Realty Executives Midwest
Buying a home is a powerful decision, and it remains at the heart of the American Dream. Unlike renting, owning a home means more than just having a place to live – it offers a sense of belonging, stability, and freedom. According to Nicole Bachaud, Senior Economist at Zillow:
“The American Dream is still owning a home. There’s a lot of pent-up demand for ownership; that isn’t going to go away.”
Let’s explore just a few of the reasons why so many Americans continue to value homeownership.
One possible reason homeownership is viewed so highly is because owning a home is a significant wealth-building tool. That may be why Jessica Lautz, Deputy Chief and VP of Research at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says:
“Homeownership is the number one way to build wealth in America.”
Over time, owning a home not only helps boost your own net worth, but it also sets future generations up for success as you pass that wealth down. Habitat for Humanity explains:
“Overall, homeownership promotes wealth building by acting as a forced savings mechanism and through home value appreciation. Homeowners make monthly payments that increase their equity in their homes by paying down the principal balance of their mortgage. . . . In addition, owning a home promotes intergenerational homeownership and wealth building. Children of homeowners transition to homeownership earlier — lengthening the period over which they can accumulate wealth . . .”
It can also provide meaningful financial stability compared to renting. When you buy with a fixed-rate mortgage, you can lock in your monthly housing payments for the length of your home loan.
But, owning a home offers more than just financial benefits—it benefits you socially and emotionally too. Your home provides feelings of achievement, responsibility, and more. In a recent survey, Fannie Mae outlines just a few of these more emotionally-driven benefits, including:
“The top three were having control over what you do with your living space (94%) to having a sense of privacy and security (91%) and having a good place for your family or to raise your children (90%) . . .”
If your idea of the American Dream involves greater freedom, security, and prosperity, homeownership could be a key player in bringing that dream to life. And with mortgage rates now on a downward trend, it might be a good time for you to consider making a move.
If you’re ready and able to buy, know that there are incredible benefits waiting at the end of your journey. You’ll gain more than just a home – it’s a place to grow your wealth and call your very own. Like Ksenia Potapov, Economist at First American says:
“…homeownership remains an important driver of wealth accumulation and the largest source of total wealth among most households.”
Buying a home is a powerful decision and the cornerstone of the American Dream. If finding a place to call your own is part of your dream for this year, connect with a local real estate advisor to start the process today.
Source: Keeping Current Matters
Realty Executives Midwest
1310 Plainfield Rd. Ste 2 | Darien, IL 60561
Office: 630-969-8880
E-Mail: experts@realtyexecutives.com
It may surprise you, but some of the most spectacular home renovations are valueless in the eyes of buyers. What you might consider luxury, another might see as a waste of time, money, and space.
One of homeowners’ biggest home renovation mistakes is adding unnecessary features to their homes. Others make undesirable changes, turning off prospective buyers from putting in an offer. Whether you plan to live in your house a bit longer or plan to list it soon, you should protect your home’s value by avoiding these 10 renovations.
You may dream of a lavish primary bedroom but connecting two rooms for one larger one significantly reduces your home’s value. Potential buyers with children will want enough bedrooms for everyone to have their own, even if they are smaller.
Nowadays, families need extra bedrooms to accommodate parents and grandparents, too. Generations United says 1 in 4 Americans live in multigenerational households — a jump from 7% to 26% from 2011 to 2021.
You may have dabbled in home improvements, but anything more than a touch-up of paint or caulk is best left to the pros. Small mistakes can lead to disastrous effects that can be costly and dangerous. For example, even the slightest millimeter off using a fastener can result in uneven load distribution. Eventually, the pieces might loosen and come apart. At worst, it could cause injury.
DIY projects are certainly more budget-friendly than calling a professional, but prospective buyers will notice subpar work. These mistakes could lead to a decreased home value and expensive repairs.
Stepping down on soft, warm carpeting in the wintertime might feel nice under your feet, but homebuyers would much rather see wood flooring, particularly in the common living areas.
