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Home Buyer Loan Prep!

Posted by admingg on Jan 2, 2019 in Buying a Home, Local Experts, Mortgage Info, Real Estate, Uncategorized | 0 comments

The Ten Commandments of Buying a Home

Thou shalt not change jobs, become self-employed or quit your job.
Thou shalt not buy a car, truck or van (or you may be living in it!).
Thou shalt not use credit cards excessively or let current accounts fall behind.
Thou shalt not spend money you have set aside for closing.
Thou shalt not omit debts or liabilities from your loan application.
Thou shalt not buy furniture on credit.
Thou shalt not originate any inquiries into your credit.
Thou shalt not make large deposits without checking with your loan officer.
Thou shalt not change bank accounts.
Thou shalt not co-sign a loan for anyone.

Save Thousands on Your Mortgage

Posted by admingg on Dec 27, 2018 in Local Experts, Mortgage Info, Pre-Market Opportunities, Real Estate, Selling a Home, Uncategorized | 0 comments

How To Save Thousands Of Dollars In Interest On Your Mortgage

One of the most common loans you can get to buy a home is a 30-year fixed rate mortgage. If the thought of paying for your home over the course of 30-years seems daunting, here are some easy ways to shorten that term which will actually end up saving you money over the life of your loan.

Any additional payments to the principal amount (the original sum of money borrowed in a loan), helps to cut down the amount of interest that you will pay over the life of your loan and can also help to shave years off the loan as well.

When you make ‘extra’ payments toward your loan, the key is to let your lender/bank know that you want the extra funds to go toward your principal balance as they will not automatically do this for you.

You don’t have to double your mortgage payment to make a big difference either!

If you have a 30-year mortgage on a median-priced home ($250,000) with a 5% interest rate, you’ll be responsible for a $1,342.05 monthly principal and interest payment. Over the course of the loan, if you pay your exact monthly payment, you will have paid $233,133.89 in interest alone!

Paying a Little Extra Can Pay Off Big

1. Pay an additional 1/12^th of your mortgage payment every month

Benefit: In the example above, adding $111.84 to your monthly mortgage payment might not seem like a lot, but each year you will have paid one extra month’s worth of payments which will shorten the term of your loan by 4 years and 8 months, all while saving you $42,000 in interest!

2. Pay an additional $50 per month towards your mortgage

Benefit: Fifty dollars might not seem like enough to make a difference on the term of your loan, but that small amount will save you over $21,000 in interest and will take over 2 years off the end of your loan. Twenty-eight years from now, you’ll be happy to pay off your loan that much sooner!

3. Make one-time lump sum payments when you can

Benefit: If you find yourself with a little extra money after a yearly bonus, a tax return, or from investment dividends, paying that money towards the principal can cut your costs. This option, however, is less predictable than the extra monthly payments.

If you have higher interest debts, like credit cards, consider using any extra funds you have to pay those debts down before applying that money towards your mortgage. Also, if you do not plan on staying in your home for more than 10 years, paying extra toward your mortgage might not make sense.

Bottom Line

If you’re wondering what strategies would work best for you to shorten the term of your loan, consult a local real estate professional who can answer your questions or connect you with someone who can.

10 Tricks in Preparing for an Open House

Posted by admingg on Dec 13, 2018 in Featured Property, Local Experts, Real Estate, Selling a Home | 0 comments

Here’s what you can do to get your home ready for its big reveal.

Few words get home buyers more excited than these two: Open House.

An open house is their opportunity to give your house a whirl. To wiggle the light switches. To admire the crown molding. To awkwardly ask to use the bathroom. For you the seller, an open house is a chance to throw open the doors. To dazzle buyers with the big reveal. To make someone fall head over heels for your charming abode.

These tricks can help you make your open house a massive hit.

1. Time It Right

Your agent will typically hold an open house for two to three hours between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, when buyers have time and flexibility away from their jobs. To maximize your foot traffic, avoid having your open house during holidays, big community events (marathon days, for example), or unofficial “holidays” like Super Bowl Sunday.

2. Let Your Agent Take the Lead

In your own personal Open House Show, your real estate agent has two roles. To you, they are the director, giving you instructions on how to prepare for open house day, and what to do during the event. To buyers, your agent is the host. They will welcome viewers, introduce your home’s impressive features, and take questions from the audience.

