Why It Just Became Much Easier To Buy a Home

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 7, 2021. Posted in Buying Myths, Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Since the pandemic began, Americans have reevaluated the meaning of the word home. That’s led some renters to realize the many benefits of homeownership, including the feelings of security and stability and the financial benefits that come with rising home equity. At the same time, many current homeowners have decided their house no longer meets their needs, so they moved into homes with more space inside and out, including a home office for remote work. However, not every purchaser has been able to fulfill their desire for a new home. Here are two obstacles some homebuyers are facing: The...

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Win When You Sell (And When You Move)

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 6, 2021. Posted in For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

If you’re trying to decide when to sell your house, there may not be a better time than this winter. Selling this season means you can take advantage of today’s strong sellers’ market when you make a move. Win When You Sell Right now, conditions are very favorable for current homeowners looking for a change. If you sell now, here’s what you can expect: Your House Will Stand Out – While recent data shows there are more sellers getting ready to list their homes this winter, there are still more buyers in the market than there are homes for sale. If you sell your house now before more houses...

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A Checklist for Selling Your House This Winter [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 3, 2021. Posted in For Sellers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Some Highlights If you’re planning to sell your house this winter, you’ll want it to look its best inside and out. Take the time and focus on tasks that make it inviting, show it’s cared for, and boost your curb appeal. Let’s connect so you have an expert opinion on what to focus on, so it shows well and catches a buyer’s eye. Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

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Tips for Single Homebuyers: How To Make Your Dream a Reality

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 2, 2021. Posted in Buying Myths, Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

If you’re living on your own and looking to buy a home, know that you can make your dream a reality with thoughtful planning and the right team of experts. Research from Freddie Mac shows 28% of all households (36.1 million) are sole-person, and that number is growing. Over the past 40 years, the number of sole-person households has nearly doubled, and that’s a trend that’s expected to continue. According to Freddie Mac: “Our calculation suggests that there will be an additional 5 million sole-person households in the United States by the next decade. This means 42% of the household growth...

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How To Think Strategically as a Buyer in Today’s Market

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 1, 2021. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

The game of chess can provide incredible lessons to apply to all aspects of life, including the homebuying process. Chess requires you to plan and think about your strategy from the very beginning of the game. The homebuying process, like chess, requires strategy and planning. Here are a few things to keep in mind to ensure your plan is as strong as possible when you begin your home search. Pre-Approval: the Best Opening Play To Make as a Homebuyer It’s important to have a great opening play when you’re buying a home. And the best move you can make when you begin your home search is getting...

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Home Is Where the Heart Is More than Ever This Year

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 30, 2021. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

There’s no denying the financial benefits of homeownership, but what’s often overlooked are the feelings of gratitude, security, pride, and comfort we get from owning a home. This year, those emotions are stronger than ever. We’ve lived through a time that has truly changed our needs and who we are, and as a result, homeownership has a whole new meaning for many of us. According to the 2021 State of the American Homeowner report by Unison: “Last year, staying home became a necessity and that caused many homeowners to have renewed gratitude for the roof over their head.” As a nation, we continue...

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Why Now Is a Great Time To Sell Your House

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 29, 2021. Posted in For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing, Selling Myths.

As we near the end of the year, more homeowners are realizing the benefits of today’s sellers’ market. Record-breaking home price appreciation, growing equity, low inventory, and competitive mortgage rates are motivating homeowners to make a move that addresses their changing lifestyles. In fact, recent data from realtor.com shows a larger share of homeowners are planning to list their houses this winter. So, that means more homes are about to hit the market, which will lead to more choices for buyers too. According to George Ratiu, Manager of Economic Research at realtor.com: “The pandemic...

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Reasons To Hire a Real Estate Professional [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 26, 2021. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Some Highlights Whether you’re buying or selling, there are many perks that come from working with a real estate advisor. Real estate professionals are experts at navigating all aspects of the buying and selling process, including negotiating on your behalf. We can also explain today’s market and break down what it means for you. Don’t go at it alone. Let’s connect today so you have advice and an expert to count on each step of the way. Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

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Thank You for Your Support

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 25, 2021. Posted in Holidays, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Time-sensitive, Uncategorized.

Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

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How Smart Buyers Are Approaching Rising Mortgage Rates

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 24, 2021. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Interest Rates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Last week, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Freddie Mac inched up to 3.1%, and experts project rates will continue rising through 2022: “The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 2.9% in the third quarter of 2021. We forecast mortgage rates to increase slightly through the remainder of the year and reach 3.0%, rising to 3.5% for full year 2022.” If you’re thinking of buying a home, here are a few things to keep in mind so you can succeed even as mortgage rates rise. Taking Time Off Can Be Costly Mortgage rates play a significant role in your home search. As rates go up, your monthly...

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Don’t Believe Everything You Read: The Truth Many Headlines Overlook

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 23, 2021. Posted in Distressed Properties, For Buyers, For Sellers, Foreclosures, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Pricing.

There are a lot of questions right now regarding the real estate market as we head into 2022. The forbearance program is coming to an end and mortgage rates are beginning to rise. With all of this uncertainty, anyone with a megaphone – from the mainstream media to a lone blogger – has realized that bad news sells. Unfortunately, we’ll continue to see a rash of troublesome headlines over the next few months. To make sure you aren’t paralyzed by a headline, turn to reliable resources for a look at what to expect from the housing market next year. There are already alarmist headlines starting...

