What Homebuyers Need To Know About Credit Scores

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on July 1, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Move-Up Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you should know your credit score’s a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to qualifying for a home loan. Lenders review your credit to assess your ability to make payments on time, to pay back debts, and more. It’s also a factor that helps determine your mortgage rate. An article from Bankrate explains: “Your credit score is one of the most important factors lenders consider when you apply for a mortgage. Not just to qualify for the loan itself, but for the conditions: Typically, the higher your score, the lower the interest rates and better terms...

Why the Median Home Price Is Meaningless in Today’s Market

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on July 1, 2023. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Pricing.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) will release its latest Existing Home Sales (EHS) report later this week. This monthly report provides information on the sales volume and price trend for previously owned homes. In the upcoming release, it’ll likely say home prices are down. This may feel a bit confusing, especially if you’ve been following along and seeing the blogs saying that home prices have bottomed out and turned a corner.So, why will this likely say home prices are falling when so many other price reports say they’re going back up? It all depends on the methodology of each report....

Saving for a Down Payment? Here’s What You Need To Know.

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on July 1, 2023. Posted in Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Move-Up Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

If you’re planning to buy your first home, then you’re probably focused on saving for all the costs involved in such a big purchase. One of the expenses that may be at the top of your mind is your down payment. If you’re intimidated by how much you need to save for that, it may be because you believe you must put 20% down. That doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. As the National Association of Realtors (NAR) notes:“One of the biggest misconceptions among housing consumers is what the typical down payment is and what amount is needed to enter homeownership.”And a recent Freddie...

The True Value of Homeownership

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on June 1, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

Buying and owning your home can make a big difference in your life by bringing you joy and a sense of belonging. And with June being National Homeownership Month, it’s the perfect time to think about all the benefits homeownership provides. Of course, there are financial reasons to buy a house, but it’s important to consider the non-financial benefits that make a home more than just where you live.Here are three ways owning your home can give you a sense of accomplishment, happiness, and pride. You May Feel Happier and More Fulfilled Owning a home is associated with better mental health and...

Keys to Success for First-Time Homebuyers

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on June 1, 2023. Posted in Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

Buying your first home is an exciting decision and a major milestone that has the power to change your life for the better. As a first-time homebuyer, it’s a vision you can bring to life, but, as the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shares, you’ll have to overcome some factors that have made it more challenging in recent years:“Since 2011, the share of first-time home buyers has been under the historical norm of 40% as buyers face tight inventory, rising home prices, rising rents and high student debt loads.”That said, if you’re looking to purchase your first home, here are two things...

Today’s Real Estate Market: The ‘Unicorns’ Have Galloped Off

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on June 1, 2023. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Foreclosures, Housing Market Updates, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Pricing.

Comparing real estate metrics from one year to another can be challenging in a normal housing market. That’s due to possible variability in the market making the comparison less meaningful or accurate. Unpredictable events can have a significant impact on the circumstances and outcomes being compared. Comparing this year’s numbers to the two ‘unicorn’ years we just experienced is almost worthless. By ‘unicorn,’ this is the less common definition of the word:“Something that is greatly desired but difficult or impossible to find.” The pandemic profoundly changed real estate over the last few years....

Why Buying a Home Makes More Sense Than Renting Today

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on May 1, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Rent vs. Buy.

Wondering if you should continue renting or if you should buy a home this year? If so, consider this. Rental affordability is still a challenge and has been for years. That’s because, historically, rents trend up over time. Data from the Census shows rents have been climbing pretty steadily since 1988. And, data from the latest rental report from Realtor.com shows rents continue to grow today, even though it’s at a slower pace than we saw at the height of the pandemic:“In March 2023, the U.S. rental market experienced single-digit growth for the eighth month in a row . . . The median asking...

Ways To Overcome Affordability Challenges in Today’s Housing Market [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on May 1, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Interest Rates, Move-Up Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Pricing.

Some HighlightsWith so few homes on the market right now, widening the scope of your search to include nearby areas could help you find more options in your budget.You can also work with a trusted lender to consider alternative financing options and search for down payment assistance.If you’ve been searching for a home but are concerned about rising costs, make sure you have a team of trusted real estate professionals for expert advice.

What Are the Experts Saying About the Spring Housing Market?

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on May 1, 2023. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Pricing.

The housing market’s been going through a lot of change lately, and there’s been uncertainty surrounding what will happen this spring. You may be wondering if more homes will go on the market, what’s next with home prices and mortgage rates, or what the best advice is for someone in your position right now.Here’s what industry experts are saying right now about the spring housing market and what it means for you:Selma Hepp, Chief Economist, CoreLogic:“We see more competition among buyers . . . Housing supply also tends to grow during the spring months. And this is also the time of year when...

The Three Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on May 1, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Move-Up Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Pricing.

There’s been a lot of focus on higher mortgage rates and how they’re creating affordability challenges for today’s homebuyers. It’s true that rates climbed dramatically since the record-low we saw during the pandemic. But home affordability is based on more than just mortgage rates – it’s determined by a combination of mortgage rates, home prices, and wages.Considering how each one of these factors is changing gives you the full picture of home affordability today. Here’s the latest.1. Mortgage RatesWhile mortgage rates are higher than they were a year ago, they’ve hovered primarily between...

Category: For Buyers