Your Tax Refund Can Help You Achieve Your Homebuying Goals

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on April 12, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Have you been saving up to buy a home this year? If so, you know there are a variety of expenses involved – from your down payment to closing costs. But there’s good news – your tax refund can help you achieve your goals by paying for some of these expenses. SmartAsset estimates the average American will receive a $1,798 tax refund this year. The map below provides a more detailed estimate by state: According to Freddie Mac, there are multiple ways your refund check can help you as a homebuyer. If you’re getting a refund this year and thinking about buying a home, here are a few tips to keep: Saving...

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Trying To Buy a Home? Hang in There.

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on April 6, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing.

We’re still in a sellers’ market. And if you’re looking to buy a home, that means you’re likely facing some unique challenges, like difficulty finding a home and volatile mortgage rates. But keep in mind, there are some benefits to being a buyer in today’s market that give you good reason to stick with your search. Here are a few of them. Long-Term Benefits Outweigh Short-Term Challenges Owning a home grows your net worth – and since building that wealth takes time, it makes sense to start as soon as you can. If you wait to buy and keep renting, you’ll miss out on those monthly housing payments...

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Facts About Closing Costs [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 31, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

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Why Buying a Home Is a Sound Decision

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 23, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing.

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you want to know the decision will be a good one. And for many, that means thinking about what home prices are projected to do in the coming years and how that could impact your investment. This year, we aren’t seeing home prices fall dramatically. As the year goes on, however, some markets may go up in value while others may lose value. That’s why it’s helpful to keep the long-term view in mind. Experts project a return to a steadier rate of price appreciation in the years that follow. Home Price Appreciation in the Years Ahead Over 100 economists,...

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What’s Ahead for Home Prices in 2023

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 20, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Rent vs. Buy.

Over the past year, home prices have been a widely debated topic. Some have said we’ll see a massive drop in prices and that this could be a repeat of 2008 – which hasn’t happened. Others have forecasted a real estate market that could see slight appreciation or depreciation depending on the area of the country. And as we get closer to the spring real estate market, experts are continuing to forecast what they believe will happen with home prices this year and beyond. Selma Hepp, Chief Economist at CoreLogic, says: “While 2023 kicked off on a more optimistic note for the U.S. housing market,...

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What Buyer Activity Tells Us About the Housing Market

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 16, 2023. Posted in For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Selling Myths.

Though the housing market is no longer experiencing the frenzy of a year ago, buyers are showing their interest in purchasing a home. According to U.S. News: “Housing markets have cooled slightly, but demand hasn’t disappeared, and in many places remains strong largely due to the shortage of homes on the market.” That activity can be seen in the latest ShowingTime Showing Index, which is a measure of buyers actively touring available homes (see graph below): The 62% jump in showings from December to January is one of the largest on record. There were also more showings in January than in any...

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Balancing Your Wants and Needs as a Homebuyer This Spring

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 15, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Though there are more homes for sale now than there were at this time last year, there’s still an undersupply with fewer houses available than in more normal, pre-pandemic years. The Monthly Housing Market Trends Report from realtor.com puts it this way: “While the number of homes for sale is increasing, it is still 43.2% lower than it was before the pandemic in 2017 to 2019. This means that there are still fewer homes available to buy on a typical day than there were a few years ago.” The current housing shortage has an impact on how you search for a home this spring. With limited options...

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An Expert Gives You Clarity in Today’s Housing Market

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 14, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Selling Myths.

The housing market has been going through shifts lately. That’s why it’s so important to work with an industry professional who can be your guide throughout the process. A real estate expert uses their knowledge of what’s really happening with home prices, housing supply, expert projections, and more to give you the best advice. Someone who can provide clarity like that is critical right now. Jay Thompson, Real Estate Industry Consultant, explains: “Housing market headlines are everywhere. Many are quite sensational, ending with exclamation points or predicting impending doom for the industry....

