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Is Buying a Home Still Affordable?

August 3, 2022

Is buying a home still affordable? This is an important question to ask yourself when you are starting to weigh the pros and cons of buying vs. renting in today’s market. 


What makes this more complicated is that due to inflation, both rent prices and home prices are rising. So, which is ultimately more affordable, renting or buying? 


The answer is buying, but the gap in affordability is shrinking fast. 


Much of this affordability is due to the historically low mortgage rates of the past few years. Rates are now beginning to rise, however, and are up more than half a percentage point from the year-earlier period. A higher rate could be the difference of hundreds of dollars in your monthly payment, and that’s where affordability comes in.


On the flip side, renting isn’t getting cheaper either. In 2019, the average increase in rent was about 2% (and that’s just the average!). Renter’s are finding it harder and harder to maintain their lifestyle as rent continues to hike up in every corner of the country. 


Also, when buying a home, you are not just putting money towards a place to live, but it is also an investment. Building your personal wealth through home equity is a great start! We have a whole video about home equity and how you can use it that we’ll link here, but home equity is a great financial tool to use in the future for other investments or decisions.


The issue now for potential buyers, especially first time home buyer, is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to save up and budget for a down payment. On average, home buyers today pay around 6% on a downpayment. If you’re buying a $500,000 house, that amounts to $30,000. Even if you opted for a loan option that allowed for a 3% down payment, that still comes to $15,000. That’s a big chunk of change to save up, especially as prices continue to rise and the market stays hot.


Budgeting is key to working towards that down payment, but it can be tough in today’s market. Here at Fairway, we want to help you achieve the home of your dreams, and we can work with you in order to find a price range and down payment amount that works for you!


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Q1 Recap

By Mikaylah Collins • April 12, 2023
We've begun to see signs that the Spring Market is here and could be robust! Here is what we know: According to NAR, home sales were up 14% in February over the previous month which marked the biggest monthly increase since July 2020. While March results are not yet published, the mortgage industry saw an increase in purchase applications for the 3rd straight month; a great sign for the housing market. Driving much of this activity is the stabilization of rates in January & February and lower interest rates this past month. We’re starting to see signs of a slowing economy and the markets are now pricing this in. This week we saw the 10-yr Treasury drop under 3.4%, a level it has not reached for quite some time and the lowest it’s been since September 9, 2022. This is great news for consumers as decreasing rates mean more home affordability. Over the past year, most markets have seen home prices stabilize if not even decline, albeit by a very small amount. This stabilization was still a relief for homebuyers as it helped to offset higher interest rates. As rates continue to decrease, we would expect home prices to again increase due to demand increases. In addition to increased demand, there is still a shortage of homes for sale nationwide and that will continue to worsen as more and more homebuyers enter the market.  So what does it all mean? Now is a GREAT time to buy a home! Rates and home prices are stable, there is not as much competition as there will be when rates do decrease, and buying a home is still extremely affordable for most. Once rates fall, we will likely see home prices rise and the competition for the shortage of homes will increase alongside it making the window of a buyer-dominated market very small.

Q1 2023 Market Outlook

By Sarah Rubin • February 10, 2023
We are well into Q1 and feel confident saying that the market appears to be stabilizing. Before we start looking forward, let’s quickly look back at the end of 2022.

Finding The Right Listing Agent For You

By Sarah Rubin • December 15, 2022
Buying a home is a huge investment and one we talk about often - BUT the flipside is that you have an opportunity to cash in on that investment when you’re ready to sell your home! While you do have the chance to cash-in, a lot more work goes into selling a home than you might think! If you are considering selling your home, working with a listing agent will help you market your home, negotiate with potential buyers, work through paperwork, and ultimately close on your home! So what is a listing agent? In its most basic terms, a listing agent is a real estate professional who represents the seller in a real estate transaction. The listing agent lists the home for sale and works on behalf of the seller to sell the home at the best price and terms for their client. Listing your home is a BIG deal and it is not a place to try and DIY. But why can’t you just grab a sign at Home Depot and try and sell yourself? Well, there are lots of reasons some of which include: Professional consultation: A listing agent will walk you through each step and tell you what to expect along the way! They should understand the specific community you’re in and the current market environment and will help you determine a competitive but realistic asking price for your home. Marketing and selling your home: Your listing agent will list your home on the multiple listing service (MLS) in order to better market your home to potential buyers. They also can make staging recommendations and hire a photographer to best show off your home and its features. They’ll schedule house showings, and can be present to answer any questions. Communication and negotiation: Communication is key to both buying and selling a home in order to minimize stress and misunderstandings. Listing agents take care of this important task, by staying in touch with interested buyers and their agents, fielding questions, handling paperwork, and negotiating the final sale price and terms. Recommendations: Seasoned listing agents might come with a list of professionals who they have worked with in the past that they enjoy working with in order to make the selling process smoother for you! Some of these professionals include: real estate attorneys or title companies, inspectors, stagers, those who specialize in home improvement AND of course trusted Loan Officers. How do I find the right listing agent for my situation? In order to find the right listing agent for you, make sure your agent is licensed and has experience, references, and a professional website where you can learn more about them and their qualifications. Most real estate agents work with both buyers and sellers, but some might specialize in one or the other. Once you find a few agents through referrals or online research, meet with them in person to ensure they meet your needs and work well with your personality. It is also important to ask questions during your meeting with them and it’s imperative that you determine what you’re looking for in an agent so you make sure you are happy with the product being delivered. Selling a home can be stressful, especially for first-time sellers. A listing agent can help by taking on some of the burden and providing the information and resources needed to help sellers make informed decisions. We work with agents on both sides of the transaction – if you have any questions or would like a recommendation for an agent in your area, please reach out to us!
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