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Home values have risen dramatically over the last twelve months. The latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors puts the annual increase in the median existing-home price at 7.1%. CoreLogic, in their most recent Home Price Insights Report, reveals that national home prices have increased by 6.9% year-over-year. The CoreLogic report broke down appreciation even further into four different price categories: Lower Priced Homes: priced at 75% or less of the median Low-to-Middle Priced Homes: priced between 75-100% of the median Middle-to-Moderate Priced Homes: priced between 100-125% of the median High Price Homes: priced greater than 125% of the median HereRead More →

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In: real estate market, Uncategorized

The inventory of existing homes for sale in today’s market was recently reported to be at a 3.6-month supply according to the National Association of Realtors latest Existing Home Sales Report. Inventory is now 7.1% lower than this time last year, marking the 20th consecutive month of year-over-year drops. Historically, inventory must reach a 6-month supply for a normal market where home prices appreciate with inflation. Anything less than a 6-month supply is a sellers’ market, where the demand for houses outpaces supply and prices go up. As you can see from the chart below, the United States has been in a sellers’ market sinceRead More →

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In: Home Buyers, real estate market, Uncategorized

Mortgage interest rates, as reported by Freddie Mac, have increased over the last several weeks. Freddie Mac, along with Fannie Mae, the Mortgage Bankers Association and the National Association of Realtors, is calling for mortgage rates to continue to rise over the next four quarters. This has caused some purchasers to lament the fact they may no longer be able to get a rate below 4%. However, we must realize that current rates are still at historic lows. Here is a chart showing the average mortgage interest rate over the last several decades. Bottom Line Though you may have missed getting the lowest mortgage rate ever offered, you can still get aRead More →

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In: Sellers, Uncategorized

Every homeowner wants to make sure they get the best price when selling their home. But how do you guarantee that you receive maximum value for your house? Here are two keys to ensuring you get the highest price possible. 1. Price it a LITTLE LOW  This may seem counterintuitive. However, let’s look at this concept for a moment. Many homeowners think that pricing their home a little OVER market value will leave them room for negotiation. In reality, this just dramatically lessens the demand for their house (see chart below). Instead of the seller trying to ‘win’ the negotiation with one buyer, they should priceRead More →

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Some Highlights: Don’t forget to set your clocks forward this Sunday, March 12th at 2:00 AM EST in observance of Daylight Savings Time. Unless of course, you are a resident of Arizona or Hawaii! Every hour in the United States: 649 homes are sold, 177 homes regain equity (meaning they are no longer underwater on their mortgage), and the median home price rises $1.86! Source: Housing Market & Real Estate News Lenora LostaunauLenora is a full-service San Diego real estate agent, serving residents county-wide, and those looking to live in San Diego. She specializing in Metro and Coastal San Diego, with a Masters Degree inRead More →

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In many areas of the country, there are not enough homes for sale to satisfy the number of buyers looking to purchase their dream homes. Experts have long proposed that a ramp-up in new, single-family home construction would be one of the many ways to overcome this inventory shortage. According to a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo, housing market confidence amongst builders reached an 11-year high last month. What Does High Confidence Mean for the Housing Market? In a recent interview, Rob Dietz, Chief Economist and SVP for NAHB, put it this way: “Higher market confidenceRead More →