The first half of 2019 surprised housing markets across the country: Mortgage rates fell. That’s the opposite of what the experts had predicted at the beginning of the year, and it is welcome news for home buyers, sellers and homeowners. Millions of owners could benefit from refinancing at these unexpectedly lower rates. In other ways, housing forecasters’ predictions for 2019 were correct. Buyers are still competing for a short supply of homes, but the market isn’t quite as tilted in favor of sellers as it … [Read more...]
Fancier Kitchens, Higher Budgets: Homeowners Want to Renovate
June 6, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Source: “Houzz & Home Survey,” Houzz (June 5, 2019) | Realtor Magazine The kitchen is often considered the centerpiece of a home, so it’s not surprising that it tops most homeowners’ renovation lists. Homeowners are spending more to outfit their kitchens, too. Kitchen remodel spending jumped 27% in the past year, reaching a median of $14,000 on upgrades, according to a newly released Houzz & Home survey of more than 140,000 homeowners. After the kitchen, the next biggest … [Read more...]
Phoenix leads US in population growth, new Census data shows
May 28, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Phoenix is the fastest-growing city in the country, according to newly released estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Phoenix welcomed 25,288 new residents between 2017 and 2018 — more than any other American city. Phoenix remains the fifth most-populous city with a population of 1,660,272, according to Census data. San Antonio, Texas (20,824 new residents); Fort Worth, Texas (19,552); Seattle (15,254); and Charlotte, North Carolina (13,151) rounded out the top five fastest-growing cities by raw population … [Read more...]
16 Ways To Tell If That Fixer-Upper Is Flipworthy
April 11, 2019 by Leave a Comment
1. It Makes Financial Sense to Buy It Before investing in a fixer-upper, do some quick math to make sure that it will actually be a good investment. “There’s a crude rule of thumb in the flipping world called the ‘70 Percent Rule’ — never pay more than 70 percent of the [after repair value], minus repair costs,” said Brian Davis, real estate investor and co-founder or SparkRental. “Thus, if the ARV is $200,000, and the repair costs are $50,000, a flipper shouldn’t pay more than $90,000 for … [Read more...]
Why you should sell your home in 2019
April 2, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Few people are predicting that 2019 will be a record-breaking year for home prices. But relatively speaking, 2019 might be the best time for you to put your house on the market. Especially if you’re on the fence about selling this year or next, Nick Ron, CEO of House Buyers of America, recommends going with the devil you know rather than the devil you don’t. “I think it’ll be better than 2020 and 2021 – who knows what’s going to happen in those years,” Ron says. Home price growth slowed in … [Read more...]
Does ‘staging’ a home lure buyers into paying more?
July 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
By DANIELGOLDSTEIN PERSONAL FINANCE REPORTER Plastic surgery might improve one’s looks. But so might a little makeup. When it comes to making your house more attractive to prospective buyers, home staging is definitely in the makeup category. What is home staging? Just like makeup, it’s an on-the-surface solution. Staging can help your place look its best during the sales period without the cost or expense of a renovation. For about $3,500 to $4,500 a month, the home you’re … [Read more...]
U.S. Home Builder Optimism Slipped in July
July 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
U.S. home builders said they lost a bit of confidence in July due largely to uncertainty over how the housing market will perform in the next six months, though they maintained a positive outlook overall as sales strengthen. The National Association of Home Builders said Monday its monthly index of builder confidence in the market for single-family homes slipped one point to 59 in July. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expected a reading of 60. Economists look at builder confidence because when … [Read more...]
Respect Your Elders: The Oldest Homes Currently for Sale
February 4, 2016 by Leave a Comment
In Phoenix, we don't see homes this old very often...or ever for that matter. Curious about the oldest house in our national listings, we went on a journey back in time. How far back? Try over 300 years. We pinned down a house in Massachusetts built in 1683—nine years before the Salem witch trials took place.Sign Up Beyond that oldie but goodie, we found nine other ollllllllld homes currently on the market. We ranked ’em by age and came up with the 10 most senior homes for sale. While you expect to … [Read more...]
