What It Means To Be in a Sellers Market

If you've given even a casual thought to selling your house in the near future, this is the time to really think seriously about making a move. Here's why this season is the ultimate sellers market and the optimal time to make sure your house is available for buyers who are looking for homes to purchase.

The latest Existing Home Sales Report from The National Association of Realtors(NAR) shows the inventory of houses for sale is still astonishingly low, sitting at just a2-month supply at the current sales pace.

Historically, a 6-month supply is necessary for a normal or neutral market in which there are enough homes available for active buyers(See graph below):When the supply of houses for sale is as low as it is right now, its much harder for buyers to find homes to purchase. As a result, competition among purchasers rises and more bidding wars take place, making it essential for buyers to submit very attractive offers.

As this happens, home prices rise and sellers are in the best position to negotiate deals that meet their ideal terms. If you put your house on the market while so few homes are available to buy, it will likely get a lot of attention from hopeful buyers.

Today, there are many buyers who are ready, willing, and able to purchase a home. Low mortgage rates and a year filled with unique changes have prompted buyers to think differently about where they live and they're taking action. The supply of homes for sale is not keeping up with this high demand, making now the optimal time to sell your house.

Bottom Line

Home prices are appreciating in todays sellers market. Making your home available over the coming weeks will give you the most exposure to buyers who will actively compete against each other to purchase it.

 

How a Change in Mortgage Rate Impacts Your Homebuying Budget

Mortgage rates are on the rise this year, but they're still incredibly low compared to the historic average. However, anytime there's a change in the mortgage rate, it affects what you can afford to borrow when you're buying a home. As Sam Khater, Chief Economist at Freddie Mac, shares:

Since January, mortgage rates have increased half a percentage point from historic lows and home prices have risen, leaving potential homebuyers with less purchasing power. (See graph below):

When buying a home, its important to determine a monthly budget so you can plan for and understand what you can afford. However, when you need to stick to your budget, even a small increase in the mortgage rate can make a big difference.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), today, the median existing-home price is $313,000. Using $300,000 as a simple number close to the median price, here's an example of how a change in mortgage rate impacts your monthly principal and interest payments on a home.If, for example, you're getting ready to buy a home and know your budget allows for a monthly payment of $1200-1250 (marked in gray on the table above), every time the mortgage rate increases, the loan amount has to decrease to keep your monthly cost in range. This means you may have to look for lower-priced homes as mortgage rates go up if you want to be able to maintain your budget.

In essence, its ideal to close on a home loan when mortgage rates are low, so you can afford to borrow more money. This gives you more purchasing power when you buy a home. Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, explains:

Monthly payments have remained manageable despite soaring home prices because of low mortgage rates. In fact, monthly payments remain below the $1,250 to $1,260 range that we saw in both fall 2018 and spring 2019, but they are on track to hit that level this spring.

Although they remain low, mortgage rates have begun to increase and are expected to rise further later in the year, thus affordability will test buyer demand in the months ahead and likely help slow the pace of price growth.

Todays mortgage rates are still very low, but experts project they'll continue to rise modestly this year. As a result, every moment counts for homebuyers who want to secure the lowest mortgage rate they can in order to be able to afford the home of their dreams.

Bottom Line

Thanks to low mortgage rates, the spring housing market’s in bloom for buyers but these favorable conditions may not last for long. Lets connect today to start the homebuying process while your purchasing power is still holding strong.

 

 

Is This the Year to Repaint Your Home?

There’s nothing like a postcard-fresh paint job on your home to make it look and feel brand new again, but it’s unlikely you’ll need a new coat of paint every year. So how do you know when it’s time to repaint? Let’s walk through some of the biggest signs that it’s time to break out the buckets and brushes.

The Purpose of Paint

Although paint is nice to look at, and the color you choose definitely tells a story and lends a mood to the whole neighborhood, paint serves another very important function as a waterproof barrier. For many homes, especially those that are older, there’s very little standing between the siding and the living space. This is why having a good paint really matters. Paint waterproofs that siding, and helps prevent moisture from crossing from the outdoors inward. This, in turn, helps slow the damage time brings, like wood rot and damage from insects drawn to a moist environment. So even though it’s a lovely thing to look at, paint is really one of your best defenses against the elements.

Painting isn’t limited to wooden siding, though. You can also paint many types of siding considered non-paintable with the right kind of preparation and primer. So, if your house is covered in a horrific color of vinyl siding, for example, all hope is not lost.

