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Are home prices going up or down? That depends…

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Are Home Prices Going Up or Down? That Depends…

Media coverage about what’s happening with home prices can be confusing. A large part of that is due to the type of data being used and what they’re choosing to draw attention to. For home prices, there are two different methods used to compare home prices over different time periods: year-over-year (Y-O-Y) and month-over-month (M-O-M). Here’s an explanation of each, and why it’s important to consider the differences:

Year-over-Year (Y-O-Y):

  • This comparison measures the change in home prices from the same month or quarter in the previous year. For example, if you’re comparing Y-O-Y home prices for April 2023, you would compare them to the home prices for April 2022.
  • Y-O-Y comparisons focus on changes over a one-year period, providing a more comprehensive view of long-term trends. They are usually useful for evaluating annual growth rates and determining if the market is generally appreciating or depreciating.

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Oops! Home prices didn’t crash after all

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Oops! Home prices didn’t crash after all

During the fourth quarter of last year, many housing experts predicted home prices were going to crash this year. Here are a few of those forecasts:

“I expect housing prices fall 10% to 15%, and the housing prices are accelerating on the downside,” said Jeremy Siegel, Russell E. Palmer Professor Emeritus of Finance at the Wharton School of Business.

“Buckle in,” said Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s Analytics. “Assuming rates remain near their current 6.5% and the economy skirts recession, then national house prices will fall almost 10% peak-to-trough. Most of those declines will happen sooner rather than later. And house prices will fall 20% if there is a typical recession.”

And from Goldman Sachs: “Housing is already cooling in the U.S., according to July data that was reported last week. As interest rates climb steadily higher, Goldman Sachs Research’s G-10 home price model suggests home prices will decline by around 5% to 10% from the peak in the U.S. … Economists at Goldman Sachs Research say there are risks that housing markets could decline more than their model suggests.”Continue Reading

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Infographic:
Top reasons to own your home

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June is National Homeownership Month, and it’s a great time to consider the benefits of owning your own home. If you’re thinking of buying a home, it might just help you find the stability, community, and comfort you’ve been searching for over the past year.

Top Reasons To Own Your Home

Let’s connect today to determine if homeownership is the right next step for you.

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Selling your home? Watch out for these stressors

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Selling Your Home? Watch Out For These Stressors

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to selling your home — and for many sellers, those moving parts can cause a good amount of stress. But what are the most stressful parts of the home selling process? According to a survey from LendingTree, some of the top stressors for home sellers include:

  • Buying and selling a home at the same time. 29 percent of home sellers surveyed named trying to buy a new home at the same time as trying to sell their current home as the biggest stressor in the home selling process.
  • Making costly repairs or upgrades. Depending on the condition of your home, you may need to shell out some cash on repairs or upgrades before you list—a process that 16 percent of buyers said was the most stressful part of the home selling process.
  • Fearing the home won’t sell. Even though a lack of inventory is making the market more favorable for sellers, 15 percent of sellers surveyed said that the fear their home won’t sell was the most stressful part of the home selling process.
  • Balancing advice from multiple sources. Your friends, family, and neighbors might mean well when they share advice on what you should and shouldn’t do during the home selling process—but 13 percent of those surveyed said fielding advice from multiple sources was the most stressful part of selling their home.

So, what does this mean for you? If you’re stressed out about selling your house, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s normal. But, the more you know about the potential stressors of the home selling process, the better prepared you can be to deal with those stressors — and the less stressful your home sale will be as a result.

Check out my resources for home sellers — you’ll find everything you need to navigate the home selling process.

Filed Under: Tips for Home Sellers

Buying a home makes more financial sense than renting

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Why Buying a Home Makes More Sense Than Renting Today

Wondering if you should continue renting or if you should buy a home this year? If so, consider this. Rental affordability is still a challenge and has been for years. That’s because, historically, rents trend up over time. Data from the Census shows rents have been climbing pretty steadily since 1988.

“In March 2023, the U.S. rental market experienced single-digit growth for the eighth month in a row,” according to data from the latest rental report from Realtor.com. “The median asking rent was $1,732, up by $15 from last month and down by $32 from the peak but is still $354 (25.7%) higher than the same time in 2019 (pre-pandemic).”

With rents much higher now than they were in more normal, pre-pandemic years, owning your home may be a better option, especially as rents continue to increase year after year. In contrast, homeowners with a fixed-rate mortgage can lock in a monthly mortgage payment for the duration of their loan (typically 15-30 years). And, as home values typically rise over time and you pay off your mortgage, you build equity. If you’re trying to decide whether to buy a home or continue renting, let’s connect to explore your options.

