Many new buyers start looking for homes in the spring. The question in 2019 is whether buyers can afford available inventory or want to buy given changes to the tax code and increase in natural disasters. Interest Rates The 30-year-fixed interest rates have been trending lower recently. This reduction in interest rates, coupled with a slowdown in the resale housing market, is working in the buyer's favor in some areas. Talk with your trusted real estate professional and mortgage lender to get the specifics for your area and situation. Affordability Inventories of available homes … [Read More...]
Last week's economic reports included readings on the Consumer Price Index, Core CPI, Retail Sales and Retail Sales excluding autos. The University of Michigan also released its Consumer Sentiment Index. Weekly readings for mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released. Retail Sales Slip in December, Inflation Holds Steady December retail sales were 1.20 percent lower in December; analysts expected no growth as compared to November's retail sales growth of 0.10 percent. Readings for retail sales excluding the automotive sector were also lower in December with a negative … [Read More...]
Now that you have a beautiful new home with a garage, the fun of organizing can begin. When your garage is well organized, everything is much easier. You can get home projects finished faster, get out the door quicker and better enjoy all your sporting activities. Here are some tips to organize your new garage. Make Use Of The Walls A lot of homeowners overlook the wall space when organizing the garage. If your garage has exposed studs, this is actually a benefit in terms of storage space. You can easily create shallow shelves in between the studs using 2 x 4 and shelf brackets. Use … [Read More...]
Your real estate agent will likely give you 24 hours' notice before bringing over interested buyers to see your home. Sometimes eager buyers may request less of an advance, or even ask for a last minute showing. Since you're eager to be accommodating, you may agree to consider such requests. Whether you have 24 hours to prepare for a showing or 15 minutes, these tips will make showings easier for your family. Keep The Family Pet Carrier By The Door Real estate agents advise not leaving your family pet at home during showings. Make it easy to bring along Fido or Fluffy by keeping their carrier … [Read More...]
Kids of all ages often have a hard time dealing with moving. They may not be able to understand why the family can't stay in the same place forever. Even with explanations, children often can't readily envision how amazing the new place will be. Here are some ideas for helping your kids deal with the move. 1. Make It Easy To Stay In Touch For a lot of kids, a big sore spot with moving is having to say goodbye to friends and schoolmates. They may even feel like you're intentionally wresting them away from their friends. To demonstrate how much you understand the sacrifice, make a gift of a cute … [Read More...]
You have lots of choices when it comes to choosing a real estate agent. Aside from deciding if you'd prefer to work with a man or woman, and what age range you'd like them to be, here are some tips to help ensure that you pick one that is best suited for your needs. Signs In Their Bio The first thing to do is read the bios of any real estate agents you're considering. Bios tell a lot about an agent, including what certifications they hold and how long they've been an agent. Some bios even have some personal information such as charitable interests or a little about their family life. Look for … [Read More...]
