Home Prices

Infographic titled 'Time in the Market Beats Trying to Time the Market' with a blue background featuring an image of a house and clock icons. It explains that home prices are projected to rise over the next five years and includes a bar chart showing estimated home price performance from 2025 to 2029 with percentage increases (ranging from 3.63% to 4.12%). A section highlights the potential equity gains for a $400,000 home purchased in January, showing a projected equity increase of over $83,251 by 2030. The infographic concludes with a call to action, encouraging buyers to purchase now to build equity. The source is HPES, and the contact information for Paul Garrison of JPAR® Real Estate is included at the bottom.

Time in the Market Beats Trying To Time the Market (Infographic)

Are you torn between whether to buy a home now or wait? Consider this. Forecasts show prices will climb for at least the next 5 years. If you wait, the price of a home will be higher later on. But, if you buy a $400K now, you could gain roughly $83K in equity as prices rise. If you're able to buy now, this equity is one reason why it'll be worth it in the long run. Let’s connect if you're ready to talk...

How Home Equity Can Help Fuel Your Retirement

How Home Equity Can Help Fuel Your Retirement

If retirement is on the horizon, now’s the time to start thinking about your next chapter. And you probably want to make sure you’re set up to feel comfortable financially to live the life you want in retirement. What you may not realize is you likely have a hidden goldmine of cash you’re not thinking about — and that’s your home. Data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) shows...

3 Reasons To Buy a Home Before Spring

3 Reasons To Buy a Home Before Spring

Let’s face it — buying a home can feel like a challenge with today’s mortgage rates. You might even be thinking, “Should I just wait until spring when more homes hit the market and rates might be lower?” But here’s the thing, no one knows for sure where mortgage rates will go from here, and waiting could mean facing more competition, higher prices, and a lot more stress. What if buying...

If Your House’s Price Is Not Compelling, It’s Not Selling

If Your House’s Price Is Not Compelling, It’s Not Selling

There’s one big mistake you need to avoid when you sell your house this year: setting your price too high. It might seem like overpricing gives you room to negotiate or could really boost your profit, but the reality is, it usually backfires. In fact, Realtor.com says almost 20% of sellers — that’s one in five — have to reduce their price to get their house sold. And you don’t want to be...

When Is the Perfect Time To Move?

When Is the Perfect Time To Move?

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of waiting for the perfect moment to make your move – especially in today’s market. Maybe you’re holding out and hoping mortgage rates will drop, or that home prices will fall. But here’s what you need to realize: trying to time the market rarely works. And here’s why. There is no perfect market. No matter when you buy, there’s always some benefit...

2025 Housing Market Forecasts

2025 Housing Market Forecasts

Wondering what to expect when you buy or sell a home this year? Here’s what the experts say lies ahead. Mortgage rates are projected to come down slightly. Home prices are forecast to rise in most areas. And, there will be more homes available for sale. Want to know more about what this could mean for your plans this year? Let’s connect to discuss your 2025...

One Homebuying Step You Don’t Want To Skip: Pre-Approval

One Homebuying Step You Don’t Want To Skip: Pre-Approval

There’s one essential step in the homebuying process you may not know a whole lot about and that’s pre-approval. Here’s a rundown of what it is and why it’s so important right now. What Is Pre-Approval? Pre-approval is like getting a green light from a lender. It lets you know how much they’re willing to let you borrow for a home. To determine that number, a lender looks at your financial...

Your credit score plays a big role in the homebuying process. It’s one of the key factors lenders look at to determine which loan options you qualify for and what your terms might be. But there’s a myth about credit scores that may be holding some buyers back. The Myth: You Need To Have Perfect Credit According to Fannie Mae, only 32% of potential homebuyers have a good idea of what credit score lenders actually require. That means two-thirds of buyers don’t actually know what lenders are looking for – and most overestimate the minimum credit score needed. The Reality: Perfect Isn’t Necessary But the truth is, you don’t need perfect credit to become a homeowner. To see the average score, by loan type, for recent homebuyers check out the graph below: There is no set cut-off score across the board. As FICO explains: “While many lenders use credit scores like FICO Scores to help them make lending decisions, each lender has its own strategy, including the level of risk it finds acceptable. There is no single “cutoff score” used by all lenders, and there are many additional factors that lenders may use . . .” So, even if your credit score isn’t as high as you’d like, you may still be able to get a home loan. Just know that, even though you don’t need perfect credit to buy a home, your score can have an impact on your loan options and the terms you’re able to get. Work with a trusted lender who can walk you through what you’d qualify for. Simple Tips To Improve Your Credit Score If you want to open up your options a bit more after talking to a lender, here are a few tips from Experian and Freddie Mac that can help give your score a boost: 1. Pay Your Bills on Time This includes everything from credit cards to utilities and other monthly payments. A track record of on-time payments shows lenders you’re responsible and reliable. 2. Pay Down Outstanding Debt Reducing your overall debt not only improves your credit utilization ratio (how much credit you’re using compared to your total limit) but also makes you a lower-risk borrower in the eyes of lenders. That makes them more likely to approve a loan with better terms. 3. Hold Off on Applying for New Credit While opening new credit accounts might seem like a quick way to boost your score, too many applications in a short period can have the opposite effect. Focus on improving your existing accounts instead. Bottom Line Your credit score doesn’t have to be perfect to qualify for a home loan. The best way to know where you stand? Work with a trusted lender to explore your options.

How Much Home Equity Have You Gained? The Answer Might Surprise You

Have you ever stopped to think about how much wealth you’ve built up just from being a homeowner? As home values rise, so does your net worth. And, if you’ve been in your house for a few years (or longer), there’s a good chance you’re sitting on a pile of equity — maybe even more than you realize. What Is Home Equity? Home equity is the difference between what your house is worth and what...

Expert Forecasts for the 2025 Housing Market

Expert Forecasts for the 2025 Housing Market

Wondering what’s in store for the housing market this year? And more specifically, what it all means for you if you plan to buy or sell a home? The best way to get that information is to lean on the pros. Experts are constantly updating and revising their forecasts, so here’s the latest on two of the biggest factors expected to shape the year ahead: mortgage rates and home prices. Will Mortgage...

What Will It Take for Prices To Come Down?

What Will It Take for Prices To Come Down?

You may be wondering if home prices are going to crash. And believe it or not, some people might even be hoping this happens so they can finally purchase a more affordable home. But experts agree that's not what's in the cards – and here's why. There are more people who want to buy a home than there are homes available to purchase. That’s what drives prices up. Let’s break that down and explore...

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