Are Interest Rates Expected to Rise Next Year?
Are Interest Rates Expected to Rise Over the Next Year?
Buying a home in Raleigh Durham has never been better when it comes to interest rates! The competition and lack of inventory…not so great! But the low interest rates have really made it more possible for people interested in buying a home in Raleigh or Durham!
So far this year, mortgage rates continue to hover around 3%, encouraging many hopeful homebuyers to enter the housing market. However, there’s a good chance rates will increase later this year and going into 2022, ultimately making it more expensive to borrow money for a home loan. Here’s a look at what several experts have to say. This will impact nationally and locally for those looking to buy a home in Raleigh Durham or elsewhere.
Danielle Hale, Chief Economist, realtor.com:
“Our long-term view for mortgage rates in 2021 is higher. As the economic outlook strengthens, thanks to progress against coronavirus and vaccines plus a dose of stimulus from the government, this pushes up expectations for economic growth . . . .”
Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, National Association of Realtors (NAR):
“In 2021, I think rates will be similar or modestly higher . . . mortgage rates will continue to be historically favorable.”
Freddie Mac:
“We forecast that mortgage rates will continue to rise through the end of next year. We estimate the 30-year fixed mortgage rate will average 3.4% in the fourth quarter of 2021, rising to 3.8% in the fourth quarter of 2022.”
Below are the most recent mortgage rate forecasts from four top authorities – Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), and NAR:
Bottom Line
If you’re planning to buy a home in Raleigh Durham, purchasing before mortgage interest rates rise may help you save significantly over the life of your home loan! We are Cindi & Zach Honeycutt, your favorite Raleigh Durham realtors! We would be honored to work alongside you on your raleigh durham home search!
The Honeycutts, Movil Realty, 919-730-0777 call or text anytime!
82,338 Reasons to Buy a House Right Now- Raleigh Durham Real Estate Update
82,338 Great Reasons to Buy a Home Today
Taking a Look at the national & Raleigh Durham Real Estate Market
The financial benefits of buying a home as compared to renting one are always up for debate. However, one element of the equation is often ignored – the ability to build wealth as a homeowner.
Most experts are calling for home prices to continue appreciating over the next several years. The most recent Home Price Expectation Survey, a survey of over one hundred economists, real estate experts, and investment and market strategists, expects home appreciation to increase as follows:
- 2021: 6%
- 2022: 4.5%
- 2023: 4%
- 2024: 3.6%
- 2025: 3.5%
Using their annual projections, the graph below shows the equity build-up a purchaser could earn, using a $350,000 home as an example:
A homeowner could increase their net worth by over $80,000 in five years. That’s an average of $16,000 annually. That number should be in any equation determining the financial benefits of owning a home compared to renting.
These are national averages. When we take a look at the Raleigh Durham real estate numbers, things look even better!
The average sales price of a Raleigh Durham home from 2020 to 2021 increased by 13% in just one year! From March 2019 to March of 2020, there was an increase of 5.6% in average sales price. If we don’t even take this years unprecedented bumber of 13%, year over year sales price increases are much higher than the national average. Meaning, your household wealth factor is greatly higher after only a couple of years!
Bottom Line
Homeowners are going to make a substantial amount of money in home equity over the next five years buying a home in Raleigh Durham. If you’re ready to buy a home in the triangle, let’s connect so you can enjoy this great benefit as well!
We are Zach & Cindi Honeycutt. Raleigh Durham real estate agents working to give you the benefit of 2 agents instead of 1! Give us a call anytime for a no strings buying or selling consultation.
The Honeycutts, Realtors, Movil Realty, 919-730-0777
How to Be a Competitive Buyer in Today’s Raleigh Durham Housing Market
How to Be a Competitive Buyer in Today’s Raleigh Durham Housing Market
![How to Be a Competitive Buyer in Today’s Housing Market [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM](https://files.mykcm.com/2021/03/10135710/20210312-MEM-1046x2024.png)
Some Highlights
- With so few houses for sale today in the triangle, it’s important to be prepared when you’re ready to buy a home.
- Meeting with your lender early, knowing your must-haves and nice-to-haves, preparing for a bidding war, and keeping your emotions in check are all ways to gain confidence in the homebuying process. If you need a recommendation for a great lender, let us know! We’d be happy to help you get connected wiht someone who can provide you great service.
- If you’re looking for an expert guide to help you navigate today’s lightning-fast Raleigh Durham housing market, let’s connect today!
Zach and Cindi Honeycutt, Realtors, Movil Realty, 919-730-0777
Will the Raleigh Durham housing market bloom this spring?