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Leverage Your Equity When You Sell Your House

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 13, 2023. Posted in For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

One of the benefits of being a homeowner is that you build equity over time. By selling your house, that equity can be used toward purchasing your next home. But before you can put it to use, you should understand exactly what equity is and how it grows. Bankrate explains it like this: “Home equity is the portion of your home you’ve paid off – in other words, your stake in the property as opposed to the lender’s. In practical terms, home equity is the appraised value of your home minus any outstanding mortgage and loan balances.” Majority of Americans Have a Large Amount of Equity If you’ve...

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4 Tips for Making Your Best Offer on a Home

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 9, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Are you planning to buy a home this spring? Though things are more balanced than they were at the height of the pandemic, it’s still a sellers’ market. So, when you find the home you want to buy, remember these four tips to make your best offer. 1. Lean on a Real Estate Professional Rely on an agent who can support your goals. As Bankrate notes: “. . . select the best real estate agent for your needs. They will be a critical part of your home buying process.” Agents are local market experts. They know what’s worked for other buyers in your area and what sellers may be looking for in an offer....

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Could a Multigenerational Home Be the Right Fit for You?

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 7, 2023. Posted in Baby Boomers, Demographics, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Millennials, Move-Up Buyers.

During the pandemic, many of us reexamined the meaning of home for ourselves and our loved ones. Today, that can be seen in the recent rise in multigenerational households. According to Jessica Lautz, Deputy Chief Economist and Vice President of Economic Research at the National Association of Realtors (NAR): “Multi-generational buying may be a home where families live in the same home with elderly parents, children who have boomeranged back home, or other extended family members. While this is not a new concept of living, it is one which has gained recent popularity.” And citing data from...

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Is It Really Better To Rent Than To Own a Home Right Now?

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 6, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

You may have seen reports in the news recently saying it’s better to rent right now than it is to own your home. But before you let that impact your decisions, you should understand what these claims are based on.

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Where Will You Go After You Sell Your House? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 3, 2023. Posted in For Sellers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

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Equity Gains for Today’s Homeowners

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 2, 2023. Posted in For Sellers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, Pricing.

Today’s homeowners are sitting on significant equity, even as home price appreciation has eased recently. If you’re a homeowner, your net worth got a boost over the past few years thanks to rising home prices. Here’s what it means for you, even as the market moderates.

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What You Should Know About Rising Mortgage Rates

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on February 28, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

After steadily falling over the winter, mortgage rates have started to rise in recent weeks. This is concerning to some potential homebuyers as the combination of higher mortgage rates and higher prices have made homes less affordable. So, if you’re planning to purchase a home this year, you too may be wondering if now’s the right time to buy or if you should hold off on your search until rates come back down.

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One Major Benefit of Investing in a Home

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on February 27, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

One of the many reasons to buy a home is that it’s a major way to build wealth and gain financial stability. According to Freddie Mac:

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How To Make Your Dream of Homeownership a Reality

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on February 23, 2023. Posted in Buying Myths, Down Payments, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market Updates, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

According to a recent Harris Poll survey, 8 in 10 Americans say buying a home is a priority, and 28 million Americans actually plan to buy within the next 12 months. Homeownership provides many financial and nonfinancial benefits, so that interest is understandable.

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The Spring Housing Market Could Be a Sweet Spot for Sellers [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on February 17, 2023. Posted in For Sellers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

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Should You Consider Buying a Newly Built Home?

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on February 15, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers, New Construction.

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you might be focusing on previously owned ones. But with so few houses for sale today, it makes sense to consider all your options, and that includes a home that’s newly built.

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[:en]Why It’s Easy To Fall in Love with Homeownership[:]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on February 14, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

[:en]No matter how the housing market changes, there are some things about owning a home that never change—like the personal benefits it can provide. When you own your home, you likely feel a sense of attachment because of the comfort it gives and also because it’s a space that’s truly yours.

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What You Should Know About Closing Costs

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on February 13, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

Before you buy a home, it’s important to plan ahead. While most buyers consider how much they need to save for a down payment, many are surprised by the closing costs they have to pay. To ensure you aren’t caught off guard when it’s time to close on your home, you need to understand what closing costs are and how much you should budget for.

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How To Win as a Buyer in Today’s Housing Market [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on February 10, 2023. Posted in First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Move-Up Buyers.

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Category: Move-Up Buyers