The #1 Thing You Can Do Now to Position Yourself to Buy a Home This Year The last few weeks and months have caused a major health crisis throughout the world, leading to a pause in the U.S. economy as businesses and consumers work to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The rapid spread of the virus has been compared to prior pandemics and outbreaks not seen in many years. It also has consumers remembering the economic slowdown of 2008 that was caused by a housing crash. This economic slowdown, however, is   are saying is that while we’ll see a swift decline in economic activity in th ..read more

What You Can Do to Keep Your Dream of Homeownership Moving Forward  Don’t put your homeownership plans on hold just because you’re stuck inside. There are several things you can do right now to keep your home search moving forward. Connect with an agent, learn about resource programs for things like  ..read more

We’re in a seller’s market here in Long Beach.  As we make our way through the summer of 2020, our low interest rates and a lack of available homes are driving our Long Beach market.  In the Long Beach area, the average home price is approximately $675,000, which is a 5.6% increase compared to last year. We’re in a seller’s market, which means there aren’t enough homes to meet the buyer demand. It’s not uncommon for homes coming on the market to receive multiple offers. This competition allows sellers to accept offers over list price, often within the first week or two.  Even wi ..read more

Buying a Home Right Now: Easy? No. Smart? Yes. Through all the volatility in the economy right now, some have put their search for a home on hold, yet others have not. According to  , the real estate industry's leading showing management technology provider, buyers have started to reappear over the last several weeks. In the  “The March ShowingTime Showing Index® recorded the first nationwide drop in showing traffic in eight months as communities responded to COVID-19. Early April data show signs of an upswing, however.” Why would people be setting appointments to look at prospective ..read more

It’s more affordable to buy a home now, and I’m explaining why.  It’s more affordable to buy a home today than it’s been in a very long time. When I first got into the real estate business in 1982 I worked for a small mortgage company, and we did FHA, VA, and conventional mortgages. Interest rates at that time were between 16% and 17%, and home prices were quite a bit lower. Today we have higher home prices, but it’s a great time again to sell, refinance, and borrow money because we have historically low interest rates.  For example, to borrow $300,000 today at 3.03% (and rates are a ..read more

Here are some facts buyers and sellers will equally love to hear.  Our market has ‘opportunity’ written all over it. Mortgage interest rates have dropped down to 3%, a historically low mark. These low rates give today’s buyer the ability to afford more home than they could in the past. According to the National Mortgage News, buyers’ purchasing power has increased by $32,000, meaning the average buyer can afford $32,000 more than they could just last year. Of course, this gives the buyer more choices when it comes to finding and financing their next home. The biggest perk for sellers is t ..read more

This year, Americans are moving for a variety of reasons. The health crisis has truly reshaped our lifestyles and our needs. Spending so much more time in our current homes has driven many people to reconsider what homeownership means and what they find most valuable in their living spaces. With a new perspective on homeownership, here are some of the reasons people are reconsidering where they live and making moves right now. Remote work became the new norm, and for some, it’s persisting longer than initially expected. Many in the workforce today are discovering they don’t need to live s ..read more

The Average Homeowner Gained More Than $55K in Equity over the Past Year If you’re a current homeowner, you should know your net worth just got a big boost. It comes in the form of rising home equity.  Equity is the current value of your home minus what you owe on the loan.  Today, you’re building that equity far faster than you may expect – and this gain is great news for you. Download my free eGuide covering the things to consider when selling your house. Download my free eGuide covering the things to consider when buying a home ..read more

Why This Housing Market Is Not a Bubble Ready To Pop Homeownership has become a major element in achieving the American Dream. A recent report from the   of buyers agree homeownership is still the American Dream. Prior to the 1950s, less than   owned their own home. However, after World War II, many returning veterans used the benefits afforded by the   to purchase a home. Since then, the percentage of homeowners throughout the country has increased to the current rate of  . That strong desire for homeownership has kept home values appreciating ever since. Th ..read more