Quite a bit has changed since the housing bubble burst and the world plunged into a bleak recession. Rampant layoffs have been replaced by a booming economy and hiring sprees. A housing market pocked by foreclosures and abandoned construction sites is now on fire. But the postcrash price growth might actually be higher than most thought. Home prices shot up a cumulative 50% over the past decade, from June 2009 through May 2019, according to a recent report from real estate information provider CoreLogic. … [Read more...]
9 housing & mortgage trends for the rest of 2019
June 27, 2019 by Leave a Comment
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...]
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...]
Phoenix area real estate: South Phoenix pegged as next ‘hot area’
May 9, 2019 by Leave a Comment
For years, home buyers have kept moving further and further out, but that's changing. In fact, the next hot area, believe it or not, is supposed to be south Phoenix. Maricopa County is the home of a Phoenix metropolitan area that continues to keep on growing. ”For the fourth year in a row now, Maricopa County has been the fastest growing county in the U.S.," said Thomas Maynard who is the Vice President of Business Development of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC).It's quite a statistic. And as … [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...]
The 4% Mortgage is Back
March 29, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Mortgage rates are fast approaching 4%, a rate low enough that economists and lenders believe it will help jump-start the housing market again. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 4.06% this week, its lowest since January 2018, according to data released Thursday by Freddie Mac, the mortgage-finance giant. The rate was down nearly a quarter point from a week earlier, its biggest drop in over a decade. In many cases rates are lower than 4%. Lenders advertising mortgages at sub-4% rates this week … [Read more...]
Save Money With Smaller Jumbos
August 5, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Government-backed jumbo loans can be cheaper and easier to get than jumbos that exceed the $625,500 federal limit Home buyers trying to purchase a pricey property will probably need a jumbo loan—a mortgage that exceeds government limits. But there are different types of jumbos, and some are a little easier and cheaper to get than others. But first, a handy breakdown for those befuddled by the confounding terminology of the mortgage business: Conforming mortgages are capped at $417,000 and backed by … [Read more...]
More Americans Are Going Solo
October 13, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Single adults will change the face of the housing industry The U.S. is becoming a nation of singles. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, half of all American adults live in one-person households, and this demographic is heavily influencing the companies that want to reach out to them. Restaurants are including more communal seating to be inclusive for single diners. Multifamily communities are offering shared spaces such as home theaters, outdoor spaces, and work areas so that singles can socially … [Read more...]
