In the last decade, the housing market in the United States has undergone a transformation. Newcomers hunting for their first homes are finding higher prices in many locations since the lows of 2008 and 2009. At the same time, they’re having a harder time getting the tax breaks that once helped offset the costs of hefty mortgages.

Despite these realty realities, buying a home that fits your wish list in terms of price, location, size and condition could be a great investment. Unlike monthly rent checks, every mortgage payment on a home can be viewed as an investment. And mortgage interest rates are extremely low—the average rate as of October 2019 was 3.77% for a 30-year mortgage.

Here’s a look at recent changes in the housing

…

Homebuyers who are emerging from their COVID-19 cocooning are likely to encounter bargain rack mortgage rates for the forseeable future. But it's less clear what they'll find when they look at home prices. Are prices going up or down? Recent reports have been mixed and largely don't reflect the impact from the coronavirus pandemic. What's likely to happen to prices in the coming months? The forecasts are murky, too.

Here's a look at what we know — and what we don't know. 

Several reports say home prices are going up

One closely followed national survey said last week that home prices across the U.S. were up 4.4% in March, compared to a year earlier. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller study also tracks prices in 20 major cities and says Phoenix

…

Among Single-Family listings there has been a 7 % decline in listings under contract between April 1 and May 1. This is the opposite of last year when we saw a 7 % increase. Obviously the difference between this year and last was primarily caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. However, we can see it did not affect all price ranges equally. The price range under $225K was little affected, being constrained by the lack of supply. The lower mid-range from $225K to $350K did relatively well with almost no decline in 2020. Above $350K things got a lot worse. The upper mid-range from $350K to $600K was booming last year with listings under contract gaining a massive 14% during April. This year it dropped 10%. The top end over $600K took a bigger hit, with a drop of…

      With technology continuing to be a growing presence in every aspect of life, the home is no exception. While popular smart home technologies such as Amazon Alexa and Echo, Google Home and Apple HomePod provide users with an array of high-tech functions such as playing music and accessing information from the internet, smart home technology today has advanced even further. Homeowners are presented with a versatile selection of new systems including smart thermostats, light bulbs, plugs, locks and doorbells that offer a new level of intelligence to the everyday home.   Maybe it'll even inspire some holiday gifts for family and friends.   The Nest thermostat adapts as the seasons change and learns your preferred temperatures…

Is the pace of existing home sales expected to decline slightly by the end of 2018, despite population and economic growth, lower unemployment, and modest wage gains? Is the Declining affordability the issue? Take a look....

Is a recession looming? It’s an important question because the U.S. economy has been experiencing one of the longest expansions ever. There were two recessions in the 1080s, one in the 1990s, and two in the 2000s. Since 2010, there have been none.

Every recession has a trigger. In the 1970s, it was energy price shocks. Could that happen today? Probably not, because the U.S. is now the worlds biggest oil producer. One potential trigger could be an unsustainable rise in borrowing. But the fact is consumer debt has only risen about

…

 

Your Credit Score is very important. Not only does your credit score decide whether you’ll get the real estate loan you applied for or not; in many cases, it also determines the neighborhood you’ll live in, the car you’ll drive, and even the job you’ll qualify for! This is why it is so important for you to ensure that the information used to calculate your score is free from errors. You are entitled to a free credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) once every 12 months.

It is not uncommon to find individuals complaining about errors on their credit report. This may be due to various reasons. For example, the lender reporting to the credit bureau may have supplied inaccurate information.

…

 

 

After living in the same home for a while, it's amazing what you can get used to. A creaky floorboard, for instance. A chipped tile that you've been meaning to replace but haven't gotten around to. A doorknob that needs a little coaxing to turn. No big deal, right? Well, these small flaws can be huge deal breakers when you decide to sell your home.

Prospective buyers are going to add all the ‘flaws’ they find to the price of the property, and that’s when they start trying to discount the price. 

Curious what some of these seemingly small problems are? Check out this list of minuscule (to you) things that buyers see as big hurdles to closing a sale.

1. An old electrical panel

I had a buyer make a controversial request for

…

A real estate agent can often help you sell your home faster, and get a better price than if you try to do it on your own. But to get the best deal possible on your home, you’ll want to hire a real estate agent that’s a good fit for you and your property. Here’s what you need to know before you hire someone to sell your home.

Find Someone Local

When selling your home, getting someone who really knows the area is critical. Potential buyers are sure to ask a ton of questions about schools, parks, shopping and other quality-of-life issues in a neighborhood. You want a realtor that’s going to be able to really sell the neighborhood to a buyer. Ask real estate agents how many houses they have sold in the neighborhood, whether they live in the

…

Phoenix Trends / January 2, 2018

6955-Listed 110-New Today $247,000-Med. List Price

Market Snapshot

Total Properties: 6955 MoM Change:-10.29% Avg Days On Market:112 Median List Price:$247,000 MoM Change:2.07% Residential Median List Price:$281,500 MoM Change:0.93% Land Median List Price:$215,950 MoM Change:2.83% Highest List Price:$16,850,000 Lowest List Price:$10,000

Typical Property

Single-Family Home:3.16 Beds
2.16 Baths List Price:$356,293 Price per SqFt:$160.68 Price Reduction:-2.00%

Average Price by Bedrooms

1 Bedroom:$178,926 2 Bedrooms:$261,412 3 Bedrooms:$324,710 4 Bedrooms:$484,111 5 Bedrooms:…

Moving isn’t cheap. It costs about $80 to $100 per hour to hire local professional movers, and as much as a $10,000 flat rate for a long distance professional move. DIY moves can cost between $50 and $3,000, depending on distance, length of time and other factors. Additional charges like the ones listed below can add up fast, doubling or tripling the cost of the relocation. Being aware of these hidden charges can help you control costs and avoid budget pitfalls during your relocation.

1. Bulky, Complex and Delicate Items

Professional movers will charge extra to move a piano, car and appliances, especially if the movers are asked to disassemble or disconnect an item, then reassemble or reconnect at the new home. Some consumers save by giving away

…