How to Tell It’s Time to Paint

Knowing when it’s time to paint your house is as much an art as a science. There are definitely things you can look for that indicate the time is coming near, but you’ll also need to balance that with the expense and effort involved. Here are a few clear indicators to watch:

• There’s chipping paint. Most people know that chipping paint is a sign it’s probably about time to start considering a paint job. But there’s a fine line between a little bit of acceptable flaking and serious chipping. If you’re only noticing a few very small flakes falling off here and there, you should be working on picking a new color, but you don’t necessarily need to stop everything to get to painting. On the other hand, if big chips of paint are shedding off in multiple places, you’ve probably waited too long.
• Your waterproofing is failing. If your paint no longer keeps water from soaking into your siding, and instead it seems to be absorbing more water, your waterproofing has failed. Generally, you want water to bead up on your siding, then work its way down and onto the ground. If the paint is so far gone that your siding is soaking up rainwater, a paint job is needed ASAP. Waiting risks further, more serious damage.
• There’s damage. Visible siding damage is a good sign it’s time to paint. After all, after you’ve fixed the holes in the siding created by woodpeckers, or by falling trees during storms, you’ll want to ensure the paint matches. Sometimes you can get away with just painting that side of the house, but large patches or siding replacements will usually not match existing paint, even if you use the same bucket. UV light breaks down the pigments quickly; just how quickly depends on the colors you’ve chosen.
• You’re ready for a change. Look, you can paint your house just because you hate the color. It’s totally legit and, frankly, can be a much easier process than painting to deal with damage or worn out paint. Just make sure you’re preparing the surface just like you would for a coat of paint meant to be a repair so it’ll adhere properly.

A Little Painting Help From Your Friends

If it’s time for some paint, but you don’t have the energy, skills, or schedule opening to do the job yourself, you’re in luck. Your HomeKeepr community knows lots of great painters. They can even help with those not-so-typical paint jobs you’ve been thinking about! Just look for a recommendation and you’ll soon be on your way to fresh paint, and a fresh jewel in your neighborhood.

Is Homeownership Still Considered Part of the American Dream?

Since the birth of our nation, homeownership has always been considered a major piece of the American Dream. As Frederick Peters reports in Forbes:

The idea of a place of ones own drives the American story. We became a nation out of a desire to slip the bonds of Europe, which was still in many respects a collection of feudal societies. Old rich families, or the church, owned all the land and, with few exceptions, everyone else was a tenant. The magic of America lay not only in its sense of opportunity, but also in the belief that life could in every way be shaped by the individual. People traveled here not just for religious freedom, but because in America anything seemed possible.

Additionally, a research paper released just prior to the shelter-in-place orders issued last year concludes:

Homeownership is undeniably the cornerstone of the American Dream, and is inseparable from our national ethos that, through hard work, every American should have opportunities for prosperity and success. It is the stability and wealth creation that homeownership provides that represents the primary mechanism through which many American families are able to achieve upward socioeconomic mobility and greater opportunities for their children.

Has the past year changed the American view on homeownership?

Definitely not. A survey of prospective homebuyers released by realtor.com last week reveals that becoming a homeowner is still the main reason this year’s first-time homebuyers want to purchase a home. When asked why they want to buy, three of the top four responses center on the financial benefits of owning a home. The top four reasons for buying are:

• 59% – “I want to be a homeowner”
• 33% – “I want to live in a space that I can invest in improving”
• 31% – I need more space”
• 22% – “I want to build equity”

Millennials believe most strongly in homeownership.

The survey also reports that 62% of millennials say a desire to be a homeowner is the main reason they're buying a home. This contradicts the thinking of some experts who had believed millennials were going to be the first renter generation in our nations history.

While reporting on the survey, George Ratiu, Senior Economist at realtor.com, said:

“Americans, even millennials who many thought would never buy, have a strong preference for homeownership for the same reasons many generations before them have — to invest in a place of their own and in their communities, and to build a solid financial foundation for themselves and their families.”

Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist for First American, also addresses millennial homeownership:

Millennials have delayed marriage and having children in favor of investing in education, pushing marriage and family formation to their early-to-mid thirties, compared with previous generations, who primarily made these lifestyle choices in their twenties Delayed lifestyle choices delay the desire for homeownership.

