An exceptional gift idea is helping your relative or loved one with an interest rate or mortgage buydown (Photo: Pexels). The holiday season is upon us, and you may be thinking about finding a special or unique gift your family member or loved one could use for years to come. In my previous article entitled, […]
Home for the holidays – gift giving to first-time home buyers – Part 1
For 26% of first-time home buyers, saving for a down payment on a home is the most challenging step in the home buying process, according to the 2022 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers report by the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). Overall, it is very difficult for first-time buyers in this housing market. Of all […]
It’s time for your annual real estate checkup
To keep yourself healthy, you make sure to schedule an annual physical. To maintain your financial well-being, it is essential to schedule an annual real estate checkup. November is a great time to conduct that review so you can make any adjustments in the year ahead. If you’re not a homeowner yet or don’t own […]
Psychologically impacted or stigmatized homes
Halloween just passed — the time of year for haunted houses – or even downright spooky homes where strange, unusual or disturbing events have taken place. When listing a home with a real estate agent, sellers of psychologically impacted or “stigmatized” homes often ask if a seller needs to disclose a something such as a […]
Do falling home prices offset higher interest rates?
Now that interest rates have risen from the 3.5% range to the 7% range, will home prices decline to balance out the purchasing power? Looking at historical evidence, it shows that sharply rising mortgage rates tend to slow home price appreciation and affect housing market activity. However, nominal price appreciation in most of Colorado remains […]
Finding the Sun: Knowing Where the Sun is Relative to a Home
Where and how much natural sunlight illuminates the home throughout the year affects a variety of factors. (Photo: Pexels). When buying a home, many of our homebuyers will ask, “Where is the sun?” The immediate answer is “look up and see!” However, it is a bit more complicated than that. It’s essential to know where […]
Rising interest rates decrease purchasing power
In general, as interest rates rise, the homebuyer loses about 3% of purchasing power for every .25% in interest rate increase. Today’s market is tough on first time buyers. The inventory of homes and condos purchased by first-time buyers continues to be low, and along with inflation, home prices are being pushed upward in […]
Financing options when interest rates rise
The 30-year mortgage has been the mainstay of American homebuying for decades. The 30-year mortgage came about as a result of the housing crisis of the 1920s. Back then, a typical mortgage was three to five years with a variable rate, and payments only covered the interest. Often, large down payments were required. The most […]
Rising mortgage rates…To lock or not lock? That is the question!
To lock or not to lock, that is the home buyer’s choice. However, buyers need to understand this is a commitment from both the mortgage lender and themselves to close at the agreed upon interest rate. (Photo: Pexels). Over the last several years we have enjoyed record-low mortgage rates with a sense of stability. The most […]
Reasons for the shortage of homes to buy, Part 1
According to Todd Gullette, RE/MAX of Boulder Managing Broker, the start of 2022 showed a continuing record-low number of homes available to buy. In fact, as of March 2022 there were only a total of 307 single family homes listed as available in the IRES Multiple Listing System (MLS) in all of Boulder County. For […]