Economy

Renting vs. Buying: The Net Worth Gap You Need To See Trying to decide between renting or buying a home? One key factor that could help you choose is just how much homeownership can grow your net worth. Every three years - the Federal Reserve Board shares a report called the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF). It shows how much wealth homeowners and renters have – and the difference is significant. On...

What To Look For From This Week’s Fed Meeting You may be hearing a lot of talk about the Federal Reserve (the Fed) and how their actions will impact the housing market right now. Here’s why. The Fed meets again this week to decide the next step with the Federal Funds Rate. That's how much it costs banks to borrow from each other. Now - that’s not the same thing as setting mortgage rates - but...

Expect the Unexpected: Anticipating Volatility in Today’s Housing Market You’ve probably noticed one thing if you’re thinking about making a move: the housing market feels a bit unpredictable right now. The truth is - from home prices to mortgage rates - we’re seeing more volatility – and it’s important to understand why. At a high-level - let’s break down what’s happening and the best...

Is a Fixer Upper Right for You? Looking to buy a home but feeling like almost everything is out of reach? Here’s the thing. There’s still a way to become a homeowner - even when affordability seems like a huge roadblock – and it might be with a fixer upper. Let’s dive into why buying a fixer upper could be your ticket to homeownership and how you can make it work. What Is a Fixer Upper? A fixer...

Q&A: How Do Presidential Elections Impact the Housing Market? Some Highlights Even if you’re not looking to move right away - you may have questions about how the election will impact the housing market. When we look at historical trends - combined with what’s happening right now - we can find your answers. Based on historical data - mortgage rates decrease in the months before and home prices...

Why Home Sales Bounce Back After Presidential Elections With the 2024 Presidential election fast approaching - you might be wondering what impact - if any - it’s having on the housing market. Let’s break it down. Election Years Bring a Temporary Slowdown In any given year - home sales slow down slightly in the fall. It’s a typical - seasonal trend. However - according to data from BTIG - in...

With everything feeling more expensive these days - it’s natural to worry about how rising costs might impact the housing market. Many people are concerned that high prices and tighter budgets could cause more homeowners to fall behind on their mortgage payments - leading to a wave of foreclosures. But before you start worrying about a housing market crash - here’s a look at what’s really...