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The one aroma to help sell your house quickly

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Here’s the one aroma to help you sell your house quickly

True or false? When you’re selling your home, you should bake cookies before a showing or an open house. After all, who doesn’t like the smell of freshly baked cookies? Well, it isn’t like you can Betty Crocker your way to a sale, let alone at the highest price possible. Your entire house still needs to be appealing.

A batch of cookies isn’t going to hide bad odors enough or divert people’s attention from a messy house that needs repairs. Nor will a cookie-scented candle or plug-in air freshener.

In fact, some candles and plug-in fresheners can actually turn a buyer off — and may trigger curiosity about what odor the seller is trying to hide. However, there is one smell that will help your house sell… It’s called “clean.”

When you’re selling your house, there’s no substitute for a good, thorough cleaning to create an aroma that will appeal to any and all buyers. Whether you do it on your own, or hire a professional cleaning service, giving your house a good deep cleaning before (and while) your house is on the market is one of the most important things you can do.

Filed Under: Tips for Home Sellers

7 things to avoid once you apply for a mortgage

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7 Things To Avoid After Applying for a Mortgage!

Congratulations! You’ve found a home to buy and have applied for a mortgage! You’re undoubtedly excited about the opportunity to decorate your new home.

But before you make any big purchases, move any money around, or make any big-time life changes, consult your loan officer. They will be able to tell you how your decision will impact your home loan. Following is a list of 7 things you shouldn’t do after applying for a mortgage! Some may seem obvious, but some may not!

1. Don’t make any large purchases like a new car or new furniture for your new home. New debt comes with it, including new monthly obligations. New obligations create new qualifications. People with new debt have higher debt to income ratios… higher ratios make for riskier loans… and sometimes qualified borrowers no longer qualify.

2. Don’t deposit cash into your bank accounts. Lenders need to source your money and cash is not really traceable. Before you deposit any amount of cash into your accounts, discuss the proper way to document your transactions with your loan officer.

3. Don’t change jobs or the way you are paid at your job! Your loan officer must be able to track the source and amount of your annual income. If possible, you’ll want to avoid changing from salary to commission or becoming self-employed during this time as well.Continue Reading

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4 hidden costs of not owning your own home

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4 hidden costs of not owning your own home

There’s no arguing there’s costs associated with owning a home. But the opposite is also true; there are also definite costs associated with NOT owning a home.

The benefits of buying vs. renting has always been a hotly debated topic, with most people believing that — at least in the short term — renting is more cost effective. But most people don’t consider the hidden costs of not owning a home and sinking all of your money into your rental. Here are four sneaky ways that not owning a home will cost you:

1. Your cost is never guaranteed

When you own a home, there are no surprises when it comes to your monthly housing costs. Once you lock in your mortgage, your payment will remain constant throughout the length of your loan (unless you decide to refinance in the future). The stability of having a mortgage gives you the peace of mind of knowing what to expect each month — and not having to worry about unpleasant surprises that completely throw off your budget.

When you don’t own a home, you’re at the mercy of your landlord; they can (and often will) change the price of your rent often to keep up with market prices.

2. Investing in home improvement is a lost cause

Everyone wants to feel comfortable in the place they call home — whether they own or rent. When you own a home, making the improvements necessary to make your home feel comfortable makes sense. Whatever you do to improve your home will only increase the value, making it a sound investment choice.

But when you don’t own your home, making improvements to your home is like throwing money away. If you paint your walls or hang too much art on the walls, you’ll likely have the cost of getting the property repainted deducted from your security deposit when you move out. Some landlords might not even allow you to make any improvements or changes at all.Continue Reading

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Your FICO score and how it affects your mortgage

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Your FICO score

Are you about to apply for a mortgage loan in order to buy a home? If so, you may be curious about your FICO credit score and how this might affect your financing.

Here’s a look at how FICO scores can affect your mortgage and ways that you can boost your score to ensure your mortgage application is approved.

What is a FICO Score?

The Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) is the country’s leading producer of credit scoring information and the primary source most lenders will check to assess how much risk you present. FICO combines information from credit bureaus such as TransUnion, Experian and Equifax and produces a score ranging from 300 to 850. The the better your credit history, the higher your score, and the lower the risk you present to lenders.

In general, many lenders find scores above 670 as indicating good creditworthiness. Typically, the higher your score, the lower the risk and the more likely creditors are to lend to you. If you have a score below 620 or 630 you may find it challenging to get approved and below 580 it will be almost impossible.Continue Reading

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Russ Fortuno, Associate Broker

I'm a Southern Arizona native and Quail Creek resident. Whether you’re buying or selling a home in Quail Creek, you’ll experience unsurpassed service and professionalism at all stages of your real estate transaction. I welcome the opportunity to assist in your next home sale or purchase.
Meet Russ

Tierra Antigua Realty

18745 S. I-19 Frontage Rd., Ste. A105
Green Valley, AZ 85614
(520) 333-0446
Contact Russ