Selling More home sellers are paying capital gains taxes — here’s how to reduce your bill More Americans are paying capital gains taxes on home sale profits amid soaring property values — but there are ways to reduce your bill, experts say. In 2023, nearly 8% of U.S. home sales yielded profits exceeding $500,000, compared with about 3% in 2019, according to an April report from real estate data firm CoreLogic. There’s a reason the report […]
Buying What Buyers, Sellers Want Most From Real Estate Agents When it comes to buying or selling a home, what are the top things that most clients are looking for when they hire a real estate agent? Let’s take a look.. The majority of home buyers and sellers rely on real estate agents—nearly 90% of them—but they’re looking for certain types of help, and what […]
Home Improvement 7 Types of Tax-Deductible Home Improvements With Tax Day in your rear view, make sure you are taking all the home deductions for which you may qualify for during this tax year. Nearly a quarter of homeowners say they’re planning major renovations this year, and some of those projects may be eligible for a tax deduction. This could help alleviate some of the […]
Retirement Let Your Home Equity Fund Your Retirement Struggling with Money? Learn about Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs) If you’re low on cash, you might consider a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM). It’s like a reverse mortgage backed by the government. This means if you meet certain requirements, you can borrow money against the value of your home. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) […]
Real Estate Why 90% of Homebuyers Will Continue to Choose Working with Real Estate Agents: Insights from the National Association of Realtors Last month, the National Association of Realtors announced a settlement that would resolve nationwide litigation over claims from home sellers related to broker commissions. The $418 million settlement, and the practice changes it will usher in, have led some to speculate that real estate agents are at risk of becoming obsolete. As someone who has […]
Buying 4 Tips To Make Your Strongest Offer on a Home 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 […]
Buying Finding Your Perfect Home in a Fixer Upper If you’re trying to buy a home and are having a hard time finding one you can afford, it may be time to consider a fixer-upper. That’s a house that needs a little elbow grease or some updates, but has good bones. Fixer-uppers can be a really great option if you’re looking to break into the housing market […]
Market Trends Why We Aren’t Headed for a Housing Crash If you’re holding out hope that the housing market is going to crash and bring home prices back down, here’s a look at what the data shows. And spoiler alert: that’s not in the cards. Instead, experts say home prices are going to keep going up. Today’s market is very different than it was before the housing crash in […]
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Buying Should you wait for rates to fall before purchasing a home? According to this article, if you’re in the market for a new home, today’s mortgage rates can hinder your efforts. After all, the higher your mortgage rate, the higher your monthly payments will typically be. So, it can be difficult to find affordable housing options in today’s high-rate environment. But the good news is that there are still good […]
Buying Should I Buy a House Now or Wait for Mortgage Rates to Go Down? Contemplating the purchase of a home or diligently saving for a down payment? The recent surge in mortgage rates may have prompted a crucial question in your mind: Is now the best moment to invest in a home, or should you bide your time until mortgage rates go down? In order to assist you in […]
Uncategorized 350,000 Californians are now on the FAIR Plan, the last resort for fire insurance. Now what? BY LEVI SUMAGAYSAY JANUARY 23, 2024   The fire-insurance premium for Bill King’s home has risen 145% since 2017 — from $399 to $979 — under the California FAIR Plan, the state’s last option for homeowners seeking fire insurance. Add that to the increase in his auto-insurance premium, and King, who lives in Running Springs in the […]
Uncategorized Top 5 Home Renovations with the Best Return on Investment Well-planned home renovations can really enhance your home’s appeal and amp up its price when it’s time to sell. But not all improvements bring a hefty return on investment (ROI). Knowing the most promising updates can help strategize your revamping efforts for an attractive sale. Read on for a rundown of the top five home […]
Home Improvement Want to Add a Granny Flat or Rental ADU? Here’s How to Finance It Are you dreaming of adding an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to your property? Whether it’s a granny flat, carriage house, or backyard cottage, ADUs are gaining popularity as an innovative solution to the shortage of affordable housing in the United States. In this guide, we’ll explore the financing options and trends that make realizing your […]
Buying 2024 Homebuying Optimism Soars: Federal Reserve’s Potential Rate Cuts Spark Hope In the landscape of American homeownership, 2024 brings a surge of optimism for potential buyers. The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index saw a robust 2.9-point increase in December, reaching an encouraging 67.2. Notably, 17% of consumers now view it as an opportune time to purchase a home, a significant uptick from the previous month’s […]
Appraisals Appraised Value vs. Market Value When it comes to real estate, understanding the value of a property is more than just a number—it’s about making informed decisions. The often-confused concepts of “appraised value” and “market value” leave many confused. Understanding the differences between the two is crucial for navigating property transactions successfully. What is Appraised Value? The appraised value of […]
Other Five Ways NOT to Use Your HELOC One of the benefits of owning a home is the chance to build equity. Equity is the difference between what you owe on your mortgage and what your home is worth. If your home is worth $300,000 and you owe $100,000 on your mortgage, you have $200,000 of equity. You can then borrow against that […]
Market Trends Heading into the New Year, Mortgage Rates Remain on a Downward Trend  Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.61 percent. “The rapid descent of mortgage rates over the last two months stabilized a bit this week, but rates continue to trend down,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist. “Heading into the new year, […]
Uncategorized Home sales are expected to soar in these California cities next year With mortgage rates finally easing, many California cities are expected to see home sales rebound significantly next year, according to a new forecast from Realtor.com. Five metro areas are predicted to see double-digit, year-over-year sales growth in 2024. They are Oxnard-Thousand Oaks (18%), Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario (13.8%), Bakersfield (13.4%), San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad (11%) and Sacramento (10.3%). Home sales in the Los Angeles-Long […]
Buying Private Mortgage Insurance: Is It as Bad as You Think? Private mortgage insurance, better known as PMI, provides a type of financial safety net to your lender if you should stop paying your mortgage on time. How much you pay will vary, but PMI typically costs 0.1% to 2% of your loan amount. That can add up. If you are taking out a mortgage of […]
Other Stretch It Out: Is a 40-Year Mortgage Right for You? Like all fixed-rate mortgages, your interest rate will never change with a 40-year, fixed-rate mortgage. Your rate will remain the same until you pay off your loan, refinance your 40-year mortgage into a new loan or sell your home. The difference between a 40-year mortgage and other fixed-rate loans comes in the term. The 40-year […]