Category: Home Buying

For years we saw new homes increase in size due to demand. In fact, even dating back to the 1980’s we saw the term “McMansion” enter the vocabulary. (McMansion is a pejorative term for a large “mass-produced” dwelling marketed to the upper middle class mainly in the United States.) For quite some time Americans’ appetite for… Continue reading Bigger is better again in the new home market

The thought of moving into a brand new home that nobody has ever lived in is quite appealing to many. After all, what is not to like? Chances are it has the most updated amenities and you should not have to worry about as many maintenance issues as you would an older home. Typically, new… Continue reading Do you need a real estate agent representing you for new construction?

Here is a familiar story for many Americans across the country: You were living in the city in a small 600 square foot apartment near the office that you worked at. All of a sudden the pandemic began and then you were forced stay home and your company instituted a work-from-home policy. After living like… Continue reading Shadow buyers and the future of the housing market

To say that the current housing market is competitive would be quite an understatement. Although we are seeing some signs of buyer demand diminishing, there are still many prospective buyers remaining in the market from the spring and summer months. In addition, the inventory of homes for sale continues to be quite a challenge as… Continue reading Making your offer stand out in a competitive housing market

If you are like many Americans during the pandemic, you may be moving across state lines or even across the country in some cases. Naturally, this can be an intimidating and even somewhat overwhelming experience. As with anything else, thorough preparation is the key to success. Below we discuss some helpful tips to consider when… Continue reading Out of state moving tips

With many prospective home buyers feeling frustrated from being outbid on homes during the crazy competitive spring and summer months, this fall may present the best home buying opportunity that has been seen in the past 18 months. Typically, buyer activity peaks during the spring and summer months and then cools off a bit during… Continue reading The Fall home buying opportunity

Since the beginning of the pandemic, more buyers have been in search of larger homes. With this increased demand, builders have responded by focusing on larger homes as well. In particular, we have seen the share of single-family homes with 4 or more bedrooms rise accordingly. In fact, the share of single-family homes started with… Continue reading The pandemic push for bigger homes

With age comes increased experience and wisdom. Talk to most seniors and you will quickly find out that there is much to learn from their experiences. Recently, American Advisors Group conducted a survey of more than 1,500 respondents ages 60 to 75. The goal of this survey was to obtain their feedback on financial decisions… Continue reading Listen to your elders and buy a home

Renters that may be considering a home purchase now have another tool at their disposal. In a recent update, Fannie Mae now includes rental histories in its automated mortgage underwriting process. The system, called the Desktop Underwriter, is used by lenders to evaluate the creditworthiness of mortgage applicants. Ultimately, this means that approximately 17% of… Continue reading Buying a house? Rent history matters