Your job is to make your house look like a million bucks — or more like $300,000, depending on your price range. (Tips on cleaning and spiffing up your home in a moment.)

The job of your agent, an expert on your local real estate market and what makes buyers tick, is to take care of the rest. That will include:

Staging your home, or recommending a reputable stager that you can hire
Hosting the open house
Communicating with home buyers and buyers’ agents
Receiving feedback during the open house and communicating that feedback to you

Your agent will also recommend that, actually, you should probably leave while they show off your house to strangers, who will look under your sinks and peek into your closets. Why should you heed that advice? Because it makes good business sense for you.

A home owner’s presence can make it awkward for the buyer. Buyers want to make assessments on their own, without worrying about how the seller might react or try to influence them.
Buyers may have trouble picturing themselves living in the house when the owner is right there, say, serving lemonade in the kitchen.
Sometimes sellers say too much. You might point out something that you think is a nice feature or amenity of your home, when it’s something that might turn off a buyer. (That busy arcade bar down the block may have been your favorite place to meet friends and play Pac-Man during weekends, but it could be a deal breaker for a buyer looking for a peaceful block.) You might blurt out something that could tip your negotiating hand, like how motivated you are to sell (soon!), or that you always wanted to update the retro kitchen — but just never got around to it.

The last things you want buyers to think after the open house is, “This place needs work,” or “This seller is desperate — I have the upper hand.” So, let your agent take the lead. This won’t be their first rodeo. They know the nuanced ways to show your home in its best light so that buyers will oooh and ahhh. They also know how to strategically answer questions from buyers to help set you up for success later, during negotiation.

Your agent can also stage a broker’s open house on your behalf. Unlike standard open houses — where buyers can stop by — at broker’s open houses, only real estate agents and other industry professionals are invited to attend. Generally, a broker’s open is held within the first few days of a house being put on the market. Complimentary lunch is often served as an incentive to get more people to show up.

There are two main benefits of having a broker’s open house:

It gives your listing more exposure.
It allows you to get feedback from real estate agents on your home.

If your house “shows well,” as they say in the industry, the agents who toured your home may recommend it to one (or more) of their buyer clients. If your home doesn’t get rave reviews, your agent will relay that feedback to you, and may suggest improvements before the next open house, such as staging certain rooms.

3. Try Some Simple Staging

You want your home to look its best while it’s on the market — especially during the open house. Many agents say the best way to primp your home for its big day is to stage it.

Depending on what your agent recommends, staging may involve renting new furniture or decor for certain rooms in your home. There are also some easy staging tricks you can try on the day of your open house. Consider displaying a bouquet of fresh flowers in the entryway, setting your dining room table to make it look inviting, or turning on your outdoor sprinklers shortly before visitors arrive to make your lawn sparkle.

4. Clean Like Crazy

When your home is on the market, you need to keep it in showing shape — not only for the open house, but also for any scheduled showings with buyers. Even though you’ve already (hopefully) cleaned and organized your home for its listing photos, there’s a good chance you’ve let clutter or dust pile up again, especially if you have children or pets.

Make sure appliances, windows, and mirrors are fingerprint-free. Clean and organize your closets, cabinets, and under the sinks (during the open house, buyers are allowed to be nosy). Clear every bit of clutter and get rid of it or put it in storage.

Don’t have the bandwidth to do a deep clean? Hire a house cleaning service to do the work for you. A professional cleaning service costs around $115 to $230 on average. If you’re not sure about which service to hire, ask your agent to recommend cleaners.

5. Do a Smell Check

If buyers get a whiff of something funky, they’re going to run — not walk — out of your open house. A week prior to the open house, ask your agent or a neighbor to do an honest, no-holds-barred smell check. Some possible smell solutions:

If your house has the aroma of your beloved pet(s), deep clean the carpets, relocate the litter box, and take steps to eliminate all olfactory traces of Fluffy.
If the basement is dank and musty, buy a dehumidifier to remove air moisture and run a fan to circulate the air.
If the kitchen drain stinks, drop in a cup of baking soda, then two cups of white vinegar. Enjoy the bubbling, then let the mixture sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Finally run hot water for 15 to 30 seconds to flush the odor.

