 The real estate market is expected to do very well this year as mortgage rates remain at historic lows. One challenge to the housing industry is the lack of homes available for sale. Last week, move.com released a report showing that 2020 is beginning with the lowest available housing inventory in two years. The report explains: “Last month saw the largest year-over-year decline of housing inventory in almost three years with a dramatic 12 percent decline, pushing the number of homes for sale in the U.S. to the lowest level since January 2018.” The report also revealed that the decline in inventory stretches across all price points, as shown in the following graph:  George Ratiu, Senior Economist at realtor.com, explains how this drop in available homes for sale comes at a time when more buyers are expected to enter the market:
“The market is struggling with a large housing undersupply just as 4.8 million millennials are reaching 30-years of age in 2020, a prime age for many to purchase their first home. The significant inventory drop…is a harbinger of the continuing imbalance expected to plague this year's markets, as the number of homes for sale are poised to reach historically low levels.” The question is: What does this mean to you? If You’re a Buyer…Be patient during your home search. It may take time to find a home you love. Once you do, however, be ready to move forward quickly. Get pre-approved for a mortgage, be ready to make a competitive offer from the start, and understand that a shortage in inventory could lead to the resurgence of bidding wars. Calculate just how far you’re willing to go to secure a home, if you truly love it. If You’re a Seller… Realize that, in some ways, you’re in the driver’s seat. When there is a shortage of an item at the same time there is a strong demand for that item, the seller of that item is in a good position to negotiate. Whether it is price, moving date, possible repairs, or anything else, you’ll be able to demand more from a potential purchaser at a time like this – especially if you have multiple interested buyers. Don’t be unreasonable, but understand you probably have the upper hand. Bottom Line The housing market will remain strong throughout 2020. Understand what that means to you, whether you’re buying, selling, or doing both. In a recent article, First American shared how millennials are not really any different from previous generations when it comes to the goal of homeownership; it is still a huge part of their American Dream. The piece, however, also reveals, “Saving for a down payment is one of the biggest obstacles faced by first-time home buyers. Dispelling the 20 percent down payment myth could open the path to homeownership for many more.” Myth #1: “I Need a 20% Down Payment”Buyers often overestimate how much they need to qualify for a home loan. According to the same article: “Americans still overestimate the qualifications needed to get a mortgage, resulting in qualified potential buyers not even considering homeownership. Indeed, the Urban Institute report revealed that 16 percent of consumers believed that the minimum down payment required by lenders is 20 percent or more, and another 40 percent didn’t know at all.” While many potential buyers still think they need to put at least 20% down for the home of their dreams, they often don’t realize how many assistance programs are available with as little as 3% down. With a little research, many renters may actually be able to enter the housing market sooner than they ever imagined. Myth #2: “I Need a 780 FICO® Score or Higher”In addition to down payments, buyers are also often confused about the FICO® score it takes to qualify for a mortgage, believing a ‘good’ credit score is 780 or higher. To debunk this myth, let’s take a look at Ellie Mae’s latest Origination Insight Report, which focuses on recently closed (approved) loans.As indicated in the chart above, 50.23% of approved mortgages had a credit score of 500-749.  Bottom Line
Whether buying your first home or moving up to your dream home, knowing your options will make the mortgage process easier. Believe it or not – your dream home may already be within your reach.  Today, on Veterans Day, we salute those who have served our country in war or peace, and we thank them for their sacrifice.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of VA Home Loan Benefit offerings through the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, also known as the GI Bill. Since 1944, this law has created opportunities for those who have served our country, ranging from vocational training to home loans. Facts About VA Home Loans:
Benefits of a VA Home Loan:
*More information on VA Home Loan Fees The best thing you can do today to celebrate Veterans Day is to share this information with those who can benefit from these opportunities. For more information, or to find out how to qualify to use a VA Home Loan Benefit, let’s get together to navigate through the process. Thank you for your service! The price of any item is determined by supply, as well as the market’s demand for the item. The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) surveys “over 50,000 real estate practitioners about their expectations for home sales, prices and market conditions” for their monthly REALTORS Confidence Index. Their latest edition sheds some light on the relationship between seller traffic (supply) and buyer traffic (demand). Buyer Demand The map below was created after asking the question: “How would you rate buyer traffic in your area?”  The darker the blue, the stronger the demand for homes is in that area. The survey shows that in 3 of the 50 U.S. states, buyer demand is now very strong; only 2 of the 50 states have a ‘weak’ demand. Overall, buyer demand is slightly lower than this time last year but remains strong. Seller Supply The index also asked: “How would you rate seller traffic in your area?”  As the map below shows, 18 states reported ‘weak’ seller traffic, 29 states and Washington, D.C. reported ‘stable’ seller traffic, and 3 states reported ‘strong’ seller traffic. This means there are far fewer homes on the market than what is needed to satisfy the buyers who are looking for homes.