Kushi goes on to explain:

As more millennials get married and form families, millennials remain poised to transform the housing market. In fact, the housing market is already experiencing the earliest gusts of the tailwind.

Bottom Line

As it always has been and very likely always will be, homeownership continues to be a major component in every generations pursuit of the American Dream.

 

There's No Reason To Panic Over Todays Lending Standards

Today, some are afraid the real estate market is starting to look a lot like it did in 2006, just prior to the housing crash. One of the factors they're pointing to is the availability of mortgage money. Recent articles about the availability of low down payment loans and down payment assistance programs are causing fear that were returning to the bad habits seen 15 years ago. Lets alleviate these concerns.

Several times a year, the Mortgage Bankers Association releases an index titled The Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI). According to their website:

The MCAI provides the only standardized quantitative index that is solely focused on mortgage credit. The MCAI is a summary measure which indicates the availability of mortgage credit at a point in time.

Basically, the index determines how easy it is to get a mortgage. The higher the index, the more available mortgage credit becomes. Here's a graph of the MCAI dating back to 2004, when the data first became available:As we can see, the index stood at about 400 in 2004. Mortgage credit became more available as the housing market heated up, and then the index passed 850 in 2006. When the real estate market crashed, so did the MCAI (to below 100) as mortgage money became almost impossible to secure. Thankfully, lending standards have eased somewhat since. The index, however, is still below 150, which is about one-sixth of what it was in 2006.

Why did the index rage out of control during the housing bubble?

The main reason was the availability of loans with extremely weak lending standards. To keep up with demand in 2006, many mortgage lenders offered loans that put little emphasis on the eligibility of the borrower. Lenders were approving loans without always going through a verification process to confirm if the borrower would likely be able to repay the loan.

Some of these loans offered attractive, low interest rates that increased over time. The loans were popular because they could be obtained quickly and without the borrower having to provide documentation up front. However, as the rates increased, borrowers struggled to pay their mortgages.

Today, lending standards are much tighter. As Investopedia explains, the risky loans given at that time are extremely rare today, primarily because lending standards have drastically improved:

In the aftermath of the crisis, the U.S. government issued new regulations to improve standard lending practices across the credit market, which included tightening the requirements for granting loans.

An example of the relaxed lending standards leading up to the housing crash is the FICO credit score associated with a loan. What's a FICO score? The website my FICO explains:

A credit score tells lenders about your creditworthiness (how likely you are to pay back a loan based on your credit history). It is calculated using the information in your credit reports. FICO Scores are the standard for credit scores used by 90% of top lenders.

During the housing boom, many mortgages were written for borrowers with a FICO score under 620. Experian reveals that, in todays market, lenders are more cautious about lower credit scores:

Statistically speaking, 28% of consumers with credit scores in the Fair range are likely to become seriously delinquent in the future Some lenders dislike those odds and choose not to work with individuals whose FICO Scores fall within this range.

There are definitely still loan programs that allow a 620 score. However, lending institutions overall are much more attentive about measuring risk when approving loans. According to Ellie Maes latest Origination Insight Report, the average FICO score on all loans originated in February was 753.

The graph below shows the billions of dollars in mortgage money given annually to borrowers with a credit score under 620.In 2006, mortgage entities originated $376 billion dollars in loans for purchasers with a score under 620. Last year, that number was only $74 billion.

Bottom Line

In 2006, lending standards were much more relaxed with little evaluation done to measure a borrowers potential to repay their loan. Today, standards are tighter, and the risk is reduced for both lenders and borrowers. These are two very different housing markets, so there's no need to panic over todays lending standards.

 

 

Seed Starting 101

Planting a garden in the spring is a great way to have fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Even homeowners who don’t have space for a large garden plot often plant a few things in containers or small raised gardens on their property. While it’s not quite time to start planting in a lot of places, that doesn’t mean you can’t get the jump on gardening season by starting your seeds. Depending on where you live and what you’re planting in your garden, there are a few different ways to get seeds started for your garden this year.

Starting Seeds Indoors

Before starting your seeds, be sure to read the seed packet to get an idea of how long before planting you should get your seeds started. In many cases this will be six to eight weeks, but it could be longer or shorter depending on exactly what you’re growing. In addition, the packet should give you an idea of when is best to plant based on where you live; you can then time you seed starting based on that guideline.