Spring is almost here, and many are wondering what it will bring for the Raleigh Durham housing market. Even though the pandemic continues on, it’s certain to be very different from the spring we experienced at this time last year nationally. Here’s what a few industry experts have to say about the national housing market and how it will bloom this season.
Danielle Hale, Chief Economist, realtor.com:
“Despite early weakness, we expect to see new listings grow in March and April as they traditionally do heading into spring, and last year’s extraordinarily low new listings comparison point will mean year over year gains. One other potential bright spot for would-be homebuyers, new construction, which has risen at a year over year pace of 20% or more for the last few months, will provide additional for-sale inventory relief.”
Ali Wolf, Chief Economist, Zonda:
“Some people will feel comfortable listing their home during the first half of 2021. Others will want to wait until the vaccines are widely distributed. This suggests more inventory will be for sale in late 2021 and into the spring selling season in 2022.”
Freddie Mac:
“Since reaching a low point in January, mortgage rates have risen by more than 30 basis points… However, the rise in mortgage rates over the next couple of months is likely to be more muted in comparison to the last few weeks, and we expect a strong spring sales season.”
Mark Fleming, Chief Economist, First American:
“As the housing market heads into the spring home buying season, the ongoing supply and demand imbalance all but assures more house price growth…Many find it hard to believe, but housing is actually undervalued in most markets and the gap between house-buying power and sale prices indicates there’s room for further house price growth in the months to come.”
Bottom Line
The experts are very optimistic about the housing market right now! And we are optimistic about the local market here in Raleigh Durham. If you pressed pause on your real estate plans over the winter, let’s chat to determine how you can re-engage in the homebuying process this spring in the triangle! We would be honored to be your Raleigh Durham real estate agents! Call us or text us anytime, or connect with us on social media by searching @thehoneycuttrealtors
Zach and Cindi Honeycutt, Raleigh Durham Realtors, Movil Realty, 919-730-0777
Where Did All the Houses Go? Raleigh Durham Real Estate Update!
Where Have All the Houses Gone?
In today’s housing market, it seems harder than ever to find a home to buy in the Raleigh Durham area and beyond. Before the health crisis hit us a year ago, there was already a shortage of homes for sale. When many homeowners delayed their plans to sell at the same time that more buyers aimed to take advantage of record-low mortgage rates and purchase a home, housing inventory dropped even further. Experts consider this to be the biggest challenge facing an otherwise hot market while buyers continue to compete for homes. As Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com, explains:
“With buyers active in the market and seller participation lagging, homes are selling quickly andthe total number available for sale at any point in time continues to drop lower. In January as a whole, the number of for sale homes dropped below 600,000.”
Every month, realtor.com releases new data showing the year-over-year change in inventory of existing homes for sale. As you can see in the map below, nationwide, inventory is 42.6% lower than it was at this time last year:
Does this mean houses aren’t being put on the market for sale?
Not exactly. While there are fewer existing homes being listed right now, many homes are simply selling faster than they’re being counted as current inventory. The market is that competitive! It’s like when everyone was trying to find toilet paper to buy last spring and it was flying off the shelves faster than it could be stocked in the stores. That’s what’s happening in the housing market: homes are being listed for sale, but not at a rate that can keep up with heavy demand from competitive buyers. In the Raleigh Durham real estate market, it’s common for a home to only stay active for 2 or 3 days and sell over asking price with multiple offers. We have seen some homes receive over 30 offers!
In the same realtor.com report, Hale explains:
“Time on the market was 10 days faster than last year meaning that buyers still have to make decisions quickly in order to be successful. Today’s buyers have many tools to help them do that, including the ability to be notified as soon as homes meeting their search criteria hit the market. By tailoring search and notifications to the homes that are a solid match, buyers can act quickly and compete successfully in this faster-paced housing market.”
The Good News for Homeowners
The health crisis has been a major reason why potential sellers have held off this long, but as vaccines become more widely available, homeowners will start making their moves. Ali Wolf, Chief Economist at Zonda, confirms:
“Some people will feel comfortable listing their home during the first half of 2021. Others will want to wait until the vaccines are widely distributed.”
With more homeowners getting ready to sell later this year, putting your house on the market sooner rather than later is the best way to make sure your listing shines brighter than the rest.
When you’re ready to sell your house, you’ll likely want it to sell as quickly as possible, for the best price, and with little to no hassle. If you’re looking for these selling conditions, you’ll find them in today’s market. When demand is high and inventory is low, sellers have the ability to create optimal terms and timelines for the sale, making now an exceptional time to move.