Bottom Line Looking at the maps above, it is not hard to see why prices are appreciating in many areas of the country. Until the supply of homes for sale starts to meet buyer demand, prices will continue to increase. If you are debating listing your home for sale, let’s get together to help you capitalize on the demand in our market now.  With the fall season upon us, change is in the air. For many families, children are growing up and moving out of the house, maybe leaving for college or taking a jump into the working world. Parents are finding themselves as empty nesters for the first time. The question inevitably arises: is it finally time to downsize? If you’re pondering that thought, you may also be wondering if you should fix-up your house before you sell it, or go straight to the market as-is, allowing a potential buyer to do the updates and remodeling. If you’re one of the many homeowners this camp, here are a few tips to help you decide which way to go. 1. Analyze Your Market A real estate professional can help you to understand your market and the potential level of buyer interest and demand for your home. Are you in a seller’s market or a buyer’s market? This can change based on the price range of your home, too. A professional can also give you some insight on what you can change or remodel, and how to declutter your house to make it attractive to buyers in your area. 2. Get an Inspector Right now, the average length of time a family stays in a home is between 9-10 years. That’s a little longer than the historical average, so if you’ve been living in your home for a while, it might be time to make some significant improvements. Think: electrical system, boilers/furnaces, roof, siding, etc. An inspector can give you a better idea of the condition of your home, if it is up to current code standards, and recommendations on how to have your house ready before you put it on the market. 3. Decide If You Need to Remodel You may also be thinking about driving buyer appeal with something like a kitchen or a bathroom remodel. If so, first dig into the market value of your home, and compare it to the actual cost of the remodel. A local real estate professional can help you determine your home’s market value, and you’ll want to get a few quotes from contractors on the potential remodel pricing as well. Once you have those two factors narrowed down, you can to decide if a remodel will give you a return on your investment when you sell. Oftentimes, it is actually more advantageous to price your house to sell, list it competitively, and then let the buyer pick the colors they want for their bathroom tiles and the type of countertop they prefer. The 2019 Cost vs. Value Report in Remodeling Magazine compares the average cost for remodeling projects with the value those projects typically retain at resale. Contact me for a copy of the 2019 Cost vs. Value Report for the Worcester area. Bottom Line Nationwide, inventory is low, meaning there is less than the 6-month housing supply needed for a normal market. This drives buyer demand, creating a perfect time to sell. If you’re considering selling your house, let’s get together to help you confidently determine what will be the best choice for you and your family.
Since we're hopefully coming to the end of rainy season I wanted share this Houzz article which presents some fresh ideas for creating curb appeal you might be interested in tackling this summer.
 The interest rate you pay on your home mortgage has a direct impact on your monthly payment. The higher the rate, the greater the payment will be. That is why it is important to know where rates are headed when deciding to start your home search. Below is a chart created using Freddie Mac’s U.S. Economic & Housing Marketing Outlook.As you can see, interest rates are projected to increase steadily throughout 2019.  How Will This Impact Your Mortgage Payment? Depending on the amount of the loan that you secure, a half of a percent (.5%) increase in interest rate can increase your monthly mortgage payment significantly.  But don’t let the prediction that rates will increase stop you from purchasing your dream home this year! Let’s take a look at a historical view of interest rates over the last 45 years.  Bottom Line
You can still get a better interest rate than your older brother or sister did ten years ago, a lower rate than your parents did twenty years ago, and a better rate than your grandparents did forty years ago. 
From Wikimedia Commons, uploaded by Mastercraftkitchenandbath
Browse through Pinterest or Houzz, my go to websites for design ideas, and you'll notice an overwhelming trend of all white kitchens. Even Influencers on Instagram and Twitter from fitness to lifestyle bloggers and plenty of television programs show us homes with white kitchens.
One thing is for sure, today's buyers from Gen Y and Zennials, prefer the look of all white to the dark wood or honey oak that was so popular when we were growing up which is why we're all on the lookout for something different. Often that something different is something old we just kind of dusted off to use again. Check out how many times white kitchens were considered in over the last 100 years.
While I love the look of all white kitchens sometimes white just isn't practical for maintenance. Read: white is a lot of work to keep clean. If you're like me and wondering what other non-honey oak or cherry options are out there, then take a look at these refreshing spins on all white.
A word of caution for sellers...if you're thinking of updating your kitchen cabinet colors for resale, I recommend consulting a professional stager, designer, or me before choosing a color other than white. I have seen updated cabinet colors work very successfully in some of the less energetic greens, blues, and grays in our area. Any Cape Cod themed blues - also not super vibrant - are sure to be successful if done properly and professionally. When updating for selling your goal is to appeal to the broadest pool of buyers. When updating for living you can literally do anything you want on trend - just realize you may need to neutralize when it comes time to sell. Long story short: all white kitchens are still selling homes. SanSanWest Boylston, MA
Veteran's Thank You Breakfast hosted by the West Boylston Senior Center Worcester, MA Veteran's Day Ceremonies Boston, MA Veterans Day Events San Diego, CA San Diego Veterans' Day Parade San Francisco, CA Veterans Day Parade at Fisherman's Wharf Atlanta, GA Veterans Day Events Melbourne, FL Veteran's Day Parade in Historic Downtown Melbourne Orlando, FL Veterans Day Parade Other Celebrations & Freebies Disney Discounts for Military Families Tampa, FL 2018 Veterans Day Events Portland, OR Portland Veterans Day Celebration Oregon Statewide Events Gatlinburg, TN Veterans Day Celebration at Anakeesta Knoxville, TN Veterans Day Events Baton Rouge, LA Veterans Day Parade Did I miss something going on near you? Let me know! |
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Susan Meola Properties, Inc. | 97 Worcester Street | West Boylston, MA | (508) 835-8030
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