crisis.” He warns that, “Low rental […]
A recent report released by Down Payment Resource shows that 65% of first-time homebuyers purchased their homes with a down payment of 6% or less in the month of January. The trend continued through all buyers with a mortgage, as 62% made a down payment of less than 20%, which is consistent with findings from […]
There’s a huge difference between what drives a typical loan officer and what drives a mortgage planner. How do these differences play into the character traits and personality qualities of a good hire? What is healthy competitiveness, and what separates it from the negative manifestations of competitiveness? What type of people thrive best in our […]
As we head into 2019, many news outlets and housing experts warn that the housing market may slow down. Over the last six years, the inventory of homes for sale has been near historic lows, which has been the force behind increasing home prices. This has been great news for sellers as many of them […]
According to a recent survey conducted by Genworth Financial Inc. at the Annual Mortgage Bankers’ Association Secondary Market Conference, mortgage professionals say that first-time buyers still believe a 20% down payment is necessary to buy in today’s market. Nearly 40% of mortgage industry professionals surveyed believe that a lack of knowledge about the home-buying process […]
There is a lot of uncertainty regarding the real estate market heading into 2019. That uncertainty has raised concerns that we may be headed toward another housing crash like the one we experienced a decade ago. Here are four reasons why today’s market is much different: 1. There are fewer foreclosures now than there were […]
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