Carpets contain more than 91,000 colony-forming units — about 30.2 times more germs than refrigerator handles and 5.7 times more germs than toilet seats.
You can expect only a 25% to 40% return on investment (ROI) by replacing carpeting with more carpeting. Conversely, hardwood floors have a 70% to 80% ROI in the current market.
A swimming pool has one of the worst ROIs unless you live in a warmer climate or upscale neighborhood. Potential buyers have little enthusiasm for maintenance and operational costs.
Filtration may run about $725 to $1,525 without installation costs. Of course, you might also spend between $230 and $1,600 for upkeep and chemical treatments. Even if you decide not to maintain it yourself, you will need to pay someone to do it for you.
Homebuyers look for a well-kept home with easy, low-cost maintenance — especially younger, cost-conscious buyers. A swimming pool is less likely to deliver.
Converting your garage into extra living space may or may not increase your home value. The additional space is invaluable for some current homeowners and potential buyers, especially if another person is moving in.
However, many agree an attached garage is more valuable in urban areas. City dwellers park their cars in garages to avoid having to find street parking. Additionally, 85% of homeowners deem garages essential or desirable for storage.
Patterned floor tiles and backsplashes are a playful way to incorporate your design tastes. For instance, you can add Mediterranean flair behind the stovetop or lay an intriguing farmhouse pattern on your bathroom floor. However, the less personalization, the better.
Not every prospective buyer walking through your home will share your design preferences or vision. All they might foresee is the cost to demo and replace the upgrades you made, bringing down your home’s value.
Consider using a traditional white subway tile backsplash or something neutral in the bathroom. These plainer styles will always stay in style, regardless of market trends.
According to a 2023 Neighbor.com survey, 25% of people need or want more space in their homes. Perhaps more surprisingly, 1 in 4 homeowners outgrow their square footage in two years.
Eliminating storage throughout the house will reduce your home’s value. Avoid getting rid of closet space for whatever reason. Instead, optimizing closet space for better storage or converting a closet to a pantry is best.
You might view built-in aquariums as a luxury item in your home, or you may just like fish. Either way, a built-in aquarium is not a home upgrade you should consider.
Most potential buyers are uninterested in built-in aquariums for the upkeep and maintenance costs. It is also expensive to have it removed from the home. If you must have fish, opt for a standalone fish tank, which you can easily assemble and disassemble.
Adding a sunroom to your home might seem like a value-boosting luxury, but it has less ROI than you would think. The only way to potentially make back your money is to turn the space into a four-season room, which costs more.
A four-season sunroom is most expensive at $25,000 to $85,000, depending on its size, insulation, heating, and cooling. However, this type of sunroom adds square footage since it is usable year-round.
About 57% of homeowners will own smart home technology by 2025. Nowadays, smart televisions, thermostats, speakers, lighting, alarm systems and at-home personal assistants are staples in most households.
A McKinsey study also reports a whopping 50 billion devices will connect to the Internet of Things by 2025, amounting to another 79.4 zettabytes of information annually.
Technology is advancing quickly — perhaps too quickly for home integration. Home devices will likely become outdated shortly after you install them into your home. Therefore, it is best to avoid investing in built-in home automation. Instead, focus on integrating energy-efficient appliances and features to accrue savings.
Some home improvements are nice to have. However, if you are considering moving soon, you will want to upgrade your home with buyers in mind. Weigh the project costs against the potential ROI to decide if it is worth doing.
If you’re thinking about buying a home, pre-approval is a crucial part of the process you definitely don’t want to skip. So, before you start picturing yourself in your new living room or dining on your future all-season patio, be sure you’re working with a trusted lender to prioritize this essential step. Here’s why.
While home price growth is moderating and mortgage rates have been coming down in recent weeks, affordability is still tight. At the same time, there’s a limited number of homes for sale right now, and that means ongoing competition among hopeful buyers. But, if you’re strategic, there are ways to navigate these waters – and pre-approval is the game changer.
