Category: Move Up Buyers

Are You Thinking of Selling Your Home? Competition Is Coming!

For Buyers, For Sellers, Move Up BuyersChrysti Tovani
The number of building permits issued for single-family homes is the best indicator of how many newly built homes will rise over the next few months. According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Residential Sales Report, the number of building permits issued in June was 850,000, a 0.8% increase from May. How will this impact buyers? More inventory means more options. Mark Fleming, First American’s Chief Economist, explained that this is good news for the housing market – especially for those looking to buy: “The continued year-over-year growth in completions means more homes on the market in the…

5 Reasons to Hire a Real Estate Professional Before Entering the Market!

First Time Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, FSBOs, Move Up BuyersChrysti Tovani
Whether you are buying or selling a home, it can be quite the adventure. In this world of instant gratification and internet searches, many sellers think that they can ‘For Sale by Owner’ or ‘FSBO,’ but it’s not as easy as it may seem. That’s why you need an experienced real estate professional to guide you on the path to achieving your ultimate goal! The 5 reasons you need a real estate professional in your corner haven’t changed but have rather been strengthened by the projections of higher mortgage interest rates and home prices as the market continues to pick up steam. 1. What do…

Millionaire to Millennials: Owning Your Home Can Help You Retire Sooner!

For Buyers, Millennials, Move Up BuyersChrysti Tovani
In a CNBC article, self-made millionaire David Bach explained that: “Buying a home is the escalator to wealth in America. Homeownership can also help you retire early, that is, if you pay your mortgage off.”  Bach suggests that homebuyers should, “Take out a 30-year mortgage, but with the intention of paying it off in 25, 20 or ideally, 15 years.” How does he suggest you do this? Here’s the secret: “…If you were paying $1,000 a month, now you’re going to make $1,100 payments every month. Inform the bank that you are doing this and that you want the extra $100 a month…

Home Buying Myths Slayed [INFOGRAPHIC]

Buying Myths, Down Payment, For Buyers, Infographics, Interest Rates, Move Up Buyers, Rent vs BuyChrysti Tovani
Some Highlights: The average down payment for first-time homebuyers is only 6%! Despite mortgage interest rates being over 4%, rates are still below historic numbers. 88% of property managers raised their rents in the last 12 months! Chrysti TovaniChrysti Tovani is a REALTOR® based in Fair Oaks, CA, serving the greater Sacramento area—including Orangevale, Carmichael, and nearby neighborhoods. She’s also a multimedia journalist and founder of I Love Fair Oaks, a local media platform spotlighting the people, places, and businesses that make Fair Oaks feel like home. With a background in real estate, mortgages, and marketing, Chrysti helps clients move…

Buying Is Now 26.3% Cheaper Than Renting in the US

Buying Myths, Featured Posts, First Time Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Move Up BuyersChrysti Tovani
The results of the latest Rent vs. Buy Report from Trulia show that homeownership remains cheaper than renting, with a traditional 30-year fixed rate mortgage, in 98 of the 100 largest metro areas in the United States. In the six years that Trulia has conducted this study, this is the first time that it was cheaper to rent than buy in any of the metropolitan areas. It’s no surprise, however, that those two metros are San Jose and San Francisco, CA, where median home prices have jumped to over $1 million dollars this year. Home values in San Jose have risen 29% in…

The #1 Reason to Put Your House on The Market TODAY!

For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Move Up BuyersChrysti Tovani
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released the results of their latest Existing Home Sales Report which revealed that home sales declined 0.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.38 million in June from 5.41 million in May, and are 2.2% below a year ago. Some may look at these numbers and think that now is a bad time to sell their house, but in fact, the opposite is true. The national slowdown in sales is directly tied to a lack of inventory available for the buyers who are out in the market looking for their dream homes! In fact, the inventory of…

Demand for Homes to Buy Continues to Climb

For Buyers, For Sellers, Keeping Current Matters, Move Up BuyersChrysti Tovani
Across the United States, there is a severe mismatch between the low number of houses for sale and the high demand for those houses! First-time homebuyers are out in force and are being met with a highly competitive summer real estate market. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the inventory of homes for sale “has fallen year-over-year for 36 consecutive months,” and now stands at a 4.1-month supply. A 6-month supply of inventory is necessary for a balanced market and has not been seen since August of 2012. NAR’s Chief Economist Lawrence Yun had this to say, “Inventory…

4 REAL Reasons Why We Buy A Home!

For Buyers, Keeping Current Matters, Move Up Buyers, Rent vs BuyChrysti Tovani
We often talk about why it makes financial sense to buy a home, but more often than not, the emotional reasons are the more powerful or compelling ones. No matter what shape or size your living space is, the concept and feeling of home can mean different things to different people. Whether it’s a certain scent or a favorite chair, the emotional reasons why we choose to buy our own homes are typically more important to us than the financial ones. 1. Owning your home offers you the stability to start and raise a family Between the best neighborhoods and…

Want to Sell Your House Faster? Don’t Forget to Stage! [INFOGRAPHIC]

For Buyers, For Sellers, Infographics, Move Up BuyersChrysti Tovani
Some Highlights: The National Association of Realtors surveyed their members & released the findings of their Profile of Home Staging. 62% of seller’s agents say that staging a home decreases the amount of time a home spends on the market. 50% of staged homes saw a 1-10% increase in dollar-value offers from buyers. 77% of buyer’s agents said staging made it easier for buyers to visualize the home as their own. The top rooms to stage in order to attract more buyers are the living room, master bedroom, kitchen, and dining room. Source: Keeping Current Matters Chrysti TovaniChrysti Tovani is…

Rising Interest Rates Have Not Dampened Demand

First Time Buyers, For Buyers, Interest Rates, Millennials, Move Up BuyersChrysti Tovani
Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest LinkedIn Print Since the beginning of the year, mortgage interest rates have risen over a half of a percentage point (from 3.95% to 4.52%), according to Freddie Mac. Even a small rise in interest rates can greatly impact a buyer’s monthly mortgage payment. First American recently released the results of their quarterly Real Estate Sentiment Index (RESI), in which they surveyed title and real estate agents across the country about the impact of rising rates on first-time homebuyers. Real estate professionals around the country have not noticed a slowdown in demand for housing among young buyers;…

How Long Do Most Families Live in a House?

For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Keeping Current Matters, Move Up BuyersChrysti Tovani
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) keeps historical data on many aspects of homeownership. One of their data points, which has changed dramatically, is the median tenure of a family in a home, meaning how long a family stays in a home prior to moving. As the graph below shows, over the last twenty years (1985-2008), the median tenure averaged exactly six years. However, since 2014, that average is almost ten years – an increase of almost 50%. Why the dramatic increase? The reasons for this change are plentiful! The fall in home prices during the housing crisis left many homeowners in a negative equity…

The #1 Reason to List Your House for Sale NOW!

For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Move Up Buyers, Sacramento Housing MarketChrysti Tovani
If you are debating whether or not to list your house for sale this year, here is the #1 reason not to wait! Buyer Demand Continues to Outpace the Supply of Homes for Sale The National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Chief Economist Lawrence Yun recently commented on the current lack of inventory: “Inventory coming onto the market during this year’s spring buying season – as evidenced again by last month’s weak reading – was not even close to being enough to satisfy demand.  That is why home prices keep outpacing incomes and listings are going under contract in less than a month –…
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