Thinking About Buying a Home? Ask Yourself These Questions

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on January 3, 2024. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing.

If you’re thinking of buying a home this year, you’re probably paying closer attention than normal to the housing market. And you’re getting your information from a variety of channels: the news, social media, your real estate agent, conversations with friends and loved ones, the list goes on and on. Most likely, home prices and mortgage rates are coming up a lot. Here are the top two questions you need to ask yourself as you make your decision, including the data that helps cut through the noise. 1. Where Do I Think Home Prices Are Heading? One reliable place you can turn to for information...

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Things To Consider If Your House Didn’t Sell

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on January 2, 2024. Posted in For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Selling Myths.

If your listing has expired and your house didn’t sell, it’s completely normal to feel a mix of frustration and disappointment. Understandably, you’re probably wondering what may have gone wrong. Here are three questions to think about as you figure out what to do next. Did You Limit Access to Your House? One of the biggest mistakes you can make when selling your house is restricting the days and times when potential buyers can tour it. Being flexible with your schedule is important, even though it might feel a bit stressful to drop everything and leave when buyers want to see it....

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3 Keys To Hitting Your Homeownership Goals in 2024

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on January 1, 2024. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

If buying or selling a home is your goal for 2024, it’s important to understand today’s housing market, know your why, and work with industry experts to bring your homeownership vision for the new year into focus. Over the last year, the economy had a big impact on the housing market, and likely on your wallet too. That’s why it’s critical to have a clear picture of not just the market today, but also on what you want out of it when you buy or sell a home. Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com, explains: “The key to making a good decision in this challenging housing market is to be...

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The Benefits of Working With an Agent When You Sell Your House [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 29, 2023. Posted in For Sellers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Selling Myths.

Some Highlights When it comes to selling your house, the expertise of a trusted real estate agent can make a big difference. They’ll explain what’s happening today, what that means for you, and how to price and market your house. They’re also skilled negotiators and well versed in the contracts and disclosures involved. Partner with a trusted real estate professional so you have expert advice throughout the entire process.

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What You Need To Know About Saving for a Home in 2024

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 28, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, 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 intimidating – but it doesn’t have to be. One way to ease those concerns is to make sure you understand some of the costs you may encounter up front. And to do that, always turn to trusted real estate professionals. They can help you set a plan and take a strategic look at your budget and your process before you even get started. Here are just a few things experts say you should be thinking about. 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...

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Retiring Soon? Why Moving Might Be the Perfect Next Step

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 27, 2023. Posted in Baby Boomers, Demographics, For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

If you’re thinking about retirement or have already retired this year, it’s a good time to consider if your current house is still a good fit for the next chapter in your life. Fortunately, you may be in a better position to make a move than you realize. Here are a few things to think about as you decide whether or not to sell and make a move. How Long You’ve Been in Your Home From 1985 to 2008, the average length of time homeowners typically stayed in their homes was only six years. But according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), that number is rising today, meaning many homeowners...

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Get Ready To Buy a Home by Improving Your Credit Score

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 26, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

As the new year approaches, the idea of buying a home might be on your mind. It’s an exciting goal to set, and it’s never too early to start laying the groundwork. One crucial step to prepare for homeownership is building a solid credit score. Lenders review your credit to assess your ability to make payments on time, pay back debts, and more. It’s also a factor that helps determine your mortgage rate. An article from CNBC explains: “When it comes to mortgages, a higher credit score can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. This is because your credit score directly impacts your...

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These Non-Financial Benefits Turn a House into a Happy Home

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 25, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

There’s no denying the long-term financial benefits of owning a home, but today’s housing market may have you wondering if now’s still the time to buy. While the financial aspects of homeownership are important, the non-financial and emotional reasons are too. Here’s why. The word home truly means something different to everyone. Whether it’s sharing memories with loved ones around the kitchen table or settling in to read a book in your favorite chair, the emotional connections we have to our homes can be just as important as the financial ones. Here are some of the things that turn a house...

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Get Your House Ready To Sell This Winter [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 22, 2023. Posted in For Sellers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Some Highlights As you get ready to sell your house, there are a few things you should add to your to-do list to make it inviting and boost curb appeal. To name just a couple, it’s a good idea to declutter, take down personal photos and items, touch up any scuffs on the walls, and tidy up your landscaping. Let’s connect so you have advice on what else you may want to do to get your house ready to sell this season.

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Sell Smarter: Why Working with a Real Estate Agent May Beat Going Solo

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 21, 2023. Posted in For Sellers, FSBOs, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Selling Myths.

If you’re thinking about selling your house on your own, called “For Sale by Owner” or FSBO, there are some important things to consider. Going this route means taking on a lot of responsibilities by yourself – and that can be a bit of a headache. A recent report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found two of the most difficult tasks for people who sell their house on their own are getting the price right and understanding and performing paperwork. Here are just a few of the ways an agent helps with those difficult tasks. Getting the Price Right Setting the right price for...

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Why Mortgage Rates Could Continue To Decline

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 20, 2023. Posted in Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

When you read about the housing market, you’ll probably come across some information about inflation or recent decisions made by the Federal Reserve (the Fed). But how do those two things impact you and your homebuying plans? Here’s what you need to know. The Federal Funds Rate Hikes Have Stalled One of the Fed’s primary goals is to lower inflation. In order to do that, they started raising the Federal Funds Rate to slow down the economy. Even though this doesn’t directly dictate what happens with mortgage rates, it does have an impact. Recently inflation has started to cool, a signal...