Prepare a growing medium by using a seed-starting mix or other potting soil. Break it apart to loosen it, then dampen it slightly with some water. Avoid using outdoor garden soil or soil with added fertilizers, as seeds won’t need the extra fertilizer or organic materials from the soil and having too much of these can actually cause problems.

Once you’ve prepped your growing medium, fill some seed-starting trays or other containers until they’re around 2/3 full. Place a few seeds in each cell or container, covering them with more of the dampened mix. Add just a little bit of water, then place the containers in a warm, sunny place. Cover them with a thin sheet of plastic wrap or plastic seed-starting domes to help control the humidity until the seeds sprout.

Starting Seeds Outdoors

Some plants, including a lot of flowers and certain vegetables such as squash and beans, do better when started outdoors. In many cases these are referred to as “direct sow” seeds because they are typically planted directly into the ground instead of being started in pots. This is often the case with plants that germinate and grow quickly, since they can rapidly outgrow indoor growing spaces. If you want to get a jump on these seeds, you’ll need to start them outdoors.

If you have a greenhouse set up, you can start a variety of seeds in it, including seeds that you might otherwise start indoors. Even if you don’t have a dedicated greenhouse set up, cutting the bottoms off of gallon water or milk jugs can still give you the benefits of a greenhouse without the dedicated structure. Failing that, you can also use plastic sheeting to construct a greenhouse tent to achieve the same end.

If you don’t wish to plant directly into the soil, use small individual flowerpots filled with the same seed starter material you would use for indoor starting. This provides more room for root development while still fitting inside of a greenhouse (either static or makeshift) for warmth and weather protection. Once the plants start to outgrow their greenhouses or fill out their pots, they are ready to transfer to the soil.

Planting Time

When it comes time to plant seeds that were started indoors or in pots, the process is pretty simple. Indoor plants should be placed in a partially shaded area that’s protected from the wind for a few hours each day, gradually exposing them to more sunlight and wind for around seven to ten days before planting. Once you’re ready to actually plant, dig a hole slightly larger than the container you started your seed in and add more starting soil to the bottom of it. Remove any excess sprouts from each starter, leaving the strongest plant as you transfer the plant and its surrounding soil to the hole. Fill in around it with soil, then water.

Growing a garden can be very rewarding, but there’s a lot of work involved early on. If you need help getting started, need additional plant starters, or need some assistance building a raised garden, HomeKeepr is there for you. Sign up for a free account today to connect with nurseries and other pros in your area who can give you all the help you need.

What Credit Score Do You Need for a Mortgage?

According to data from the most recent Origination Insight Report by Ellie Mae, the average FICO score on closed loans reached 753 in February. As lending standards have tightened recently, many are concerned over whether or not their credit score is strong enough to qualify for a mortgage. While stricter lending standards could be a challenge for some, many buyers may be surprised by the options that are still available for borrowers with lower credit scores.

The fact that the average American has seen their credit score go up in recent years is a great sign of financial health. As someone's score rises, they're building toward a stronger financial future. As more Americans with strong credit enter the housing market, we see a natural increase in the FICO score distribution of closed loans, as shown in the graph below:If your credit score is below 750, its easy to see this data and fear that you may not be able to qualify for a mortgage. However, that's not always the case. While the majority of borrowers right now do have a score above 750, there's more to qualifying for a mortgage than just the credit score, and there are still options that allow people with lower credit scores to buy their dream home. Here's what Experian, a global leader in consumer and business credit reporting, says:

• Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans: With a 3.5% down payment, homebuyers may be able to get an FHA loan with a 580 credit score or higher. If you can manage a 10% down payment, though, that minimum goes as low as 500.
• Conventional loans: The most popular loan type typically comes with a 620 minimum credit score.
• S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loans: In general, lenders require a minimum credit score of 640 for a USDA loan, though some may go as low as 580.
• S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loans: VA loans don’t technically have a minimum credit score, but lenders will typically require between 580 and 620.

There's no doubt a higher credit score will give you more options and better terms when applying for a mortgage, especially when lending is tight like it is right now. When planning to buy a home, speaking to an expert about steps you can take to improve your credit score is essential so you're in the best position possible. However, don't rule yourself out if your score is less than perfect todays market is still full of opportunity.

Bottom Line

Don't let assumptions about whether your credit score is strong enough put a premature end to your homeownership goals. Lets connect today to discuss the options that are best for you.