Category Archives: Buyers

by

10 Top Cities for Dog Lovers

Dog

A whopping 54.4 million households – or 44 percent – own at least one dog, according to the 2015-2016 American Pet Products Association survey. That trumps the 35 percent of cat-owning households.

Americans sure do love their pets. In fact, spending on pets has doubled from 2001 to 2015, up from $28.5 billion to $60.28 billion, according to the APPA.

In some cities, the number of dog owners, in particular, is growing. Realtor.com®’s research team sniffed out the 10 best cities for dogs, factoring in the percentage of households that own a dog as well as the number of dog parks and trails, dog-friendly restaurants, pet stores, and dog walkers.

Check out which cities go to the pooches and how Seattle ranks…

by

The 10 Best Markets for Millennials

Home

The road to home ownership has been a struggle for many young adults, mostly due to financial obstacles. However, some millennials may find more luck in less expensive metro areas that also have steady job growth and lower qualifying incomes necessary to purchase a home.

NAR recently analyzed employment gains, population trends, income levels, and housing conditions among the 100 largest metro areas to pinpoint the best purchase markets for millennial home buyers.

Read the article and see where Seattle lands on the list…

by

Four Steps to Finding the Right Neighborhood for You

Young Family

Whether you are moving to a new city or just moving across town, there are many things to consider when deciding on the ideal neighborhood. I know how important this decision can be and I’ll take the time to talk with you about resale value, the local area, and what loan programs will be the most beneficial to you.

Here are four easy steps for finding the best neighborhood for your needs…

by

Baby Boomers Heading Back to the City

Planning

Unlike previous generations, many baby boomers aren’t planning their retirement in sunny southern locales. Instead, more are choosing to move back to metro areas they had left when they started raising a family in the suburbs.

Read the article…

by

Average Time to Close: 44 Days

New Homeowners

For the second consecutive month, the average time to close all loans stayed at 44 days, suggesting that new mortgage rules that took effect this fall are having less of an impact on delaying loans, according to Ellie Mae’s latest Origination Insight Report.

Read more…

by

National Housing Videos

National Housing Videos

Every month RE/MAX researches 53 major metropolitan markets and analyzes the data to get a pulse on the US housing market. Here’s a short video with some highlights from this month’s report. To view past months’ videos or catch up anytime, visit my YouTube channel.

by

Why Are Sellers Happier Than Ever and Buyers At Peak Grumpiness?

Open House

The number of home buyers who say now’s a good time to buy dipped to an all-time survey low in Fannie Mae’s latest Home Purchase Sentiment Index. Meanwhile, home owners who say now’s a good time to sell soared to an all-time survey high. Read on to find out why there’s such a disconnect.

by

Awesome Apps to Calculate Commutes

Neighborhood

When considering moving to a new neighborhood, factoring in your commute time is important. Whether driving to work or running errands, you will want to be within a convenient distance to places that are important to you. There are several simple smartphone apps that can be used to calculate commute time and avoid traffic.

Read the article…

by

Starter Homes May Be Coming Back, After All

New Homeowners

Good news for first-time buyers: more starter homes are on the way. A recent analysis by BUILDER online shows the number of homebuilders offering entry-level housing rose 25 percent last year compared to the year prior.

Read more…

by

How Long It Takes to Save for a Down Payment

Saving Money

Renters in some cities may face a long road toward home ownership. Faced with high rents, some may even have to wait a few decades before they’ll be able to save enough for a down payment – that is, if they keep saving at the same rate, finds a new survey by Apartment List.

Read more…