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.
Category Archives: Buyers
How Long It Takes to Save for a Down Payment
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.
Surviving a Seller’s Market: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet
In a seller’s market, home buyers need to be willing and able to act fast to snag the home they want. This spring, areas across the country are facing a limited number of homes for sale. Realtor.com® offers up a cheat sheet for surviving a seller’s market.
National Survey Shows RE/MAX Agents Average 2X the Home Sales of Other Agents
It’s out! RE/MAX agents again claim the title of most productive among the national real estate brands. An analysis of the data contained in the 29th annual 2016 REAL Trends 500 survey shows that RE/MAX agents are more than twice as productive as the average of all other agents in the report. Productive agents, an unmatched global presence and the premier real estate brand. It all adds up to another banner year for RE/MAX agents and their clients!
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Buyers Need to Be Ready for Some Competition
The spring housing market is heating up and demand is high across the country. Some would-be buyers who were outbid last year or couldn’t find a home to fit their needs are returning this spring. They’re more determined than ever to buy too.
But the competition will likely be steep again this spring.
“Would-be buyers face a dilemma: There will be more homes on the market over each week of the next three to four months, but there will also be even more prospective buyers,” says Jonathan Smoke, realtor.com®’s chief economist. “We are entering the busiest season of home buying with the lowest amount of inventory in three years. To be competitive, buyers should get pre-approved for a mortgage and be ready to act quickly if they find a home that meets their needs.”
2016 Predicted to Be Housing’s Golden Year
Officials from mortgage giant Freddie Mac have made a bold prediction: This year housing starts and home prices will reach their highest levels since 2006.
The main reasons behind its bullish forecast is low mortgage rates, an improving job market, and a gradual increase in housing supply.
“Housing markets are poised for their best year in a decade,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “In our latest forecast, total home sales, housing starts, and home prices will reach their highest levels since 2006.”
9 Neighborhood Features That Hamper Values
Certain features near a home — like cemeteries and power plants — could drag down a home’s price. By analyzing home prices and appreciation rates in the 100 largest metro areas with a “drag-me-down facility,” realtor.com® recently identified which could have the biggest impact.
First-Time Buyers May Face a Difficult Spring
Millennials may finally be ready to buy this spring, thanks to an improving job market, low mortgage rates, and record apartment rents. But the big question: Will they be able to?
This spring, first-time buyers may struggle to find a house. The number of homes in the lower-price market is severely limited. Inventory fell 8.2 percent in January from a year earlier for properties priced below $250,000, according to data from the National Association of REALTORS®.
Cities to Watch: 2016’s Fastest-Growing Places
The South and West score big in a new Forbes list of the fastest-growing cities. Factors in the Forbes analysis include population, economic and job growth, and median pay for college-educated workers. Find out where Seattle lands and who rocks the top 10!
Managing The Real Estate Details 