Chris Saechao - Katrina Eileen Real Estate

08/25/2022

Why You May Want To Start Your Home Search Today

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you likely have a lot of factors on your mind. You’re weighing your own needs against higher mortgage rates, today’s home prices, and more to try to decide if you want to jump into the market. While some buyers may wait things out, there’s a reason serious buyers are making moves right now, and that’s the growing number of homes for sale.

>>What’s Causing Housing Inventory To Grow?

As new data comes out, we're getting an updated picture of why housing supply is increasing so much this year. Basically, the inventory growth is primarily from homes staying on the market a bit longer (known as active listings). And that’s happening because higher mortgage rates and home prices have helped moderate the peak frenzy of buyer demand.

>>Why This Growth Is Good News for You

Regardless of the source, the...

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you likely have a lot of factors on your mind. You’re weighing your own needs against higher mortgage rates, today’s home prices, and more to try to decide if you want to jump into the market. While some buyers may wait things out, there’s a reason ser...

08/24/2022

Why Today’s Housing Inventory Proves the Market Isn’t Headed for a Crash

For the market to crash, you’d have to make a case for an oversupply of inventory headed to the market, and the numbers just don’t support that. So, here’s a deeper look at where inventory is coming from today to help prove why the housing market isn’t headed for a crash.

>>Current Homeowners Putting Their Homes Up for Sale

Even though housing supply is increasing this year, there’s still a limited number of existing homes available. So, what does this mean? Inventory is still historically low. There simply aren’t enough homes on the market to cause prices to crash. There would need to be a flood of people getting ready to sell their houses in order to tip the scales toward a buyers’ market. And that level of activity simply isn’t there.

>>Newly Built Homes Coming onto the Market

Home builders are actually...

Whether or not you owned a home in 2008, you likely remember the housing crash that took place back then. And news about an economic slowdown happening today may bring all those concerns back to the surface. While those feelings are understandable, data can help reassure you the situation today is n...

08/23/2022

What Sellers Need To Know in Today’s Housing Market

If you’re thinking about selling your house, you may have heard about the housing market slowing down in recent months. While it’s still a sellers’ market, the peak frenzy the market saw over the past two years has cooled some. If you’re asking yourself if you’ve missed your chance to sell your house and make a move, the good news is you haven’t – motivated buyers are still out there. But you do need to price your house right for today’s market. Here’s why.

As Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at NAR, says, “Homes priced right are selling very quickly, but homes priced too high are deterring prospective buyers.” It’s true buyer demand has slowed over the past few months as higher mortgage rates made it more expensive to buy a home. The result is fewer bidding wars and less competition among buyers.

But don’t forget – that’s compared to...

If you’re thinking about selling your house, you may have heard about the housing market slowing down in recent months. While it’s still a sellers’ market, the peak frenzy the market saw over the past two years has cooled some. If you’re asking yourself if you’ve missed your chance to sell...

08/22/2022

3 Tips for Buying a Home Today

Here are three tips for buying the home of your dreams today.

>>Understand How Mortgage Rates Impact Your Homebuying Power
It’s important to stay up to date on what’s happening with rates and understand how they can impact your purchasing power when you’re thinking of buying a home. Even a small change in mortgage rates can have a big impact on your monthly payments. If rates rise, you could exceed your budget unless you pursue a lower home loan amount. If rates fall, your purchasing power may increase, which could give you additional options for your search.

>>Be Open to Exploring Different Options During Your Search
The supply of homes for sale is improving, which gives you more homes to choose from. But historically, supply is still low. That means if you don’t find something that meets your needs, it may be worth expanding your search. And if you’re able to, opening your...

If you put off your home search at any point over the past two years, you may want to consider picking it back up based on today’s housing market conditions. Recent data shows the supply of homes for sale is increasing, giving buyers like you additional options.

08/19/2022

As the housing market shifts away from the peak frenzy it saw during the pandemic, the supply of homes for sale is increasing. As a buyer, that gives you more options for your search. And that means it shouldn’t feel as impossible to find a home today as it has over the past two years. If you’re ready to buy your dream home, DM me today.

08/18/2022

Looking for an Alternative to Rising Rents?