Bottom Line
Today’s housing market is a big win for sellers, but these conditions won’t last forever. If you’re in a position to sell your house now, you may not want to wait for your neighbors to do the same. Let’s connect to discuss how to sell your house safely so you’re able to benefit from today’s high demand and low inventory. We would be honored to be your Raleigh Durham realtors!
Are you connected with us on social media? We are most active on Instagram and we’d love you to be part of our world over there! You can find us on social media using @thehoneycuttrealtors
Until next time, have an awesome day!
Zach & Cindi Honeycutt, Realtors, Movil Realty, 919-730-0777
47% of New Buyers Surprised by How Affordable Homes Are Today- Raleigh Durham Real Estate Market Update
47% of New Buyers Surprised by How Affordable Homes Are Today- Raleigh Durham Real Estate Market Update
Headlines matter. Right now, it’s hard to read about real estate without seeing a headline that suggests homes have become unaffordable for most Americans. In reality, there’s hard evidence that shows how owning a home is more affordable than renting in most parts of the country, as record-low interest rates are keeping monthly mortgage payments about 23% lower than the typical payment of 20 years ago. Despite the facts, misleading headlines persist, and they impact how hopeful homebuyers perceive the market.
In a recent survey by realtor.com, home shoppers indicated they were surprised by what they could actually afford when buying their first home. In fact, 47% discovered their budget was larger than they expected. George Ratiu, Senior Economist at realtor.com, explains:
“For first-time buyers, especially, the drop in the 30-year mortgage rate…has provided unexpected leverage. Lower rates allowed many buyers to stretch and buy more expensive homes while keeping their monthly budget the same.”
So why do these negative headlines that cast doubt on affordability continue to exist?
Most analysts only look at two of the three elements that make up the affordability equation: price and income. It’s true that incomes haven’t kept up with the price of houses. However, affordability is about the cost of the home, not just the price. For that reason, mortgage rates, the third element of the affordability equation, are important to consider.
For example, here’s the typical mortgage payment for assorted dates going back to 2000, as calculated by CoreLogic:
Outside of the housing crash (when short sales and foreclosures drove prices down), it’s more affordable to buy a home today when you consider all three elements of the affordability equation: price, income, and mortgage rate.
Bottom Line
Whether you’re a first-time buyer or a move-up buyer, don’t let the headlines scare you away from your dream of homeownership. Instead, connect with mortgage and real estate professionals to determine what you can afford and what’s available at that price. Like almost half of the buyers in the survey, you may be pleasantly surprised.
Rising rent continues to soar year over year in Raleigh Durham. Why not keep your payments consistent by owning your own home? If you are interested in looking to buy a home in the Raleigh Durham area, let us know! We would be honored to partner with you as your trusted Raleigh Durham real estate agents.
Zach & Cindi Honeycutt, Raleigh Durham Realtors, Movil Realty., call or text anytime at 919-730-0777
Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @thehoneycuttrealtors
Why Owning a Raleigh Durham Home Is a Powerful Financial Decision
In today’s housing market, there are clear financial benefits to owning a home: increasing equity, the chance to build your net worth, and appreciating home values, just to name a few. If you’re a renter, it’s never too early to think about how homeownership can propel you toward a stronger future! Rent in the triangle area continues to rise year over year. Raleigh rent is averageing over 1200/month. That is your money paying someone else’s mortgage! Here’s a dive into three often-overlooked financial benefits of homeownership and how preparing for them now can steer you in the direction of greater financial security and savings.
1. You Won’t Always Have a Monthly Housing Payment
Personal finance advisor Dave Ramsey explains:
“Every payment brings you closer to owning the house. When you pay your rent, that money is spent. Gone. Bye. Not returning. But when you pay your mortgage, you work toward full ownership.”
As a homeowner, you can eventually eliminate the monthly payment you make on your house. That’s a huge win and a big factor in how homeownership can drive stability and savings in your life. As soon as you buy a home, your monthly housing costs begin to work for you as forced savings in the form of equity. When you build equity and grow your net worth, you can continue to reinvest those savings into your future, maybe even by buying that next dream home. The possibilities are truly endless.
2. Homeownership Is a Tax Break
One thing people who have never owned a home don’t always think about are the tax advantages of homeownership. The same article states:
“You have tax advantages. Many of the costs of owning a home—like property taxes—are tax deductible. And if you’re paying off a mortgage, you’ll get to count your mortgage interest as a deduction when you file your tax return.”
