Lifestyle - The Jenn Pfeiffer Team

May 6, 2024

The Top U.S. Cities Immune to the Housing Market Malaise—Where Price Growth Is Surging

By Margaret Heidenry | realtor.com The housing market has been stagnant for several years now, with high home prices and unpredictable mortgage rates sidelining buyers and sellers alike. But some U.S. metros seem to be defying the real estate market malaise. In these places, not only are homes selling at a quicker pace than the rest of the country, but prices are up as well. Indeed, in its latest data analysis, which ranks the nation’s 20 hottest markets, Realtor.com® found that home prices are flat everywhere, seeing only a 2% rise in March—except for the hottest markets, which rose by 5.3% annually. “Prices increased slightly nationwide in March, but the month’s hottest markets saw more substantial price...

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March 21, 2024

Buying, Selling

What Are Experts Saying About the Spring Housing Market?

From our friends in KCM If you’re planning to move soon, you might be wondering if there’ll be more homes to choose from, where prices and mortgage rates are headed, and how to navigate today’s market. If so, here’s what the professionals are saying about what’s in store for this season. Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist, First American: “. . . it seems our general expectation for the spring is that we will see a pickup in inventory. In fact, that already seems to be happening. But it won’t necessarily be enough to satiate demand.” Lisa Sturtevant, Chief Economist, Bright MLS: “There is still strong demand, as the large millennial population remains in the prime first-time homebuying range.” Danielle Hale, Chief...

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March 11, 2024

Buying, News

The Housing Market’s Unhappy New Year: Fewer Homes Go Under Contract as Mortgage Rates Rise

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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March 7, 2024

Selling

The Benefits of Downsizing When You Retire

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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February 28, 2024

Selling

Pet-Friendly Features That Could Help Your Home Sell Faster

By Kristine Gill | Better Homes & Gardens Pets are a top factor in today's home purchases, and these pet-related upgrades could help sell your home. For many Americans, a pet makes a house a home. In fact, studies show that many homebuyers report prioritizing pets’ needs when shopping for a new home. It would stand to reason then that certain pet-friendly features can not only enhance the value of your home but also help it sell faster. “As our furry friends become ever more integrated into our families, their needs are increasingly factored into home-buying decisions,” says Scott Beaudry, broker and owner with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Universal. We’ll take...

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February 14, 2024

Buying

Why So Many People Fall in Love with Homeownership

From our friends in KCM Chances are at some point in your life you’ve heard the phrase, home is where the heart is. There’s a reason that’s said so often. Becoming a homeowner is emotional. So, if you’re trying to decide if you want to keep on renting or if you’re ready to buy a home this year, here’s why it’s so easy to fall in love with homeownership. Customizing to Your Heart’s Desire Your house should be a space that’s uniquely you. And, if you’re a renter, that can be hard to achieve. When you rent, the paint colors are usually the standard shade of white, you don’t have much control over the upgrades, and you’ve...

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February 7, 2024

Living

The Most Undervalued Housing Markets in the U.S.

By Patrick S. Duffy | US NEWS & WORLD REPORT Monthly costs in these locations start as low as 18% of local per capita incomes, compared with the national average of 39%. Detroit may not be the most undervalued area for long. Its economy will continue to see steady growth in the years ahead with more jobs and higher wages for area residents. Key Takeaways: The most undervalued markets to purchase a home continue to be located predominantly in the Midwest and the East Coast, led by Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, St. Louis and Oklahoma City. The most undervalued markets to rent a home are also concentrated in the Midwest, led...

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January 24, 2024

Home Staging

How Much Does It Cost to Stage a House—And Is It Worth It?

By Kristine Gill | Better Homes Experts outline the average cost to stage a home, including factors that affect costs and a breakdown of home staging expenses. Preparing to sell your home includes embarking on a laundry list of tasks with conflicting advice from all sides. Friends and family might have might have told you that staging your home isn’t necessary, while your real estate agent might be suggesting it. So, do you need to stage your home? Or is a quick clean and decluttering just as effective? “I can confidently say that staging always offers a return on investment,” says Dot Frank, a realtor with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Alliance Group....

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January 16, 2024

Buying

Are Your Homebuying Tactics Out of Date? The New Rules for Buying a Home in 2024

By Jillian Pretzel | REALTOR.COM For most of 2023, homebuyers faced a daunting real estate market marked by dizzyingly high mortgage rates. Combined with steep home prices and a severe shortage of homes for sale, it’s no wonder many struggled or gave up their home search entirely. But with this new year comes new hope: Could homebuyers get a break? If you’re gearing up to buy a house soon, it’s time to forget the horror stories of last year and reset your expectations. Below are the old rules that no longer apply to the current real estate market—plus the new ones that will take their place this year. 1. Old rule:...

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January 11, 2024

Buying, Lifestyle, Living, News

Mortgage Rates Have Dropped Quickly: How Low Will They Go in 2024?

By Clare Trapasso | REALTOR.COM Homebuyers received an unexpected gift around the holidays as mortgage rates dropped rapidly late last year. They fell from a peak of about 8% in the fall to the mid-6% range in late December, a level many economists and forecasters hadn’t anticipated until the end of 2024—if they were being optimistic. Now with the U.S. Federal Reserve poised to cut its own rates this year, the question on the minds of many aspiring homebuyers is just how low mortgage rates will drop this year. Most of the real estate experts who spoke with Realtor.com® say they expect rates will stay in the 6% range this year, but some believe...

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Lifestyle Tag

The Top U.S. Cities Immune to the Housing Market Malaise—Where Price Growth Is Surging

What Are Experts Saying About the Spring Housing Market?

The Housing Market’s Unhappy New Year: Fewer Homes Go Under Contract as Mortgage Rates Rise

The Benefits of Downsizing When You Retire

Pet-Friendly Features That Could Help Your Home Sell Faster

Why So Many People Fall in Love with Homeownership

The Most Undervalued Housing Markets in the U.S.

How Much Does It Cost to Stage a House—And Is It Worth It?

Are Your Homebuying Tactics Out of Date? The New Rules for Buying a Home in 2024

Mortgage Rates Have Dropped Quickly: How Low Will They Go in 2024?

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