Rents have risen consistently year after year for over three decades. Let's connect to discuss all the benefits homeownership has to offer.

08/17/2022

Experts Increase 2022 Home Price Projections

If you’re wondering if home prices are going to come down due to the cooldown in the housing market or a potential recession, here’s what you need to know. Not only are experts forecasting home prices will continue to appreciate nationwide this year, but most of them also actually increased their projections for home price appreciation from their original 2022 forecasts

But why are experts so confident the housing market will see ongoing appreciation? It’s because of supply and demand in most markets. As Bankrate says:

“After all, supplies of homes for sale remain near record lows. And while a jump in mortgage rates has dampened demand somewhat, demand still outpaces supply, thanks to a combination of little new construction and strong household formation by large numbers of millennials.”

Knowing that experts forecast home prices will continue to appreciate...

If you’re wondering if home prices are going to come down due to the cooldown in the housing market or a potential recession, here’s what you need to know. Not only are experts forecasting home prices will continue to appreciate nationwide this year, but most of them also actually increased thei...

08/16/2022

What Would a Recession Mean for the Housing Market?

And as more recession talk fills the air, one concern many people have is: should I delay my homeownership plans if there’s a recession? Here’s a look at historical data to show what happened in real estate during previous recessions to help prove why you shouldn’t be afraid of what a recession would mean for the housing market today.

To show that home prices don’t fall every time there’s a recession, it helps to turn to the historical data. Looking at the recessions going all the way back to 1980, home prices appreciated in four of the last six recessions. So, historically, when the economy slows down, it doesn’t mean home values will fall.

Research also helps paint the picture of how a recession could impact the cost of financing a home. Historically, each time the economy slowed down, mortgage rates decreased. Fortune explains that...

According to a recent survey from the Wall Street Journal, the percentage of economists who believe we’ll see a recession in the next 12 months is growing. When surveyed in July 2021, only 12% of economists consulted thought there’d be a recession by now. But this July, when polled, 49% believe ...

08/15/2022

The U.S. Homeownership Rate Is Growing

The desire to own a home is still strong today. In fact, according to the Census, the U.S. homeownership rate is on the rise. If you’re thinking about buying a home this year, here are just a few reasons why so many people see the value of homeownership.

There are several benefits to owning your home. A significant one, especially when inflation is high like it is today, is that homeownership can help protect you from rising costs. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), explains, “Renters actually have a harder time in inflationary periods, because rents tend to rise along with inflation, whereas mortgage payments stay the same for homeowners with fixed-rate mortgages.”

When you buy a home with a fixed-rate mortgage, you can lock in what's likely your biggest monthly expense – your housing payment – for the duration...

The desire to own a home is still strong today. In fact, according to the Census, the U.S. homeownership rate is on the rise. To illustrate the increase, the graph below shows the homeownership rate over the last year:

08/12/2022

Are you wondering what a recession could do to home values? Historical data proves an economic slowdown doesn’t mean prices will fall. In 4 of the last 6 recessions, home prices actually appreciated. This goes to show 2008 wasn’t the norm. DM me, and let’s discuss why history shows an economic slowdown doesn’t equal a housing crisis.

08/11/2022

3 Tips for Selling Your House Right Now

Pricing your house based on current market conditions means it's more likely to sell quickly. Let's connect so you can have the best advice when you sell today.

08/10/2022

Is the Shifting Market a Challenge or an Opportunity for Homebuyers?

If you tried to buy a home during the pandemic, you know the limited supply of homes for sale was a considerable challenge. It created intense bidding wars which drove home prices up as buyers competed with one another to be the winning offer.

But what was once your greatest challenge may now be your greatest opportunity. Today, data shows buyer demand is moderating in the wake of higher mortgage rates. Here are a few reasons why this shift in the housing market is good news for your homebuying plans.

>>The Challenge

There were many reasons for the limited number of homes on the market during the pandemic, including a history of underbuilding new homes since the market crash in 2008.

>>The Opportunity

Moderating demand is slowing the pace of home sales and that’s one of the reasons housing supply is finally able to grow. For you, that...

If you tried to buy a home during the pandemic, you know the limited supply of homes for sale was a considerable challenge. It created intense bidding wars which drove home prices up as buyers competed with one another to be the winning offer.