6. Put Your Pictures, Valuables & Medications Away

You want your home to feel cozy and inviting, but not like someone specific (you, for example) is living there. Personal belongings such as family photos, awards, and religious art can distract home buyers and make it harder for them to imagine themselves living in your home. You don’t have to go overboard — the idea isn’t to eliminate every trace of yourself — but consider temporarily hiding some pictures and personal effects out of sight during the open house.

There’s a safety element to stowing your personal belongings, too: Though your agent will be at the open house, you’re inviting strangers into your home.

Securely store checkbooks, jewelry, prescription medications, family heirlooms, and other valuables.
Alert your neighbors to your open house date — as a courtesy, but also to ask that they let you know if they notice any suspicious activity, in the unlikely event suspicious activity occurs.
Make sure your agent signs visitors in and asks them to show I.D., so that you have a record of who was in your house. (Bonus: With the sign-in sheet, your agent can follow up with buyers to find out if anyone is interested in making an offer.)
Lock windows and doors after the open house.

We’re not suggesting that visitors have any intention other than potentially buying your home. It’s just a good idea, generally speaking, to keep your home secure.

7. Let the Light In

Light doesn’t only (literally) brighten up your space. It also makes rooms look and feel larger. On open house day, open all curtains and blinds to let natural light in. (And in the week before the open house, make sure curtains and blinds are squeaky clean.)

Replace every single burnt-out light bulb in and outside the home — buyers should see a working light every time they flip a switch.

8. Give Your House Some Extra Curb Appeal

Buyers will judge your house on its outsides. So make last-minute improvements to turn up your home’s curb appeal . Cut the grass, prune the trees, and trim the shrubs. Touch up porch fixtures and furniture with a little paint. Heck, paint the whole porch, if your budget allows. Plant new shrubs or set out potted flowers.

Small, relatively low-budget outdoor enhancements will make your home look all the more enticing to buyers — and can add some last-minute value to its price.

9. Draw Attention to Your Home’s Best Features

After your agent signs in and welcomes buyers to your home, they typically will have some time to wander around on their own. Even though you won’t be there, you can still draw visitors’ attention to features in your home that you’d like to highlight.

Prior to the open house, post (friendly, aesthetically pleasing) signs around the house with calls to action such as, “look down, new hardwood floors,” or “gas fireplace, push this button.” Buyers will likely appreciate the help, and that they’re working with a conscientious seller.

10. Serve Refreshments

Serving warm cookies or freshly baked brownies at an open house is one of the oldest tricks in the book. That’s because it works: Buyers love being greeted with a sweet treat and a cold or warm beverage depending on the time of year. Refreshments also give people a reason to stay longer: No one will rush off because they’re hungry or thirsty.

Your agent may even have relationships with a local cafe or bakery, which might offer snacks for free advertising at the open house.

What to Do During and After the Open House

Once you’ve done everything you can to make your house look and feel amazing to buyers — and your agent is on site to assume their hosting duties — the time during your open house is yours to enjoy. Go to the park, get a three-course lunch, do whatever you like as long as you’re free to take calls.

Your agent may need to get in touch with questions, so make sure you’re available and have good cell phone reception. (A movie, for example, is not a great activity for you during the open house for that reason.)

After the open house ends, your agent will share with you what questions buyers asked and any comments they overheard by visitors. Buyers’ remarks will likely run the gamut, including some that could be negative. (“Why is the closet such a mess,” for example.)

The important thing is to stay open to buyers’ feedback, and to follow your agent’s advice about how to respond. Based on buyers’ reactions, your agent may recommend that you make certain repairs, do some painting, or invest in additional staging before your next open house. Whatever they advise, it’s not personal — it’s just the business of selling your home.

#OpenHouse #ColdwellBanker #HouseRocks #GerardiGroup #HomesForSale #Stage2Sell #SamGerardi #Realtor #HowellRealEstate #LivingstonMI

More Info: Staging To Sell

Homeowners 65+ Have 48X Net Worth of Renters

Posted by admingg on Dec 5, 2018 in Buying a Home, Local Experts, Mortgage Info, Real Estate, Retirement, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Every three years, the Federal Reserve conducts their Survey of Consumer Finances in which they collect data across all economic and social groups. Their latest survey data covers responses from 2013-2016.

The study revealed that the median net worth of a homeowner was $231,400 – a 15% increase since 2013. At the same time, the median net worth of renters decreased by 5% ($5,200 today compared to $5,500 in 2013).

These numbers reveal that the net worth of a homeowner is over 44 times greater than that of a renter.

There are many who see that statistic and point toward how broad the range of respondents are for the Federal Reserve survey. Their study includes all economic and social groups and also includes all age groups. The argument is that older respondents have a higher likelihood of being homeowners, while the homeownership rate among younger survey takers is much lower.

Recently, the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University focused on homeowners and renters over the age of 65. Their study revealed that the difference in net worth between homeowners and renters at this age group was actually 47.5 times greater!

Homeowners over the age of 65 are much more financially prepared for retirement and often own their homes outright if they were fortunate enough to purchase their homes before the age of 36. Their 30 years of mortgage payments have paid off as they gained equity through their monthly payments and as home values appreciated.

It is no surprise that lifelong-renters have had a hard time accruing net worth as the latest Censusreport shows that the Median Asking Rent has been climbing consistently over the last 30 years.

Bottom Line

As a homeowner you put your monthly mortgage payment to work for you, building your net worth with every payment.

14 Questions to Ask Your Contractor

Posted by admingg on Nov 27, 2018 in Buying a Home, Local Experts, New Construction, Real Estate, Uncategorized | 0 comments

For anyone who has been in the business more than five minutes — and that should be all of you — it becomes clear that there are levels of involvement in the real estate industry. There are, of course, your buyers and sellers, and then there are your real estate professionals who help broker those one-to-one deals. There are levels of commercial real estate agents and finally those who buy and sell their own properties as investors or speculators, often overseeing the construction or renovation of properties themselves.

It’s this last group that we’re talking about here today. Working with contractors can be one of the most stressful — and rewarding — parts of our business. A bad one can make your life a walking nightmare, while the right contractor can make your life infinitely easier and more profitable.

But how to know the difference? Start with the following checklist of questions and resources, and we guarantee your list will be narrowed quickly. After that, trust your recommendations and your gut. It’s gotten you this far.

How long have you been in this business? It may seem like a no brainer, but opening the conversation about your contractor’s experience can give you all sorts of insight into his or her track record. Experience matters in this business.
Would you mind starting on a smaller project? If you’re on the fence but leaning toward the contractor, we suggest giving him or her a smaller project to complete before you ask them to build that new master wing.
Can I see your certificates? This should include everything — licensure, insurance, you name it. If he or she can’t produce those documents at short notice, it’s time to move on.
Have you worked in this county/city/neighborhood before? Not only can code requirements vary from county to county and city to city, but even different neighborhoods have different rules for what can and can’t be done construction-wise. Live in a historic neighborhood? There may be some squawking about that new carport. Make sure your contractor knows how to navigate that.
What are the terms of payment? It’s not the best practice to pay for a job upfront, so make sure the terms are hammered out before you start, and you aren’t surprised by a request for giant check the day construction starts.
What hours do you typically work? This matters especially in neighborhoods, where those living nearby — or even you, if it’s your house — may be inconvenienced by odd-hours hammering and sawing. Make sure the contractor’s hours are appropriate, and that the crew is actually working during them.
What’s your storage plan? Theft at construction sites is not uncommon. Expensive equipment can disappear if left out overnight. Make sure the contractor knows that you expect tools to be locked up or taken home overnight, and help accommodate those requests with a locked room or even a temporary storage shed, if necessary.
What are your warranty terms? Most contractors offer a warranty, in addition to any warranties on materials used. Make sure you get that in writing, and copies of material warranties, before construction begins.
Do you use subcontractors? Most general contractors won’t have a pro plumber on his or her staff, so others will be brought in to take care of specialty pieces of the project. Make sure you know who those are and the budgetary expectations that go along with that so you’re not facing an additional bill from another contractor.
Can I see your references? It’s possible you’ve already gotten good word-of-mouth before you even interview the contractor, but it never hurts to see a list from the contractor. Make some calls and drive by the projects unannounced while they’re working — how the crew is going about its business — are they hard at work or lollygagging? — can give you great insight.
Have you had any disciplinary action filed in the past? This is a tough question, and not one to ask flippantly or unkindly. You’re just trying to find facts. Another route would be to consult your state’s courts archive for lawsuits filed against the company or individual contractor.
How do you communicate with your customers? Setting a reasonable expectation of how often you should be hearing from the contractor will keep you from freaking out if you go a couple of days without an e-mail.
How many projects do you have going right now? No one wants to play second-fiddle, much less fifth or sixth fiddle. If you feel like you’re not going to be a priority, it might pay to find someone who will make you feel like one.
How do we settle disputes? Making sure you know how to properly address problems or concerns is one of the most important steps. You want to make sure you’re following procedures, especially if you think the contractor is not. If nothing else it will make for peace of mind during the stressful process, knowing you have an agreed-to avenue if there is a dispute.
Do you have any questions for ME? Turnabout, as they say, is fair play.

7 Reasons To List During The Holidays

Posted by admingg on Nov 19, 2018 in Buying a Home, Local Experts, Pre-Market Opportunities, Real Estate, Selling a Home | 0 comments

Every year at this time there are many homeowners who decide to wait until after the holidays to list their homes for the first time, while others who already have their homes on the market decide to take them off until after the holidays.

Seven GREAT Reasons Not To Wait:

Relocation buyers are out there. Many companies are still hiring throughout the holidays and need their new employees in their new positions as soon as possible.
Purchasers who are looking for homes during the holidays are serious buyers and are ready to buy now.
You can restrict the showings on your home to the times you want it shown. You will remain in control.
Homes show better when decorated for the holidays.
There is minimal competition for you as a seller right now. Inventory of homes for sale traditionally slows in the late fall, early winter.
Listing inventory as compared to the same time last year:
The desire to own a home doesn’t stop when the holidays come. Buyers who were unable to find their dream homes during the busy spring and summer months are still searching!
The supply of listings increases substantially after the holidays. Also, in many parts of the country, New Construction will continue to surge and reach new heights which will lessen the demand for your house in 2019.

Bottom Line
Waiting until after the holidays to sell your home probably doesn’t make sense.

Keeping Current Matters!

FSBO Worse Than Foreclosure?

Posted by Sam Gerardi on Jul 14, 2018 in Buying a Home, Local Experts, Selling a Home, Short Sale & Foreclosure, Uncategorized | 0 comments

13 Reasons Why For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Can Be Worse Than Foreclosure

Even though foreclosure is one of the most catastrophic events any home owner can face, a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) can be much worse. With a foreclosure, the potential loss for a family is limited to their home or the amount owed to their lender, whereas an FSBO gone bad can leave a family in even bigger distress.

The liability is often not limited to the value of the home:

In the case of false advertising, the liability is not limited to the value of the product. This is because the buyer can claim an opportunity cost associated with the purchase as well as that he or she was promised a certain return for their purchase. The liability can be as high as 300% of the purchase price. This could become a tremendous liability to someone trying to sell a home by themselves.

You’re not saving money:

While it may seem like you’re pinching pennies by cutting out the Realtor from the selling process, that is not actually the case. Professional agents help in finding the best deal possible.

Scams are more common:

When you are selling a home by yourself, it is hard to spot warning signs of potential scams. Realtors will be able to spot these for you.

You’ll save time:

The process of selling a house takes a lot of time and energy. Hiring an agent will save you a lot of precious time and stress throughout the process.

You may resort to an agent anyway:

Many For Sale By Owner situations turn into agent-seller transactions anyway. FSBO clients more than likely will inevitably realize how difficult the process is and seek out help before they are able to close a deal.

You may not be aware of the details:

It makes sense that people seeking to sell their home may not be aware of all the details that go into it. It is much harder for clients to research the procedure on their own than it would be to simply to hire a trained agent.

Paperwork may be troublesome:

If paperwork is not properly filled out, it may be cause for a potential lawsuit on the seller’s part. With any loopholes at all, a buyer may be able to legally target the FSBO seller.

You may not be well-versed in inspections:

Inspections are an important part of selling a home, and someone trying to sell their home themselves may not be equipped to handle them. There is a lot that goes into home inspection, and only an agent can make sure it is done efficiently.

There isn’t any marketing:

When hiring a Realtor, homes are able to be marketed across various real estate platforms, and thus can be sold faster. FSBO does not allow for any marketing strategies, and thus homes do not get sold as quickly as they would otherwise.

There isn’t any representation.

Many people who are selling homes are drawn to big-name Realtors whom they feel they can trust. With FSBO, home buyers do not have that same security and therefore may be less willing to consider buying the home.

Buyers want the best deal imaginable:

Home buyers are looking for the most affordable option when searching for a home, and chances are FSBO is not the cheapest choice. Only an agent will be able to provide a fair, affordable deal for all parties involved.

Each party will benefit:

Both sellers and agents net more money when selling through a Realtor, than through FSBO. At the end of the day, it is the most obvious choice for that very reason. While it may seem like more sense to cut out the middle man, hiring a trained agent will help save time, money, and energy in the long run – all while helping you gain the best profit for your home, as well.

Agents know what they’re doing:

Agents can not only save sellers time, money, and headaches, but also liability that in many areas can go beyond the property value.

Elizabeth Stone – July 11, 2017 12:09 pm

Appraisal & Home Owners Agree!

Posted by Sam Gerardi on Jun 6, 2018 in Buying a Home, Local Experts, Mortgage Info, Real Estate, Selling a Home | 0 comments

When prices are surging, it is difficult for appraisers to find adequate, comparable sales (similar houses in the same neighborhood that recently closed) to defend the selling price when performing the appraisal for the bank.

Every month in their Home Price Perception Index (HPPI), Quicken Loans measures the disparity between what a homeowner who is seeking to refinance their home believes their house is worth and what an appraiser’s evaluation of that same home is.

March 2015 marked the first month of a three-year gap between what an appraiser and a homeowner believed a home was worth. That gap widened to 2.65% in September 2015 and had consistently hovered between 1.0% and 2.0% through November 2017.

The chart below illustrates the changes in home price estimates over the last three years:

In the latest release, the disparity was the narrowest it has been since March 2015, as the gap between appraisers and homeowners was only -0.33%. This is important for homeowners to note as even a .33% difference in appraisal could equate to thousands of dollars that a buyer or seller has to come up with at closing (depending on the price of the home).

Bill Banfield, Executive VP of Capital Markets at Quicken Loans urges homeowners to find out how their local markets have been impacted by supply and demand:

“The appraisal is one of the most important, although sometimes least predictable, parts of the mortgage process. The Home Price Perception Index is a way to illustrate the differences of opinion, and these differences affect everything from the type of mortgage a borrower can get to the expectations a seller has about the proceeds available upon sale of their home.”

Bottom Line

Every house on the market must be sold twice; once to a prospective buyer and then again to the bank (through the bank’s appraisal). With escalating prices, the second sale may be even more difficult than the first. If you are planning on entering the housing market this year, meet with an experienced professional who can guide you through this and any other obstacles that may arise.

As reported by Keeping Current Matters, 6/9/18

Appraisal & Home Owners Agree!

Posted by admingg on Jun 6, 2018 in Buying a Home, Local Experts, Mortgage Info, Real Estate, Selling a Home, Uncategorized | 0 comments

In today’s housing market, where supply is very low and demand is very high, home values are increasing rapidly. Many experts are projecting that home values could appreciate by another 5% (or more) over the next twelve months. One major challenge in such a market is the bank appraisal.
When prices are surging, it is difficult for appraisers to find adequate, comparable sales (similar houses in the same neighborhood that recently closed) to defend the selling price when performing the appraisal for the bank.
Every month in their Home Price Perception Index (HPPI), Quicken Loans measures the disparity between what a homeowner who is seeking to refinance their home believes their house is worth and what an appraiser’s evaluation of that same home is.
March 2015 marked the first month of a three-year gap between what an appraiser and a homeowner believed a home was worth. That gap widened to 2.65% in September 2015 and had consistently hovered between 1.0% and 2.0% through November 2017.
The chart below illustrates the changes in home price estimates over the last three years:

In the latest release, the disparity was the narrowest it has been since March 2015, as the gap between appraisers and homeowners was only -0.33%. This is important for homeowners to note as even a .33% difference in appraisal could equate to thousands of dollars that a buyer or seller has to come up with at closing (depending on the price of the home).
Bill Banfield, Executive VP of Capital Markets at Quicken Loans urges homeowners to find out how their local markets have been impacted by supply and demand:

“The appraisal is one of the most important, although sometimes least predictable, parts of the mortgage process. The Home Price Perception Index is a way to illustrate the differences of opinion, and these differences affect everything from the type of mortgage a borrower can get to the expectations a seller has about the proceeds available upon sale of their home.”

Bottom Line

Interest Rates Affect Buying Power

Posted by Sam Gerardi on May 22, 2018 in Buying a Home, Featured Property, Local Experts, Mortgage Info, Real Estate | 0 comments

According to Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, interest rates for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage are currently at 4.61%, which is still near record lows in comparison to recent history!

The interest rate you secure when buying a home not only greatly impacts your monthly housing costs, but also impacts your purchasing power.

Purchasing power, simply put, is the amount of home you can afford to buy for the budget you have available to spend. As rates increase, the price of the house you can afford to buy will decrease if you plan to stay within a certain monthly housing budget.

The chart below shows the impact that rising interest rates would have if you planned to purchase a home within the national median price range while keeping your principal and interest payments between $1,850-$1,900 a month.

With each quarter of a percent increase in interest rate, the value of the home you can afford decreases by 2.5% (in this example, $10,000). Experts predict that mortgage rates will be closer to 5% by this time next year.

Act now to get the most house for your hard-earned money. #HomeBuyingPower #InterestRates #GerardiGroup

Courtesy of Keeping Current Matters

Household Mortgage Debt

Posted by Sam Gerardi on Apr 19, 2018 in Buying a Home, Local Experts, Mortgage Info, New Construction, Real Estate, Selling a Home | 0 comments

Some homeowners have recently done a “cash out” refinance and have taken a portion of their increased equity from their house. Others have sold their homes and purchased more expensive homes with larger mortgages. At the same time, first-time buyers have become homeowners and now have mortgage payments for the first time.

These developments have caused concern that families might be reaching unsustainable levels of mortgage debt. Some are worried that we may be repeating a behavior that helped precipitate the housing crash ten years ago.

Today, we want to assure everyone that this is not the case. Here is a graph created from data released by the Federal Reserve Board which shows the Household Debt Service Ratio for mortgages as a percentage of disposable personal income. The ratio is the total quarterly required mortgage payments divided by total quarterly disposable personal income. In other words, the percentage of spendable income people are using to pay their mortgage.

Today’s ratio of 4.44% is nowhere near the ratio of 7.21% during the peak of the housing bubble and is instead at the lowest rate since 1980 (4.38%).

Bill McBride of Calculated Risk recently commented on the ratio:

“The Debt Service Ratio for mortgages is near the low for the last 38 years. This ratio increased rapidly during the housing bubble and continued to increase until 2007. With falling interest rates, and less mortgage debt, the mortgage ratio has declined significantly.”

Bottom Line

Many families paid a heavy price because of questionable practices that led to last decade’s housing crash. It seems the American people have learned a lesson and are not repeating that same behavior regarding their mortgage debt.

Boomerangs Ready To Buy

Posted by Sam Gerardi on Apr 4, 2018 in Buying a Home, Local Experts, Mortgage Info, Real Estate, Selling a Home | 0 comments

According to a new study from Lending Tree, Americans who have filed for bankruptcy may be able to rebuild enough credit to qualify for a home loan in as little as 2-3 years.

This is in stark contrast to the belief that many have that they need to wait 7-10 years for their bankruptcies to clear from their credit reports before attempting to apply for either a mortgage or a personal or auto loan.

The study analyzed over one million loan applications for mortgages, personal, and auto loans and compared borrowers who had a bankruptcy on their credit report vs. those who did not to find out the “Cost of Bankruptcy.”

The study found that 43.2% of Americans who filed bankruptcy were able to repair their credit back to a 640 FICO® Score in less than a year. The percentage of those who achieved a 640 FICO® Score increased to nearly 75% after 5 years. The full breakdown of the findings was used to create the chart below.

Americans who were able to repair their credit scores to a range of 720-739 within three years of filing were able to obtain the same financing options as those who had never filed bankruptcy.

According to Ellie Mae’s latest Origination Insights Report, 53.5% of those who were approved for a home loan had FICO® Scores between 600-749 last month. This is great news for Americans who are looking to re-enter the housing market.

Raj Patel, Lending Tree’s Director of Credit Restoration & Debt-Related Services had this to say:

“People may think that filing a bankruptcy would put you out of the loan market for seven to ten years, but this study shows that it is possible to rebuild your credit to a good credit quality.”

“LendingTree’s research found that very few bankruptcy filers have a harder time [obtaining a mortgage] than those who have not filed for bankruptcy.”

Bottom Line

If you are one of the millions of Americans who has filed for bankruptcy and think that you have to wait 7-10 years to make your dream of returning to home ownership a reality, meet with a local real estate professional who can help you find out if you qualify now.

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