To understand why it’s such an important step, you need to know more about pre-approval. As part of the homebuying process, a lender looks at your finances to determine what they’re willing to loan you. From there, your lender will give you a pre-approval letter to help you understand how much money you can borrow. Freddie Mac explains it like this:
“A pre-approval is an indication from your lender that they are willing to lend you a certain amount of money to buy your future home. . . . Keep in mind that the loan amount in the pre-approval letter is the lender’s maximum offer. Ultimately, you should only borrow an amount you are comfortable repaying.”
Getting pre-approved starts to put you in the mindset of seeing the bigger financial picture, one step at a time. And the key is actually more than just getting a pre-approval letter from your lender. The combination of pre-approval and strategic budgeting is your golden ticket to understanding what you can actually afford. It saves you from painful heartaches down the road so you don’t fall in love with a house that might be out of reach.
But that’s just the beginning. Let’s face it, there are more people looking to buy than there are homes available for sale, and that creates competition among homebuyers. That means you could see yourself in a multiple-offer scenario when you get ready to make your move. But getting pre-approved for a mortgage can help you stand out from other buyers.
In today’s fast-moving housing market, having that pre-approval in your back pocket can be your secret weapon. When sellers see you’re pre-approved, it tells them you’re a strategic and serious buyer. In a world of multiple offers, that’s a big deal. As an article from the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) says:
“If you plan to use a mortgage for your home purchase, preapproval should be among the first steps in your search process. Not only can getting preapproved help you zero in on the right price range, but it can give you a leg up on other buyers, too.”
Pre-approval shows sellers you’re more than just a window shopper. You’re a buyer who’s already undergone a credit and financial check, making it more likely that the sale will move forward without unexpected delays or issues. Sellers love that because they see your offer as a reliable one. A win-win, right?
So, before you start mentally arranging furniture in your dream home, let’s connect to get your pre-approval set. It’ll save you time, stress, and a lot of headaches that could come up along the way without it. The reality is, the more prepared you are, the more likely you are to land the home you’re longing for.
Source: Keeping Current Matters
Realty Executives Midwest
1310 Plainfield Rd. Ste 2 | Darien, IL 60561
Office: 630-969-8880
E-Mail: experts@realtyexecutives.com
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home soon, you probably want to know what you can expect from the housing market in 2024. In 2023, higher mortgage rates, confusion over home price headlines, and a lack of homes for sale created some challenges for buyers and sellers looking to make a move. But what’s on the horizon for the new year?
The good news is, many experts are optimistic we’ve turned a corner and are headed in a positive direction.
Recently, mortgage rates have started to come back down. This has offered hope to buyers dealing with affordability challenges. Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, explains how they may continue to drop:
“Mortgage rates have already retreated from recent peaks near 8 percent and may fall further . . .”
Jessica Lautz, Deputy Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says:
“For home buyers who are taking on a mortgage to purchase a home and have been wary of the autumn rise in mortgage rates, the market is turning more favorable, and there should be optimism entering 2024 for a better market.”
As rates ease, activity in the housing market should pick up because more buyers and sellers who had been holding off will jump back into action. If more sellers list, the supply of homes for sale will grow – a trend we’ve already started to see this year. Lisa Sturtevant, Chief Economist at Bright MLS, says:
“Supply will loosen up in 2024. Even homeowners who have been characterized as being ‘locked in’ to low rates will increasingly find that changing family and financial circumstances will lead to more moves and more new listings over the course of the year, particularly as rates move closer to 6.5%.”
And mortgage rates pulling back isn’t the only positive sign for affordability. Home price growth is expected to moderate too, as inventory improves but is still low overall. As the Home Price Expectation Survey (HPES) from Fannie Mae, a survey of over 100 economists, investment strategists, and housing market analysts, says:
“On average, the panel anticipates home price growth to clock in at 5.9% in 2023, to be followed by slower growth in 2024 and 2025 of 2.4 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively.”