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Expert Quotes on the 2024 Housing Market Forecast

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 19, 2023. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home soon, you probably want to know what you can expect from the housing market in 2024. In 2023, higher mortgage rates, confusion over home price headlines, and a lack of homes for sale created some challenges for buyers and sellers looking to make a move. But what’s on the horizon for the new year? The good news is, many experts are optimistic we’ve turned a corner and are headed in a positive direction. Mortgage Rates Expected To Ease Recently, mortgage rates have started to come back down. This has offered hope to buyers dealing with affordability...

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Why Now Is Still a Great Time To Sell Your House

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 18, 2023. Posted in For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Selling Myths.

If you were worried buyer demand disappeared when mortgage rates went up, the data shows there are plenty of interested buyers still out there. The housing market isn’t as frenzied as it was during the ‘unicorn’ years when buyer demand was through the roof, mortgage rates were historically low, and home values rose like we’ve never seen before. But that doesn’t mean the market is at a standstill. Nationally, demand is still high compared to the last normal years in the housing market and plenty of buyers are making moves right now. Here’s the data to prove it. Showing Traffic Is Up The...

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What You Need To Know About Down Payments [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 15, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Some Highlights If you want to buy a home, you may not need as much for your down payment as you think. There are various loan options for qualified buyers with down payments as low as 3.5% or even no down payment requirement. There are also thousands of programs available to help homebuyers with their down payments. With the right resources, your down payment may be more within reach than you realize. Talk to a local real estate expert to learn more about your options.

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If Your House Hasn’t Sold Yet, It May Be Overpriced

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 14, 2023. Posted in For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Selling Myths.

Has your house been sitting on the market a while without selling? If so, you should know that’s pretty unusual, especially right now. That’s because the supply of homes available for sale is still far lower than what we’d see in a normal year. That means buyers have fewer options than they usually would, so your house should be an oasis in an inventory desert. So, if homebuyers have limited choices and your house still hasn’t sold, there’s a reason why. Let’s break one potential sticking point that may be turning buyers away: your asking price. Especially with today’s higher mortgage rates...

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The Surprising Trend in the Number of Homes Coming onto the Market

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 13, 2023. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

If you’re thinking about moving, it’s important to know what’s happening in the housing market. Here’s an update on the supply of homes currently for sale. Whether you’re buying or selling, the number of homes in your area is something you should pay attention to. In the housing market, there are regular patterns that happen every year, called seasonality. Spring is the peak homebuying season and also when the most homes are typically listed for sale (homes coming onto the market are known in the industry as new listings). In the second half of each year, the number...

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Down Payment Assistance Programs Can Help Pave the Way to Homeownership

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 12, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

If you’re looking to buy a home, your down payment doesn’t have to be a big hurdle. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 38% of first-time homebuyers find saving for a down payment the most challenging step. But the reality is, you probably don’t need to put down as much as you think: Data from NAR shows the median down payment hasn’t been over 20% since 2005. In fact, the median down payment for all homebuyers today is only 15%. And it’s even lower for first-time homebuyers at 8%. But just because that’s the median, it doesn’t mean you have to put that much down. Some...

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The Perfect Home Could Be the One You Perfect After Buying

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 11, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

There’s no denying mortgage rates and home prices are higher now than they were last year and that’s impacting what you can afford. At the same time, there are still fewer homes available for sale than the norm. These are two of the biggest hurdles buyers are facing today. But there are ways to overcome these things and still make your dream of homeownership a reality. As you set out to make a purchase this season, you’ll want to be strategic. This includes taking a close look at your wish list and considering what features you really need in your next home versus which ones are nice-to-have....

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Your Homebuying Adventure [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 8, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Some Highlights Here are the key milestones you’ll encounter on your path to homeownership. From building your team, to house hunting, all the way to moving into your new home – it’s an exciting adventure. Your journey starts here. Connect with a local real estate agent so you have expert guidance each step of the way.

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Why You Need To Use a Real Estate Agent When You Buy a Home

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 7, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

If you’ve recently decided you’re ready to become a homeowner, chances are you’re trying to figure out what to do first. It can feel a bit overwhelming to know where to start, but the good news is you don’t have to navigate all of that alone. When it comes to buying a home, there are a lot of moving pieces. And that’s especially true in today’s housing market. The number of homes for sale is still low, and home prices and mortgage rates are still high. That combination can be tricky if you don’t have reliable expertise and a trusted advisor on your side. That’s why the best place to start is...

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How To Turn Homeownership into a Side Hustle

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 6, 2023. Posted in Demographics, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Rent vs. Buy.

Does the rising cost of just about everything these days make your dream of owning your own home feel less within reach? According to Bankrate, many people are seeking additional income through side hustles, possibly to cope with those increasing expenses and save for a home. This trend is particularly popular with younger individuals who may be dealing with student loan debt (see graph below): Here are two strategies that can not only make homeownership more affordable in the short term, but turn it into a lucrative side hustle that can pay off down the road. Transforming the Challenge...

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When You Sell Your House, Where Do You Plan To Go?

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on December 5, 2023. Posted in For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Selling Myths.

If you’re thinking about selling your house, you may have heard the supply of homes for sale is still low, and that means your house should stand out to buyers who are craving more options. But you may also be wondering, once you sell, how does the current supply impact your own move? And, will you be able to find a home you want to buy with inventory this low? One thing that can help you find your next home is exploring all your options, including both homes that have been lived in before as well as newly built ones. Let’s look at the benefits of each one. The Pros of Newly Built Homes First,...

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Author: Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage