Market Watch – 3 Positive Signs

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While there have been some strong headwinds for the housing market this year, we’ve seen some room for optimism recently. Specifically, three pieces of positive news for home buyers. The first is that after a sharp run up in interest rates, we have seen rates fall sharply in the last two weeks after hitting a high in October. The second piece is a softening of home prices. We are seeing a deceleration of rising prices and price points are not written in stone at this point. Finally, there is higher housing inventory today, so home buyers have options! If you are thinking about a purchase now or after the holidays, be sure to fill out our home purchase wizard on our website and we can see what best fits your…
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2023 FHA Loan Limits

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The FHA announced the new loan limits for 2023 this week. The 2023 base line limit for single family homes in most areas is $472,030 an increase of over $50,000 from the previous limit. In high-cost areas the limit is actually over $1 million dollars for the first time! The limits vary based on property type and area the single family home is the most common loan type, requirements vary but generally you’ll need a 580 credit score and a down payment of at least 3.5%. Call us or file out our online analyzer on our website and we can get you specific figures for your situation.
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2023 FHA Loan Limits

News
The FHA announced the new loan limits for 2023 this week. The 2023 base line limit for single family homes in most areas is $472,030 an increase of over $50,000 from the previous limit. In high-cost areas the limit is actually over $1 million dollars for the first time! The limits vary based on property type and area the single family home is the most common loan type, requirements vary but generally you’ll need a 580 credit score and a down payment of at least 3.5%. Call us or file out our online analyzer on our website and we can get you specific figures for your situation.
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What is Home Equity

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We often hear mortgage and real estate terms and we recognize the term and have a general idea what it is, but here is a detailed explanation of what home equity really means. In the simplest terms home equity is how much of your home you own. So if your home is valued at $500,000 and you have a mortgage balance of $300,000 then you have $200,000 in home equity. If your home’s value appreciated and you have more home equity then you can use the equity for thins like a home equity line of credit (HELOC) or if the mortgage is paid off you may also consider a reverse mortgage. In any case if you’re curious about your equity and options schedule a consultation with us and we can…
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Mortgage Watch – Rates Fall

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Economic reports last week gave signs that inflation may finally be slowing down. As a result, mortgage rates dropped significantly, Freddie Mac reported, the 30-year fixed-rate dropped to an average of 6.61% down from 7.08% the week before. This was the largest weekly drop in over 40 years, since 1981. Freddie Mac economist Sam Khater noted, “while the decline in mortgage rates is welcome news, inflation remains elevated, there is still a long road ahead for the housing market.” If you are considering buying, please contact us regarding pre-qualifying or a rate lock. Fill out our quick pre-qual app on our website to get started.
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Military Families – Buying And Selling Your Home

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As a military family you may be accustomed to moving often and not having a permanent address. Just as soon as you feel settled in, you may receive orders to move, so here are some tips to help with buying and selling for military families. Active service personnel receive Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) which varies on location, pay grade and number of dependencies, which they can use for renting or buying. Buying a home may offer lower monthly payments and the chance of appreciation, but if you think there is a good chance you will be transferred in the next couple of years, you may want to rent as you would be looking at having to recoup buying and selling costs. If you do think you are in a…
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Second Mortgage?

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We’re often surprised that many homeowners don’t know about second mortgages. First a second mortgage is like the name says, a loan in addition to your primary mortgage, that allows you to borrow money using your home as collateral and the first mortgage is not yet paid off. The second mortgage also like the name says, is second to the original mortgage. In case of default, the first mortgage is paid off first. As such the interest rates are generally higher than first mortgages but amounts borrowed are usually much lower, as well (of course you will need to have equity in your home to qualify for a second mortgage). One benefit of a second mortgage is getting money needed for expenses, such as tuition or renovations at an interest…
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Buyer’s or Seller’s Market?

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Nationally, we have been in a seller’s market for quite some time, but there are signs that maybe changing. The seller’s market was fueled by tight inventory and high demand, and was punctuated with bidding wars and cash offers. A move towards a buyer’s market would mean that houses stay on the market longer and prices stabilize or even drop. Signs of a buyers market include, higher inventory, prices getting lowered, the aforementioned increase in days on market, as well as things like incentives offered by the seller such as help with closing costs or renovations. The old adage about everything in real estate being local means that some areas maybe in a buyer’s market while others not so much. And while it might not be a buyer’s market, it…
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How To Save $$$$s On Your Home Purchase

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As home prices have risen dramatically the last few years (yes, they are starting to inch down now), many people find their dream house seemingly out of reach. Don’t despair, here are some tips to save a thousands on your home purchase and lower costs. Move Out Of Your Comfort Zone Ok maybe not your comfort zone, but expanding your search area can make a big difference. If you are priced out of your preferred neighborhood, try expanding your search to nearby areas where housing prices can be significantly lower. Credit Check? Check your credit score and see if there are any issues that need to be addressed. Since your credit score has a big impact on getting lower interest rates, if there are fixable issues it can make a…
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Considering An ADU?

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As we continue to see low inventory in the housing market and high rent prices, many home owners are adding ADUs (which stands for Accessory Dwelling Units). ADUs often called granny flats, are guest houses or rooms added to garages to create rental income for home owners. Home owners typically add ADUs to increase cash flow, as well as looking for their property value to appreciate. Whether ADUs are right for you, depends on a number of factors. ADUs often costs at least $100,000 to build so being in a high rent market helps to offset the initial investment. You’ll also need to make sure local ordinances allow them and what the regulations are. The old real estate adage about location stays true for ADUs as well. If you are…
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