To wrap it up, experts project 2024 will be a better year for the housing market. So, if you’re thinking about making a move next year, know that early signs show we’re turning a corner. As Mike Simonsen, President and Founder of Altos Research, puts it:
“We’re going into 2024 with slight home-price gains, somewhat easing inventory constraints, slightly increasing transaction volume . . . All in all, things are looking up for the U.S. housing market in 2024.”
Experts are optimistic about what 2024 holds for the housing market. If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in the new year, the best way to ensure you’re up to date on the latest forecasts is to partner with a trusted real estate agent.
The holiday season is upon us, and if you find yourself in the position of selling your home during this festive time, you might wonder how to navigate the real estate market effectively. Contrary to the belief that the holidays are a challenging time to sell, you can make your listing stand out and attract potential buyers with the right approach. In this guide, we will explore some valuable tips for a successful home sale during the holiday season.
While going all out with holiday decorations is tempting, it is crucial to strike a balance. Embrace festive décor that adds warmth and charm to your home but keep it tasteful. Opt for neutral colors and classic decorations that appeal to a broad audience. A well-decorated home creates a positive first impression and helps potential buyers envision themselves celebrating future holidays in the space.
The winter season is synonymous with coziness. Capitalize on this by creating a warm and inviting atmosphere in your home. Consider subtle touches like a crackling fire, soft blankets, and warm lighting. A cozy ambiance can make potential buyers feel more comfortable and connected to the property.
If your home has unique winter features, such as a fireplace or a well-insulated attic, highlight them in your listing. Emphasize the benefits of these features, showcasing how they can enhance the overall living experience during the colder months. Buyers often appreciate homes that are well-equipped for the winter season.
Pricing your home appropriately is crucial, especially during the holidays. Work with your real estate agent to determine your property’s competitive and realistic price. Consider the current market conditions, recent comparable sales, and any unique features your home offers. A well-priced home is more likely to attract serious buyers.
The holiday season can be busy for everyone, including potential buyers. Offer flexible showing times to accommodate varying schedules. This may include evenings and weekends, allowing buyers to view your home at their convenience. The more accessible your home is for showings, the higher the chances of attracting interested parties.
Make your listing visually appealing by capturing the essence of the season in your listing photos. Showcase exterior shots of your home adorned with festive lights or a light dusting of snow. Interior photos can feature tasteful holiday decor, giving potential buyers a sense of the warmth and charm your home exudes during the holidays.
Utilize online marketing channels to promote your home during the holidays. Leverage social media platforms, online real estate portals, and email campaigns to reach a broader audience. Highlight your home’s unique features and emphasize its holiday charm through engaging visuals and well-crafted descriptions.
A seasoned real estate agent with experience in holiday home sales can be an invaluable asset. Choose an agent who understands the nuances of selling during this time, including market trends, pricing strategies, and effective marketing techniques. Their expertise can make the selling process smoother and more successful.
Selling your home during the holiday season does not need to feel overwhelming. Embrace the festive spirit, craft a welcoming atmosphere, showcase winter features, set a realistic price, provide flexible showing options, capture the season in listing photos, leverage online marketing, and collaborate with an experienced real estate agent. These steps enhance your home’s appeal, drawing in potential buyers. With the right strategy, you could discover that the holidays are an ideal time for a successful home sale. Get prepared to usher in the new year in a new home!
Source: Realty Executives
Realty Executives Midwest
1310 Plainfield Rd. Ste 2 | Darien, IL 60561
Office: 630-969-8880
E-Mail: experts@realtyexecutives.com
Realty Executives agents are real estate experts. They have the education and expertise you need to navigate through the process of buying or selling a home. From listing at the right price to making the best offer, our Executives have witnessed the best - and most regrettable - decisions homeowners and homebuyers can make. Every day, they are immersed in every aspect of real estate that includes comparable home price analysis, property surveys, credit reports, open houses, HOA agreements, lenders, title companies, homeowners’ insurance, walk-throughs, terms of sale or purchase, repairs, concessions and closing documents. Let our accomplished Executives help navigate you through the process of buying or selling a home.
