There is no doubt that getting a mortgage is easier today than it was right after the housing crash a decade ago. However, the easing of credit availability has led to some questioning of whether or not we are headed for another housing crisis.
Category: First Time Homebuyers
Why Getting Pre-Approved Should Be Your First Step
In many markets across the country, the amount of buyers searching for their dream homes greatly outnumbers the amount of homes for sale. This has led to a competitive marketplace where buyers often need to stand out. One way to show you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage before starting your search.
Interest Rates Remain at Historic Lows… But for How Long?
The interest rate you pay on your home mortgage has a direct impact on your monthly payment; The higher the rate, the greater your payment will be. That is why it is important to look at where the experts believe rates are headed when deciding to buy now or wait until next year.
Home Prices Up 5.61% Across The Country! [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Home Prices Up 5.61% Across The Country! [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](http://www.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/20160909-KCM-ENG.jpg)
New Construction Numbers: Now Versus 2005
There is some thinking that the pace of the housing recovery is unsustainable and that we may be heading for another housing bubble. However, Jonathan Smoke, the Chief Economist of realtor.com explains the basic difference between 2005 and today:
Is the Current Pace of Home Sales Sustainable?
There are some experts questioning whether the current pace of residential home sales is sustainable. Are too many people buying homes like in 2004-2006? Are we headed for another housing crisis? Actually, if we look closely at the numbers, we can see that we are looking at a very healthy real estate market.
Want to Get an A? Hire A Real Estate Pro [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Want to Get an A? Hire A Real Estate Pro [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](http://www.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/A-Reasons-To-Use-A-RE-Pro.jpg)
The Housing Market is Doing Just Fine
There are some that think that housing affordability is a challenge. Historically, that’s not true. Others think that home prices are approaching bubble values. If we look back over the last sixteen years, that is also not the case. As a matter of fact, the numbers show that the U.S. residential real estate market is doing just fine.
Home Values: DEFINITELY NOT in Bubble Range!!
There are some industry pundits claiming that residential home values have risen too quickly and that current levels are on the verge of another housing bubble. It is easy to see how this thinking has taken form if we look at a graph of home prices from 2000 to today.
Why Is There So Much Paperwork to Sign to Get a Mortgage?
We are often asked why there is so much paperwork mandated by the bank for a mortgage loan application when buying a home today. It seems that the bank needs to know everything about us and requires three separate sources to validate each and every entry on the application form.