Author: Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage

The Majority of Americans Still View Homeownership as the American Dream

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 8, 2022. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Buying a home is a powerful decision, and it remains a key part of the American Dream. In fact, the 2022 Consumer Insights Report from Mynd found the majority of people polled still view homeownership as a key life achievement. Let’s explore just a few of the reasons why so many Americans continue to value homeownership. The Financial Benefits of Owning a Home One possible reason homeownership is viewed so highly is because owning a home is a significant wealth-building tool, and it provides meaningful financial stability over renting by locking in your monthly housing payments for the...

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Key Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 7, 2022. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing.

Every time there’s a news segment about the housing market, we hear about the affordability challenges buyers are facing today. Those headlines are focused on how much mortgage rates have climbed this year. And while it’s true rates have risen dramatically, it’s important to remember they aren’t the only factor in the affordability equation. Here are three measures used to establish home affordability: home prices, mortgage rates, and wages. Let’s look closely at each one. 1. Mortgage Rates This is the factor most people are focused on when they talk about homebuying conditions today. So...

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Homeownership Wins Over Time [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 4, 2022. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Some Highlights If you’re questioning whether or not to buy a home this year due to today’s cooling market, consider the long-term financial benefits of homeownership. As a homeowner, equity increases your wealth. On average, nationwide, home prices appreciated by 2% since 1991. Homeownership wins in the long run. If you’re ready to buy a home, let’s connect today. Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

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Do You Believe Homeownership Is Out of Reach? Maybe It Doesn’t Have To Be.

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 3, 2022. Posted in Demographics, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Gen Z, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Millennials, Move-Up Buyers.

It turns out, millennials aren’t the renter generation after all. The 2022 Consumer Insights Report from Mynd says there’s a portion of millennial and Gen Z buyers who are pursuing homeownership as a way to build their wealth, but it may not be exactly the way previous generations have done it. The study explains how they’re breaking into the market: “. . . younger generations of Americans are not buying into that dream in the same way that older generations have. A growing number of Americans are choosing to make their first real estate purchase as an investment property.” Instead of...

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Sell Your House Before the Holidays

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 2, 2022. Posted in For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

As you look ahead to the winter season, you’re likely making plans and thinking about what you want to achieve before the year ends. One of those key decision points could be whether or not you want to move this year. If the location or size of your current home no longer meets your needs, finding a house that better suits your lifestyle may be a top priority for you. But with today’s cooling housing market, is it really a good time to sell your house, or should you wait? If you’re ready to make your decision, here are three reasons you may want to consider selling before the holidays....

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3 Trends That Are Good News for Today’s Homebuyers

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on November 1, 2022. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

While higher mortgage rates are creating affordability challenges for homebuyers this year, there is some good news for those people still looking to buy a home. As the market has cooled this year, some of the intensity buyers faced during the peak frenzy of the pandemic has cooled too. Here are just a few trends that may benefit you when you go to buy a home today. 1. More Homes To Choose from During the pandemic, housing supply hit a record low at the same time buyer demand skyrocketed. This combination made it difficult to find a home because there just weren’t enough to meet buyer...

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Taking the Fear out of Saving for a Home

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 31, 2022. Posted in Buying Myths, Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

If you’re planning to buy a home, knowing what to budget for and how to save may sound scary at first. But it doesn’t have to be. One way to take the fear out of budgeting is understanding some of the costs you might encounter. And to do that, turn to trusted real estate professionals. They can help you plan your finances and prepare your budget. Here are just a few costs experts say you can expect. 1. Down Payment Saving for your down payment is likely top of mind as you set out to buy a home. But do you know how much you’ll need to save? While each situation is different, there’s a...

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Applying for a Mortgage Doesn’t Have To Be Scary [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 28, 2022. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Some Highlights Even with higher mortgage rates, the mortgage process doesn’t need to be something you fear. Here are some steps to help as you set out to buy a home. Know your credit score and work to build strong credit. When you’re ready, lean on the pros and connect with a lender so you can get pre-approved and begin your home search. Any major life change can be scary, and buying a home is no different. Let’s connect so you have an advisor by your side to take fear out of the equation. Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

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Millennials Are Still a Driving Force of Today’s Buyer Demand

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 27, 2022. Posted in Demographics, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Millennials.

If you’re thinking about selling your house but wondering if buyers are still out there, know that there are still people who are searching for a home to buy today. And your house may be exactly what they’re looking for. While the millennial generation has been dubbed the renter generation, that namesake may not be appropriate anymore. Millennials, the largest generation, are actually a significant driving force for buyer demand in the housing market today. Here’s why. Millennial Homebuying Power While there’s no denying higher mortgage rates are making it more challenging to afford a...

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3 Graphs Showing Why Today’s Housing Market Isn’t Like 2008

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 26, 2022. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Foreclosures, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Pricing.

With all the headlines and talk in the media about the shift in the housing market, you might be thinking this is a housing bubble. It’s only natural for those thoughts to creep in that make you think it could be a repeat of what took place in 2008. But the good news is, there’s concrete data to show why this is nothing like the last time. There’s Still a Shortage of Homes on the Market Today, Not a Surplus For historical context, there were too many homes for sale during the housing crisis (many of which were short sales and foreclosures), and that caused prices to fall dramatically....

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What Happens to Housing when There’s a Recession?

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 25, 2022. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Since the 2008 housing bubble burst, the word recession strikes a stronger emotional chord than it ever did before. And while there’s some debate around whether we’re officially in a recession right now, the good news is experts say a recession today would likely be mild and the economy would rebound quickly. As the 2022 CEO Outlook from KPMG says: “Global CEOs see a ‘mild and short’ recession, yet optimistic about global economy over 3-year horizon . . . More than 8 out of 10 anticipate a recession over the next 12 months, with more than half expecting it to be mild and short.” To...

