Many of us are guilty of plopping on the sofa and binge-watching reality TV home flipping shows. The allure of buying and selling homes for big profits with no boss looking over our shoulders has major lifestyle appeal. Shows like "Love it or List it," "House Hunters," "Flip or Flop" and others make it look incredibly simple. Even when they face adversity such as rotted wood or bad pipes, the way the reality TV stars overcome adversity is more of an inspiration than a deterrent. And plenty of everyday people do manage to succeed in the house-flipping industry. But many of the myths these … [Read More...]
Home price growth slowed to its lowest pace in nearly a year according to the Case-Shiller Home Price Indices. National home price growth averaged 6.00 percent year-over-year as compared to 6.20 percent growth in June. The 20-city home price index rose 0.10 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted rate of 5.90 percent year-over-year. Slowing home price growth was attributed to buyer fatigue and rising inventories of available homes. Las Vegas Home Price Growth Tops 20-City Home Price Index Las Vegas, Nevada topped the 20-City Home Price index with a year-over-year home price growth rate of … [Read More...]
A young long-haul trucker driver once took an elder's advice and invested all of his money into real estate. Even though he was seldom at home to enjoy the fruits of his labor, he hired a property management company to handle the properties. The advice that stuck with the driver was simple. "They're not making any more of it, land that is." In terms of growing personal wealth, the real estate market may fluctuate, interest rates change, and the GDP can bounce like a ball. But, land is permanent. That may seem like a simplistic view of wealth management. Maybe it is. But that trucker retired … [Read More...]
Last week's economic readings included reports on home prices, new and pending home sales and remarks released by the Federal Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve. Weekly readings on average mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released. Case-Shiller HPI: Home Price Growth Slows in July Home prices grew slower in July according to data released last week. Home prices rose at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 6.0 percent in July as compared to June's rate of 6.2 percent growth. Analysts cited increasing inventories of homes available, which typically increases … [Read More...]
It's not uncommon today to move several times during adulthood, whether across town or across the country. Seasoned home buyers have been through the real estate process, often more than once. However, even if the home purchase has become routine, there are mistakes that can be avoided. Stuck In The Past The real estate market doesn't stand still. It cycles and shifts, which is why it's often recommended to rely on a real estate professional for an understanding of the current market. Home buyers with property purchased ten years ago, likely won't have the same experience buying today. Don't … [Read More...]
The Federal Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve announced that it raised the target federal funds rate to a range of 2.00 percent to 2.25 percent. This was the third consecutive increase in the Fed's key interest rate and was the eighth time the Fed raised its key interest rate since 2015. In its customary post-meeting statement, Committee members cited strong economic conditions and continued labor market growth coupled with historically low unemployment rates as a basis for raising the federal funds interest rate. Fed Cites Steady Inflation, Healthy Household And Business Spending … [Read More...]
