By Greg Robb | Realtor.com
The numbers: Construction of new U.S. homes rebounded 10.7% in February to an annual pace of 1.52 million units, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. That is the biggest gain in nine months. Despite the increase, starts are still below December’s level.
Economists on Wall Street were expecting a 7.4% rise in housing starts in February to 1.43 million. All numbers are seasonally adjusted.
The number of housing starts in January was revised slightly higher, to a drop of 12.3% to 1.37 million, from an initial reading of a 14.8% drop to 1.33 million. It is still the biggest drop since May 2022.
Building permits, a sign of future construction, rose...
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From our friends in KCM
Are you thinking about buying a home soon? If so, you should know today’s market is competitive in many areas because the number of homes for sale is still low – and that’s leading to multiple-offer scenarios. And moving into the peak homebuying season this spring, this is only expected to ramp up more.
Remember these four tips to make your best offer.
1. Partner with a Real Estate Agent
Rely on a real estate agent who can support your goals. As PODS notes:
“Making an offer on a home without an agent is certainly possible, but having a pro by your side gives you a massive advantage in figuring out what to offer...
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From our friends at the KCM blog
Going into 2023, there was a lot of talk about a possible recession that would cause the housing market to crash. Some in the media were even forecasting home prices would drop by as much as 10-20%—and that might have made you feel a bit unsure about buying a home.
But here’s what actually happened: home prices went up more than usual. Brian D. Luke, Head of Commodities at S&P Dow Jones Indices, explains:
“Looking back at the year, 2023 appears to have exceeded average annual home price gains over the past 35 years.”
To put last year’s growth into context, the graph below uses data from Freddie Mac on how home prices have changed...
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By Clare Trapasso | Realtor.com
The housing market isn’t off to a good start this year.
The number of homes under contract that haven’t closed yet dropped 4.9% from December to January, according to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors®. Year-over-year pending home sales were down 8.8% in January.
The culprit? Rising mortgage rates that make it more expensive for folks to purchase homes.
“Consumers are showing extra sensitivity to changes in mortgage rates in the current cycle, and that’s impacting home sales,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun in a statement.
Mortgage rates had dropped to a low of 6.61% in late December but ticked up slightly in January, according to Freddie Mac data.
“Buyer demand...
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From our friends in KCM
If you’re taking a look at your expenses as you retire, saving money where you can has a lot of appeal. One long-standing, popular way to do that is by downsizing to a smaller home.
When you think about cutting down on your spending, odds are you think of frequent purchases, like groceries and other goods. But when you downsize your house, you often end up downsizing the bills that come with it, like your mortgage payment, energy costs, and maintenance requirements. Realtor.com shares:
“A smaller home typically means lower bills and less upkeep. Then there’s the potential windfall that comes from selling your larger home and buying something...
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