A Key Opportunity for HomebuyersThere's no denying the housing market has delivered a fair share of challenges to homebuyers over the past two years. Two of the biggest hurdles homebuyers faced during the pandemic were the limited number of homes for sale and the intensity and frequency of bidding wars. But those two things have reached a turning point.As you may have already heard, the number of homes for sale has increased this year, and even more so this spring. As Danielle Hale, Chief Economist for realtor.com, explains:New listings a measure of sellers putting homes up for sale were up 6% above one year ago. Home sellers in many markets across the country continue to benefit from rising home prices and fast-selling homes. Thats prompted a growing number of homeowners to sell homes ... 07/09/2022

The Many Benefits of HomeownershipThe past two years have taught us the true value of homeownership, especially the stability and the feeling of accomplishment it can provide. But homeownership has so much more to offer. Here's a look at a few of the non-financial and financial benefits of owning a home. If you're looking to buy a home today, think about all the ways homeownership can impact your life.Homeownership Has Impactful Personal and Emotional BenefitsOwning your home gives you a significant sense of pride because its a space that is truly yours. And as a homeowner, you can customize your home to your hearts desire. Having a space you've put your stamp on enhances the pride and sense of ownership you may feel.And that sense of ownership can extend beyond your shelter to help cre... 04/01/2022

Getting Ready for a Bathroom Remodel?When it comes to redoing the various rooms in your home, the bathroom is often overlooked. Some homeowners won’t even touch the bathroom unless a leak or some other problem makes it necessary. This is a really poor way to look at it, however, especially given how much time we spend in the bathroom, between bathing, getting ready to face the day, and a few other things. Your bathroom is just as deserving of attention as any other room in your home.Of course, the why doesn’t really matter; whether you’re remodeling your bathroom because you want to change its look or you’re doing it because you’re already making repairs, the time to start is almost here. The question is, how do you get ready to remodel your bathroom? Here are some things that you shoul... 02/13/2022

Whether you’re looking to design a bedroom, a nursery, or a playroom, creating a unique space for your children is usually a bigger job than you expect. This is especially true if you want to come up with something that will stand the test of time. The wants and needs of your children will change as they get bigger, and if you don’t account for this, then sooner or later that “perfect” room you designed for your little one will be outdated and possibly even unwanted. Is there anything that you can do other than completely redesign your kids’ rooms every few years?Fortunately, the answer is yes. By taking the way that children’s needs change over time into account, you can come up with more flexible designs that are easier to adapt even as your child’s interests shift. There will still b... 01/26/2022

If you're on the fence about whether or not you want to sell your house this year, there's good news. For nearly two years, real estate professionals have worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of buyers and sellers during the pandemic.Today, they're seasoned experts, not just in the art of buying and selling homes, but also in how to keep you safe throughout the process. Real estate professionals have learned new technologies plus safety and sanitation measures. As new variants emerge, those lessons continue to be key ways agents add value.Real Estate Advisors Stay Current on Guidance for In-Person ShowingsAgents don't leave your health up to chance. They follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to ensure in-person showin... 01/20/2022

If you're trying to decide whether or not to sell your house, this is the time to think seriously about making a move. Fannie Maes recent Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) reveals the number of respondents who say its a good time to sell is higher now than it was over the past few summers (see graph below). Today, the majority of consumers, 75 percent, say its a good time to sell a house.Why is sellers sentiment up year-over-year?The higher good time to sell sentiment has to do with todays market conditions, specifically low housing supply and high buyer demand. In the simplest terms, we don't have enough houses available for sale to meet buyer demand.According to the latest data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), were still firmly in a sellers market because housing su... 09/01/2021

There's a common misconception that younger generations aren't interested in homeownership. Many people point to the fact that millennials put off purchasing their first home as a reason for this belief.Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist for First American, explains why millennials have put off certain milestones linked to homeownership. Those delays led to their homeownership rates trailing slightly behind older generations:Historically, millennials have delayed the critical lifestyle choices often linked to buying a first home, including getting married and having children, in order to further their education. This is clear in cross-generational comparisons of homeownership rates which show millennials lagging their generational predecessors.So, its partially true that some millennia... 08/24/2021