Thinking About Buying an Investment Property for Your Child to Live in While at College? Ask Yourself These Questions First…
July 09, 2024
You don’t even need to have a child going to college to know that it costs a ton of money! But when you do have a student about to enter college or already there, you become extremely aware of how much it actually costs.For those who aren’t quite there yet, when you hear how much tuition ...
Buying Your First Home? Here’s How to Boost Your Credit Score
June 27, 2024
When you’re buying your first home, you want to put yourself in a position to get the best interest rate possible on your mortgage, and your credit score will play a major role in that process.If you want to land a competitive interest rate, you need a competitive credit score. But how, exactly, can you push your ...
Home buying in the Spring 2024
February 09, 2024
Springtime is often considered the busiest season for the real estate market, and spring 2024 is no exception. As the weather warms up and flowers start to bloom, many potential buyers are eager to find their dream home. However, with a surge in buyer competition, it's essential to know how to get ahead in the game. In this ...
Winter Energy-Saving Tips for Your Home
January 10, 2024
Winter Energy-Saving Tips for Your HomeAs the winter chill sets in, it's not just our bodies that need warmth – our homes do too! However, heating our homes can often result in skyrocketing energy bills. The good news is that there are numerous ways to save on heating costs while keeping our homes cozy and comfortable. In this ...
Selling During the Winter
November 07, 2023
As the winter season approaches, you may be wondering if it's the right time to sell your house. While many people tend to wait until the spring or summer months to put their homes on the market, there are actually several advantages to selling during the winter. In this blog post, we'll explore some tips for preparing ...
Tips for house hunting for fall and winter
October 12, 2023
Tips for House Hunting for Fall and WinterAs the temperature drops and the leaves begin to change, house hunting takes on a whole new dynamic. Fall and winter can be a great time to search for your dream home, as there are often fewer listings and fewer buyers vying for properties. If you're considering buying a house during ...
Thinking About Selling Your Home? These Kitchen Improvements Might Be Worth Doing
September 12, 2023
When you sell your home, you want to sell it as quickly and profitably as possible. And sometimes, that means making some improvements before you start showing it to buyers—including improvements in the kitchen.But what kitchen improvements might make sense to do before listing your home?A article from realtor.com outlined the kitchen improvements you should ...
Down Payment Assistance Programs of Michigan
August 09, 2023
Buying a home is a significant investment that requires a lot of financial planning and preparation. One of the major obstacles that potential homebuyers face is saving up for a down payment. Fortunately, there are several down payment assistance programs in Michigan that aim to make homeownership more accessible for everyone.Down payment assistance programs provide financial support to ...
Everything a First Time Buyer Should Know
July 06, 2023
Buying your first home can be an exciting and intimidating experience all at the same time. It’s a major milestone in anyone’s life, but it can be daunting to navigate the complex world of real estate and mortgages. Fear not, though! With a little bit of knowledge, you can confidently navigate the home buying process and make ...
Challenges of Selling and Buying at the same time
June 09, 2023
Selling your home and buying a new one at the same time can be an exciting and stressful experience. While it's possible to sell your home and use that sale to purchase another house, it's also a challenging task that requires careful planning and execution. In this blog, we'll explore the challenges of selling and buying ...
Don’t Have Much Saved for a Down Payment? These Options May Help You Buy a Home No Matter What Your Savings Account Looks Like
May 10, 2023
In a perfect world, as a homebuyer, you would have 20 percent of the purchase price of your home set aside for a down payment. But we don’t live in a perfect world, and while it’s certainly nice to have a sizable down payment at the start of your home search, it’s by no means a ...
There’s Good News and Bad News for Single Women Who Buy a House (But the Bad News Can Be Avoided…)
April 12, 2023
The good news for single women is that they outpace single men in terms of homeownership. According to the National Association of Realtors, as of February 2023, single women were 17% of all homeowners, while only 9% of single men own a home.The bad news is that single women don’t get as good of a return ...
Thinking About Selling Your Home? These Kitchen Improvements Might Be Worth Doing
March 13, 2023
When you sell your home, you want to sell it as quickly and profitably as possible. And sometimes, that means making some improvements before you start showing it to buyers—including improvements in the kitchen.But what kitchen improvements might make sense to do before listing your home?A recent article from realtor.com outlined the kitchen improvements you ...
