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
The annual inflation rate in the United States is currently around 7.5%. That’s the highest it has been since 1982. It doesn’t matter if you’re a cashier, lawyer, plumber, or retiree; if you spend U.S. dollars, inflation impacts you. But real estate investments can be a hedge against inflation.
Continue reading Real Estate: A Proven Hedge Against Inflation
Learn how to determine your current net worth and how an investment in real estate can help improve your bottom line.
Continue reading Could Rising Home Prices Impact Your Net Worth?
If you’re a homeowner in the San Diego area, chances are your house is making you rich. Although there’s no guarantee that homeownership will help you build wealth, the Federal Reserve 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances found that the median homeowner has 40 times the household wealth of a renter. And if you live in the San Diego – Carlsbad area or in several other parts of California, you’ve gained a lot of equity in the last 10 years.
Continue reading Homeownership Builds Wealth
Maybe your dream home has the intricate details that you usually find only in older construction — wainscoting and crown molding in the interior, a large yard with an older tree shading the back yard, and a white picket fence.
Or maybe your dream home has all the conveniences of modern living — open floor plan in the living and dining spaces, large windows, connected, “smart” appliances, and minimalist design elements.
Whether you go for a brand new construction or an existing home, both types of properties have their pros and cons when it comes to purchasing. What type of home is right for you will depend on which factors are most important for your lifestyle.
Continue reading Should You Buy a New or Existing Home?
No matter if you’re in a buyer’s or seller’s market, there are a few critical steps you can take to make a smarter purchase. Since buying a home is likely the biggest single investment you will ever make, being prepared will help you make a better purchase. Here are 7 tips and tricks to buying a home.
What is your buying power? It is your ability to borrow plus the cash you have available for a down payment and closing costs. Your credit-worthiness and income will affect how much you can realistically borrow for a home.
Continue reading How to Buy a Home: 7 Tips and Tricks from Real Estate Insiders
Despite existing-home sales dropping last November, the national real estate market is primed for expansion in 2016. Here’s why. Better weather in many parts of the country resulted in an increase in single-family and multifamily home construction. Also, the population of millennial homebuyers is expected to grow in 2016. This means increased demand to help the housing market see positive gains. With unemployment steadily decreasing, orders for new durable goods increasing 3 percent, inflation staying level, and income beginning to grow, the Fed decided to raise interest rates. The rate increase signals that our economy is getting stronger. So, don’t let the drop in existing-home sales in November fool you. With a stronger economy, home sellers can expect eager home buyers in 2016.
By: Douglas Trattner
Is your AC making ominous noises? Maybe it sounds fine but isn’t cooling. Here’s a list of common air conditioning warning signs and their likely causes and fixes.
“Let comfort be your guide,” says Tom Hutchinson of Hutchinson Plumbing Heating Cooling. Air conditioning is all about comfort, so the simplest way to evaluate your system is to ask: Am I comfortable?
Air conditioning and HVAC units don’t last forever — 12 years is an average lifespan — and the moment they fail is usually when you need them the most.
Continue reading Think Your AC Won’t Make it Through the Summer? Here are Some Fixes
With roughly 12.5% of the population over 65 years of age, it is understandable that some people are thinking of downsizing because they may not need the amount of space they did in the past. There is something to be said for the freedom acquired by divesting yourself of things that have been accumulated over the years but are no longer needed. Should you downsize your home? It does have its benefits.