News - The Jenn Pfeiffer Team

March 5, 2024

Buying Houses Before Finding Spouses

By Debra Kim| The New York Times Single men traditionally get a head start in homeownership and reap the benefits faster, but single women are thinking creatively to close the gap. Rachel Rodman always dreamed of owning her own home, but life kept getting in the way. She became a mother at 19, then went through a complicated divorce that left her financially depleted. For many years, she felt resigned to renting with her son, James, now 14. Ms. Rodman, 33, earns a steady income as an events producer for SXSW, the annual festival of creative arts and technology held in her hometown, Austin, Texas. Still, she never felt she had...

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February 15, 2024

Buying

Don’t Let the Latest Home Price Headlines Confuse You

From our friends KCM Based on what you’re hearing in the news about home prices, you may be worried they’re falling. But here’s the thing. The headlines aren’t giving you the full picture. If you look at the national data for 2023, home prices actually showed positive growth for the year. While this varies by market, and while there were some months with slight declines nationally, those were the exception, not the rule. The overarching story is that prices went up last year, not down. Let’s dive into the data to set the record straight. 2023 Was the Return to More Normal Home Price Growth If anything, last year marked a return to more normal home price...

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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 30, 2024

Living

What Are HOA Fees—and What Do They Actually Pay For?

Curious about homeowners association fees? Here’s how HOA fees are collected and used. By Kristine Gill | Better Homes There are two major components to a homeowners association (HOA). The first is that the organization oversees a set of rules particular to the residential community. The second component is the associated fee required for living in the community and how the HOA fees benefit the homeowners. “An HOA fee is typically structured per community to enforce rules and regulations so it can set the covenants, conditions, and restrictions,” says Donna Soda, Realtor and global real estate advisor. “The idea is to maintain the community in a beautiful manner.” DEFINITION: What is a homeowners association? A homeowners...

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January 26, 2024

Buying

Experts Project Home Prices Will Increase in 2024

From our friends in KCM Even though home prices are going up nationally, some people are still worried they might come down. In fact, a recent survey from Fannie Mae found that 24% of people think home prices will actually decline over the next 12 months. That means almost one out of every four people are dealing with that fear, and you might be, too. To help ease that concern, here’s what experts forecast will happen with prices this year. Experts Project a Modest Increase Check out the latest home price forecasts from eight different sources (see graph below): The blue bar on the left means, on average, experts think home prices will go up over 2% by the end of this...

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January 18, 2024

Selling

2 Reasons Why Today’s Mortgage Rate Trend Is Good for Sellers

From our friends in KCM If you’ve been holding off on selling your house to make a move because you felt mortgage rates were too high, their recent downward trend is exciting news for you. Mortgage rates have descended since last October when they hit 7.79%. In fact, they’ve been below 7% for over a month now (see graph below): And while they’re not going back to the 3% we saw during the ‘unicorn’ years, they are expected to continue to go down from where they are now in the near future. As Dean Baker, Senior Economist at the Center for Economic Research, explains: “It also appears that mortgage rates are now falling again. They will almost certainly not...

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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 15, 2024

Buying, Living

Avoid These Common Mistakes After Applying for a Mortgage

From our friends in KCM If you’re getting ready to buy a home, it’s exciting to jump a few steps ahead and think about moving in and making it your own. But before you get too far down the emotional path, there are some key things to keep in mind after you apply for your mortgage and before you close. Here’s a list of things to remember when you apply for your home loan. Don’t Deposit Large Sums of Cash Lenders need to source your money, and cash isn’t easily traceable. Before you deposit any cash into your accounts, discuss the proper way to document your transactions with your loan officer. Don’t Make Any Large Purchases It’s not just...

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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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January 10, 2024

Living, News

Ways Your Home Equity Can Help You Reach Your Goals

From our friends in KCM If you’ve owned your house for at least a couple of years, there’s something you’re going to want to know more about – and that’s home equity. If you’re not familiar with that term, Freddie Mac defines it like this: “. . . your home’s equity is the difference between how much your home is worth and how much you owe on your mortgage.” That means your equity grows as you pay down your home loan over time and as home values climb. While it’s true home prices dipped slightly last year, they rebounded and have been climbing in many areas since then. Here’s why that price growth is good news for you. In the latest Equity...

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News Tag

Buying Houses Before Finding Spouses

Don’t Let the Latest Home Price Headlines Confuse You

The Most Undervalued Housing Markets in the U.S.

What Are HOA Fees—and What Do They Actually Pay For?

Experts Project Home Prices Will Increase in 2024

2 Reasons Why Today’s Mortgage Rate Trend Is Good for Sellers

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

Avoid These Common Mistakes After Applying for a Mortgage

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

Ways Your Home Equity Can Help You Reach Your Goals

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