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Pre-Approval Is a Critical First Step on Your Homebuying Journey

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 24, 2022. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, one of the first steps on your journey is getting pre-approved. Especially in today’s market when mortgage rates are higher than they were just a few months ago, getting a mortgage pre-approval can be a game changer. Here’s why. What Is Pre-Approval? To better understand why pre-approval is key, it’s important to know what pre-approval is. The Mortgage Reports explains it like this: “When you’re ready to take the leap into homeownership, your first step is mortgage preapproval. . . . A mortgage preapproval is when a lender determines you’re...

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3 Questions You May Be Asking About Selling Your House Today [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 21, 2022. Posted in For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Some Highlights If you’re planning to sell your house this year, you likely have questions about what the shift in the housing market means for your home sale. You might be wondering: Should I wait to sell? Are buyers still out there? And can I afford to buy my next home? Let’s connect so you can get answers to these questions and learn about the opportunities you still have in today’s housing market. Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

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What’s Ahead for Home Prices?

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 20, 2022. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Pricing.

As the housing market cools in response to the dramatic rise in mortgage rates, home price appreciation is cooling as well. And if you’re following along with headlines in the media, you’re probably seeing a wide range of opinions calling for everything from falling home prices to ongoing appreciation. But what’s true? What’s most likely to happen moving forward? While opinions differ, the most likely outcome is we’ll fall somewhere in the middle of slight appreciation and slight depreciation. Here’s a look at the latest expert projections so you have the best information possible...

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Should You Still Buy a Home with the Latest News About Inflation?

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 19, 2022. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Rent vs. Buy.

While the Federal Reserve is working hard to bring down inflation, the latest data shows the inflation rate is still high, remaining around 8%. This news impacted the stock market and added fuel to the fire for conversations about a recession. You’re likely feeling the impact in your day-to-day life as you watch the cost of goods and services climb. The pinch it’s creating on your wallet and the looming economic uncertainty may leave you wondering: “should I still buy a home right now?” If that question is top of mind for you, here’s what you need to know. Homeownership Is Historically a...

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The Latest on Supply and Demand in Housing

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 18, 2022. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Over the past two years, the substantial imbalance of low housing supply and high buyer demand pushed home sales and buyer competition to new heights. But this year, things are shifting as supply and demand reach an inflection point. The graph below helps tell the story of just how different things are today. This year, buyer demand has eased as higher mortgage rates and mounting economic uncertainty moderated the market. This slowdown in demand is clear when you look at the red bar on the graph. It uses the latest data from ShowingTime to illustrate how showings (an indicator of buyer...

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The Emotional and Non-financial Benefits of Homeownership

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 17, 2022. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Rent vs. Buy.

With higher mortgage rates, you might be wondering if now’s the best time to buy a home. While the financial aspects are important to consider, there are also powerful non-financial reasons it may make sense to make a move. Here are just a few of the benefits that come with homeownership. Homeowners Can Make Their Home Truly Their Own Owning your home gives you a significant sense of accomplishment because it’s a space you can customize to your heart’s desire. That can bring you added happiness. In fact, a report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows making updates or...

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Tips For First-Time Homebuyers [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 14, 2022. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Some Highlights If you’re trying to buy your first home in today’s housing market, you’ll want to know what you can do as mortgage rates rise and inventory stays low overall. Connect with a lender to get pre-approved, prioritize your wish list, consider condos, and expand your search radius. Your first home is out there. Let’s connect to explore your options and what other first-time buyers are doing to find their homes. Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

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Perspective Matters When Selling Your House Today

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 13, 2022. Posted in For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing, Selling Myths.

Does the latest news about the housing market have you questioning your plans to sell your house? If so, perspective is key. Here are some of the ways a trusted real estate professional can explain the shift that’s happening today and why it’s still a sellers’ market even during the cooldown. Fewer Homes for Sale than Pre-Pandemic While the supply of homes available for sale has increased this year compared to last, we’re still nowhere near what’s considered a balanced market. A recent article from Calculated Risk helps put this year’s increased inventory into context (see graph...

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Four Things That Help Determine Your Mortgage Rate

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 12, 2022. Posted in Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Interest Rates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

If you’re looking to buy a home, you probably want to secure the lowest interest rate possible for your home loan. Over the last couple of years, that was easier to do as the housing market saw record-low mortgage rates, but this year rates have risen dramatically. If you’re looking for ways to combat today’s higher rates and lock in the lowest one you can, here are a few factors to focus on. Since approval opportunities can vary, connect with a trusted lender for customized advice. Your Credit Score Credit scores can play a big role in your mortgage rate. Freddie Mac explains: “When...

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What Are Experts Saying About the Fall Housing Market?

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 11, 2022. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Pricing.

The housing market is rapidly changing from the peak frenzy it saw over the past two years. That means you probably have questions about what your best move is if you’re thinking of buying or selling this fall. To help you make a confident decision, lean on the professionals for insights. Here are a few things experts are saying about the fall housing market. Expert Quotes for Fall Homebuyers A recent article from realtor.com: “This fall, a more moderate pace of home selling, more listings to choose from, and softening price growth will provide some breathing room for buyers searching...

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

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on October 10, 2022. Posted in Buying Myths, Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

As you set out to buy a home, saving for a down payment is likely top of mind. But you may still have questions about the process, including how much to save and where to start. If that sounds like you, your down payment could be more in reach than you originally thought. Here’s why. The 20% Down Payment Myth If you believe you have to put 20% down on a home, you may have based your goal on a common misconception. Freddie Mac explains: “. . . nearly a third of prospective homebuyers think they need a down payment of 20% or more to buy a home. This myth remains one of the largest...

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