Deciding whether to jump into the housing market or rent instead is rarely an easy decision. This is especially true if you’re a first-time homebuyer. But in today’s whirlwind market, you may find it particularly challenging to pinpoint the best time to start exploring homeownership. Here are some ways to figure out if it makes more sense to buy or rent.
Continue reading Buy Now or Rent Longer? 5 Questions to Answer Before Purchasing Your First Home
Where is real estate headed in 2022? Last year was definitely one for the real estate history books. The pandemic helped usher in a buying frenzy that caused home prices to soar nationwide by a record 19.9% between August 2020 and August 2021.
Continue reading The State of Real Estate in 2022
Over three-quarters of Americans own smartphones. We check them on average 46 times per day whether it’s a Facebook notification or a Snap, a work email or a text. But with apps, there’s so much more those smartphones can do. Here are 17 top apps for homeowners and renters. Whether you’re looking to remodel, buy, sell, or rent, these apps will help you get inspired, informed, organized, and back on budget.
Continue reading 17 Top Apps for Homeowners and Renters
After you take the training wheels off your bike and learn to ride it, you’d never consider putting them back on again. Similarly, once you’ve owned a home, you might think you’ll own a home from now on; but there may be some situations where it makes sense to rent again.
Big shifts in a person’s life like a divorce, death of a spouse, empty nesting or a temporary transfer to a new city are certainly things that may warrant renting, at least temporarily, until you know what your long term plans are.
Continue reading Rent Again?Fannie Mae, in a recently released study, states that consumer attitudes continue to be favorable about homeownership, particularly with the younger generations, ages 18 to 34. Slightly over half of them think that owning makes more sense than renting when comparing the financial and lifestyle benefits.
90% of aspiring owners expect to purchase a home someday and slightly over half think they’ll do it within five years. The primary challenges are having sufficient savings and the difficulty of getting a mortgage today. Younger renters see renting as a temporary stepping stone toward homeownership.
Homeowners are far more likely than renters to be “very positive” about their housing experience. Some of the benefits identified are:
• Having control over what you do with your living space
• Having a sense of privacy and security
• Having a good place for your family or to raise your children
• Having the best investment plan
• Living in a nicer home
• Building up wealth
• Saving for retirement
• Living in a place where you and your family feel safe
• Feeling engaged in your community
To satisfy a buyer’s doubts about qualifying for a mortgage, make an appointment with a trusted mortgage professional. If you’d like a recommendation at no cost or obligation, please contact me at SanDiegoRealtor@cox.net. Check out this Rent vs. Own to see the real cost of owning a home.
For more information about the Fannie Mae survey in presentation form, Click Here.