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4 Ways Homeowners Can Use Their Equity

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 22, 2021. Posted in For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Your equity is a powerful tool that can help you achieve your goals as a homeowner. And chances are, your equity grew substantially over the past year. According to the latest Equity Insights Report from CoreLogic, homeowners gained an average of $51,500 in equity over the past year. If you’re looking for the best ways to use your growing equity, here are four options: 1. Use Your Equity To Buy a Home That Fits Your Needs If you’re finding you no longer have the space you need, it might be time to move into a larger home. Or, it’s possible you have too much space and would like something smaller....

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Your Journey to Homeownership [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 19, 2021. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Some Highlights When it comes to buying a home, there are a number of key milestones along the way. The process includes everything from building your team and understanding your finances to going house hunting, making an offer, and more. When you’re ready to start your journey, let’s connect so you have trusted guidance at every milestone in the process. Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

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Home Sales About To Surge? We May See a Winter Like Never Before.

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 18, 2021. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Like most industries, residential real estate has a seasonality to it. For example, toy stores sell more toys in October, November, and December than they do in any other three-month span throughout the year. More cars are sold in the U.S. during the second quarter (April, May, and June) than in any other quarter of the year. Real estate is very similar. The number of homes sold in the spring is almost always much greater than at any other time of the year. It’s even labeled as the spring buying season. Historically, the number of buyers and listings for sale significantly increase in the...

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Retirement May Be Changing What You Need in a Home

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 17, 2021. Posted in Baby Boomers, Demographics, For Buyers, For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Senior Market.

The past year and a half brought about significant life changes for many of us. For some, it meant entering retirement earlier than expected. Recent data shows more people retired this year than anticipated. According to the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis, 2021 saw a retirement boom: “At least 1.7 million more older workers than expected retired due to the pandemic recession.” If you’ve recently retired, your home may not fit your new lifestyle. The good news is, you’ve likely built-up significant equity that can fuel your next move. According to the latest Homeowner Equity...

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Sellers: You’ll Likely Get Multiple Strong Offers This Season

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 16, 2021. Posted in For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Are you thinking about selling your house right now, but you’re not sure you’ll have the time to do so as the holidays draw near? If so, consider this: even as the holiday season approaches, there are plenty of buyers out there, and they really want your house. Here’s why selling this winter is a win for you. Today’s buyers are still dealing with a limited number of homes for sale. Thanks to continued low inventory, those buyers are competing with one another for their dream home. And when that happens, if your house is one of the few on the market, it will rise to the top of the pool – and...

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4 Things Every Renter Needs To Consider

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 15, 2021. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Rent vs. Buy.

As a renter, you’re constantly faced with the same dilemma: keep renting for another year or purchase a home? Your answer depends on your current situation and future plans, but there are a number of benefits to homeownership every renter needs to consider. Here are a few things you should think about before you settle on renting for another year. 1. Rents Are Rising Quickly Rent increasing each year isn’t new. Looking back at Census data confirms rental prices have gone up consistently for decades (see graph below):If you’re a renter, you’re faced with payments that continue to climb each...

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Should I Update My House Before I Sell It? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 12, 2021. Posted in For Sellers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Some Highlights If you’re deciding whether you should make updates before you sell your house, lean on your agent to be your guide. If the market is flooded with houses for sale, updates may be necessary for your house to stand out. In our current sellers’ market, the added expenses might not be worth it. Let’s connect so you have expert advice on which updates are important in today’s market. Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

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VA Loans: Helping Veterans Achieve Their Homeownership Dreams

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 11, 2021. Posted in Buying Myths, Down Payments, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Time-sensitive.

The purpose of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loans is to provide a pathway to homeownership for those who have sacrificed so much by serving our nation. As the Veterans Administration says of the program: “The objective of the VA Home Loan Guaranty program is to help eligible Veterans, active-duty personnel, surviving spouses, and members of the Reserves and National Guard purchase, retain, and adapt homes in recognition of their service. . . .” For over 75 years, VA home loans have provided millions of veterans and their families the opportunity to purchase their own homes. 2020 Data on VA...

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What’s Happening with Home Prices?

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 10, 2021. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Pricing.

Many people have questions about home prices right now. How much have prices risen over the past 12 months? What’s happening with home values right now? What’s projected for next year? Here’s a look at the answers to all three of these questions. How much have home values appreciated over the last 12 months? According to the latest Home Price Index from CoreLogic, home values have increased by 18.1% compared to this time last year. Additionally, prices have gone up at an accelerated pace for each of the last eight months (see graph below):The increase in the rate of appreciation that’s shown...

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How Sellers Win When Housing Inventory Is Low

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 9, 2021. Posted in For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Pricing.

In today’s housing market, the number of homes for sale is much lower than the strong buyer demand. As a result, homeowners ready to sell have a significant advantage. Here are three ways today’s low inventory will set you up for a win when you sell this season. 1. Higher Prices With so many more buyers in the market than homes available for sale, homebuyers are frequently getting into bidding wars for the houses they want to purchase. According to the latest data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), homes are receiving an average of 3.7 offers in today’s market. This buyer competition...

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Two Graphs That Show Why You Shouldn’t Be Upset About 3% Mortgage Rates

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 8, 2021. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

With the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Freddie Mac climbing above 3%, rising rates are one of the topics dominating the discussion in the housing market today. And since experts project rates will rise further in the coming months, that conversation isn’t going away any time soon. But as a homebuyer, what do rates above 3% really mean? Today’s Average Mortgage Rate Still Presents Buyers with a Great Opportunity Buyers don’t want mortgage rates to rise, as any upward movement increases your monthly mortgage payment. But it’s important to put today’s average mortgage rate into perspective....

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Author: Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage