If one of the main reasons you’re hesitant to buy a home is because you’re worried about the upkeep, here’s some information you may find interesting on both new home construction and existing homes (a home that’s been lived in by a previous owner). Newly Built Homes Need Less Upfront Maintenance If you can afford it, you may find a newly built home could help ease your worries about maintenance costs. Think about it, if everything in the house is brand new, it... [read more]

  If you’re a member of a younger generation, like Gen Z, you may be asking the question: will I ever be able to buy a home? And chances are, you’re worried that’s not going to be in the cards with inflation, rising home prices, mortgage rates, and more seemingly stacked against you.   While there’s no arguing this housing market is challenging for first-time homebuyers, it is still achievable, especially if you have professionals on your... [read more]

    Having a hard time finding a first home that's right for you and your wallet? Well, here's a tip – think about condominiums, or condos for short.   They're usually smaller than single-family homes, but that's exactly why they can be easier on your budget. According to the latest data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), condos are typically less expensive than single-family homes (see graph below):     So, if you're comfortable with a smaller... [read more]

Thinking about buying a home or selling your current one to find a better fit? If so, you might be wondering what's going on with home prices these days. Here's the scoop.   The latest national data from Case-Shiller and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) shows they’re going up (see graphs below):     As you can see, home prices were rising for most of 2023. But over the course of December and January, they were virtually flat – which is pretty normal for... [read more]

  If you're thinking of buying or selling a house, it's important to know it doesn't just impact you—it helps out the local economy and your community, too.   Every year, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) puts out a report that breaks down the financial impact that comes from people buying and selling homes (see visual below):     When a house is sold, it really boosts the local economy. That’s because of all the people needed to build, fix up, and... [read more]