Avoid These Common Home Buying Regrets
February 10, 2023
Buying a home is a big decision. And for some recent homeowners, that decision has led to some real regrets—aka “buyer’s remorse.”But what, exactly, is driving that remorse?A recent article from realtor.com outlined some of the most common regrets recent buyers have experienced after purchasing their homes, including:Unexpected repairs. Many recent ...
How to Prepare Your Home for the Season
December 09, 2022
If you're preparing your home for fall and winter, you're probably looking forward to family gatherings and other holiday fun. However, you may run into seasonal challenges if you also plan on selling your home during this busy time. Distracted buyers, home staging issues, and the end of daylight savings time offer prime examples.Are you preparing ...
Buying or Selling in the Next 12 Months: What You Need to Know Today
September 08, 2022
There are many different reasons you might be thinking about selling your home. Perhaps you want to downsize (or upsize), perhaps you want to take advantage of the market, or maybe you need to move to another area of the country for your company. Regardless of the reasons, there are many things to consider before you speak with a ...
When Will Home Prices Come Down?
August 09, 2022
As the market continues to shift, more and more questions are being asked about how home prices will behave in the coming months. Will home prices continue to rise, or will they finally start to come down? If you’ve been interested in selling your home and/or buying a new one but have been intimidated by the fast-moving market, ...
Mortgage applications inch up for the first time in five weeks
August 04, 2022
Mortgage applications inched up last week for the first time since June 24. Total mortgage demand increased 1.2% as the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate made the largest weekly drop since 2020.Applications to refinance a home rose 2%, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, but the annual drop was still huge, down 82% since last year.Applications ...
Is My Window to Buy a Home Finally Opening?
July 11, 2022
The housing market was red hot for months. Mortgage rates were low, and the competition for homes was fierce, with many people paying far above the asking price. Buyers were snapping up homes within hours of being listed, leaving many frustrated in their search.Usually, low-interest rates signal that it’s prime time to buy, but in 2021, the ...
How a Real Estate Agent Can Help Before, During & After Your Home Sale
June 09, 2022
The vast majority of people hire a real estate agent to help them sell their homes. In fact, 92% of homes sold in the U.S.in 2021 were sold using an agent or a broker. Of course, most people know how invaluable and helpful a real estate agent is during the selling process. But most people don'...
How fast your local housing market is cooling amid the Great Deceleration, as told by 2 interactive charts
June 07, 2022
As housing data rolls in for April and May, it tells us the housing market’s unprecedented acceleration—which saw a record 20.6% year-over-year jump in U.S. home prices between March 2021 and March 2022—is either on pause or over. In the coming months, don’t get confused by lagging home price data: All signs point ...
7 Things Every Buyer Should Know in This Market
May 09, 2022
The real estate market is on fire right now. More than 80% of Americans ages 18–34 said now was a bad time to buy a home, and the median home-sale price reached a record high of $365,000 in January. That’s a 28% increase from January 2019! The inventory simply hasn’t kept up with buyer demand. ...
An aspiring homeowner's guide to Real Estate Terms
March 11, 2022
An aspiring homeowner's guide to Real Estate Termshttps://www.roomvu.com/agent/richard-stewart?video=aspiring-guide-terms&share=true Presented by Richard Stewart REO Specialists llc Kalamazoo MI 269-345-7000...
Mortgage refinance demand plunges 13% as interest rates climb toward two-year high
January 31, 2022
MAIN POINTSThe average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($647,200 or less) increased to 3.72% from 3.64%.Refinance applications fell 13% for the week and were 53% lower year over year.Mortgage applications to purchase a home dropped just 2% for the week and were 11% lower than a year ...
In the Market for a New Home?
January 12, 2022
There are some fantastic deals on HUD-owned properties in our market. However, these homes can be a challenge to find online, and I would love to get to work helping you find the best-priced homes. When are you planning to move? C.R.M. EnterprisesDelivering Results708-966-9282hud@chrishamitchell.com www.searchchicagohomesforsale.com Equal housing opportunity....
