The closing was earlier this morning. The location is an in-demand community in Chandler, Arizona. The sales price was in the upper $200s, and the first-time home buyers and excited new homeowners, Chris & Tiffany, are Millennials. The above is a common scenario in Arizona’s busy 2018 Spring real estate market, indeed throughout the country… Read More
First Time Home Buyers
Buyers Encountering a ‘Perfect Storm’ But Not in a Good Way
When I bought my first home, the fad at the time was to purchase a fixer-upper at a good price then rehab it to death building ‘sweat-equity’ right away and increased value over time. But the fascination with finding a bargain seems to have lost its cache. I’m thinking that homes in need of TLC… Read More
New Tax Bill Equals New Housing Starts, Bolsters Builder Confidence
What is the forecast for New Construction housing in 2018? The holiday season drop-off notwithstanding, builders recorded a robust close to 2017 and New Construction is seeing its strongest growth in a decade. Some financing regulations have been relaxed and builder confidence is rising. A statement from chief economist for the National Association of Realtors… Read More
Video: Applying for a Mortgage? Be Prepared.
Video: Applying for a Mortgage? Be Prepared. When you apply for a mortgage, your lender will take a good hard look at the last two years of your life. From names and addresses of employers to child support and alimony payments, everything even remotely related to your personal finances will be an open book. Start… Read More
Survey Says: Income, Spending and Housing Confidence on the Rise
Survey Says: Income, Spending and Housing Confidence on the Rise Consumers are a bit more optimistic about their household finances, expecting not only household incomes to grow, but also their household spending, according to the results of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Center for Microeconomic Data Survey of Consumer Expectations (SCE) for 2017…. Read More
Home Buying 101 – 1 Question, 5 Research Tips
Home Buying 101 – 1 Question, 5 Research Tips. As market conditions and mortgage regulations change, and without a doubt they do frequently, it becomes more and more important that you do your research before jumping right into the home buying market. This FAQ page is a good beginning, but I’d really like to elaborate… Read More
Trulia Report: Homes in the First Time Buyer Range in Short Supply.
Trulia Report: Homes in the First Time Buyer Range in Short Supply. As a rule I’m not impressed with Trulia. Their home values are skewed by incomplete and vague information, and often the availability of a specific property is inaccurate i.e. not corresponding to the MLS data from which it is borrowed. Having said that,… Read More
Video: New to Homeownership? Don’t Make These Mistakes.
Video: New to Homeownership? Don’t Make These Mistakes. When you’re renting a home you generally don’t live there long enough to notice long-term changes in the property so you might be completely unaware of any damage caused by your actions. If you’re new to buying a home, you’re going to want to be forewarned about… Read More
Trended Data Expected to Help First-Time Home Buyers
I’ve been hearing massive amounts of babble about changes in the way mortgage applications and credit reports are handled for home buyers. These adjustments could mean more favorable interest rates for first-time home buyers and folks with limited credit history. Trended Data Expected to Help First-Time Home Buyers First-time homebuyers are expected to enter the… Read More