Last week's economic news was plentiful with releases on Case-Shiller Home Price Indices and pending home sales. Readings on government and private sector jobs created, the national unemployment rate and weekly readings on new jobless claims and Freddie Mac's mortgage rates survey were also released. Case-Shiller: Western Cities Dominate Home Price Growth Case-Shiller's 20-City Home Price Index reported that Seattle Washington topped year-over-year home price growth with an increase of 11.00 percent. Portland, Oregon followed closely with a reading of 10.90 percent, and Denver Colorado held … [Read More...]
It's likely that your house is your biggest asset, so when it comes time to sell it you'll want to do everything you can to maximize your profit. Good news the value of your home isn't solely determined by the market, there are several ways in which you can increase its value by making upgrades before listing. Let's take a look at 3 top upgrades that will make your house worth more when you sell. 1. Make It Profitable Not surprisingly, the number one way in which you can increase the value of your home is to add an income suite within the property. If your home has potential to earn buyers' … [Read More...]
September's 20-City Housing Market Index from Case-Shiller showed signs that rapidly rising home prices in some metro areas may be losing momentum. San Francisco, California, posted a month-to-month reading of -0.40 percent and a year-over-year reading of 5.70 percent. Home prices stayed flat in Seattle Washington from August to September, but posted the highest home price gain of 11.00 percent year-over-year. Slowing home price growth in high-demand areas suggest that affordability concerns are impacting rapid gains in home prices seen in recent years.
Case-Shiller's National Home Price … [Read More...]
Delving into the real estate market for the first time can be a very intimidating thing with all of the mortgage and housing options available. Whether it's market conditions or the amount you should be spending, there are a number of factors you'll need to be aware of. If you're just starting out and not sure where to begin, here are some points to consider that will set you on the right path.
Is It The Right Time To Buy?
Many people try to time the market, but the right time to buy a home is when it works for you. If you have a solid down payment and you're truly prepared for home … [Read More...]
Last week's economic reports included new and pre-owned home sales, new jobless claims and Freddie Mac's weekly mortgage rates survey. Home Sales Mixed in October According to the National Association of Realtors®, sales of previously owned homes reached a seasonally adjusted annual level of 5.60 million sales, which exceeded expectations and October's reading of 5.49 million sales. Analysts had expected a rate of 5.44 million sales. October sales of preowned homes rose 2 percent over September's reading and were 5.90 percent higher year-over-year. This was the highest reading for sales of … [Read More...]
Are you selling your home? If so, you're going to have to host an open house at some point. In today's blog post we'll explore a few staging tips that make your house feel like a model home. Make A Solid First Impression Start with the front of the home and give a great first impression. Have the sidewalk, driveway and walkways power washed. Ensure that the lawn, plants and landscaping are healthy and look great. Clean the windows and address any external paint issues that may have come up over the years. The goal is to ensure that your guests think "WOW" when they drive up. Keep staging the … [Read More...]