Whether you’re living in your first home or your fifth, it’s a huge financial advantage to have some tax relief tied to the interest you pay each year. It’s one thing you definitely don’t get when you’re renting. Be sure to work with a tax professional to get the best possible benefits on your annual return.
3. Monthly Housing Costs Are Predictable
A third benefit is the fact that monthly costs start to become more predictable with homeownership, something that doesn’t happen if you’re renting. Ramsey also notes:
“Rent rates will go up. Even if you found a killer deal in a hot area, inflation, competition, and rising property values will cause your rent to go up year after year.”
With a mortgage, you can keep your monthly housing costs relatively steady and predictable. Your monthly costs are most likely based on a fixed-rate mortgage, which allows you to budget your finances over a longer period of time. Rental prices have been skyrocketing since 2012, and with today’s low mortgage rates, it’s a great time to get more for your money when purchasing a home. If you want to lock-in your monthly payment at a low rate and have a solid understanding of what you’re going to spend in your mortgage payment each month, buying a home may be your best bet.
Bottom Line
If you’re ready to start feeling the benefits of stability, savings, and predictability that come with owning a home in raleigh durham or the sorrounding areas, let’s connect to determine if buying sooner rather than later is right for you.
We are proud to be considered as your Raleigh Durham real estate agents!
Cindi & Zach Honeycutt, Raleigh Durham Realtors, Movil Realty, 919-730-0777
What’s the Difference between an Appraisal and a Home Inspection?
Raleigh Durham Real Estate News- What’s The Difference Between an Appraisal and a Home Inspection?
If you’re planning to buy a home in Raleigh Durham, an appraisal is an important step in the process. It’s a professional evaluation of the market value of the home you’d like to buy. In most cases, an appraisal is ordered by the lender to confirm or verify the value of the home prior to lending a buyer money for the purchase. It’s also a different step in the process from a home inspection, which assesses the condition of the home before you finalize the transaction. Here’s the breakdown of each one and why they’re both important when buying a home.
Home Appraisal
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) explains:
“A home purchase is typically the largest investment someone will make. Protect yourself by getting your investment appraised! An appraiser will observe the property, analyze the data, and report their findings to their client. For the typical home purchase transaction, the lender usually orders the appraisal to assist in the lender’s decision to provide funds for a mortgage.”
When you apply for a mortgage, an unbiased appraisal (which is required by the lender) is the best way to confirm the value of the home based on the sale price. Regardless of what you’re willing to pay for a house, if you’ll be using a mortgage to fund your purchase, the appraisal will help make sure the bank doesn’t loan you more than what the home is worth.
This is especially critical in today’s sellers’ market where low inventory is driving an increase in bidding wars, which can push home prices upward. When sellers are in a strong position like this, they tend to believe they can set whatever price they want for their house under the assumption that competing buyers will be willing to pay more.
However, the lender will only allow the buyer to borrow based on the value of the home. This is what helps keep home prices in check. If there’s ever any confusion or discrepancy between the appraisal and the sale price, your trusted real estate professional will help you navigate any additional negotiations in the buying process.
Home Inspection
Here’s the key difference between an appraisal and an inspection. MSN explains:
“In simplest terms, a home appraisal determines the value of a home, while a home inspection determines the condition of a home.”
The home inspection is a way to determine the current state, safety, and condition of the home before you finalize the sale. If anything is questionable in the inspection process – like the age of the roof, the state of the HVAC system, or just about anything else – you as a buyer have the option to discuss and negotiate any potential issues or repairs with the seller before the transaction is final. Your real estate agent is a key expert to help you through this part of the process.
Bottom Line
The appraisal and the inspection are critical steps when buying a Raleigh Durham home, and you don’t need to manage them by yourself. Let’s connect today so you have the expert guidance you need to navigate through the entire home buying process!
Zach & Cindi Honeycutt, Raleigh Durham Realtors, Movil Realty, 919-730-0777
Will Forebearance Plans Lead to a Tsunami of Foreclosures in 2021?
Will Forbearance Plans Lead to a Tsunami of Foreclosures?
A question we have been getting a lot recently….”Wont COVID cause a housing crash?” Read below to check out national and local information regarding this topic!
At the onset of the economic disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic, the government quickly put into place forbearance plans to allow homeowners to remain in their homes without making their monthly mortgage payments. Today, almost three million households are actively in a forbearance plan. Though 29.4% of those in forbearance have continued to stay current on their payments, many have not.
Yanling Mayer, Principal Economist at CoreLogic, recently revealed:
“A distributional analysis of forborne loans’ payment status reveals that more than one third (39.1%) of all forborne loans are now 150+ days behind payment, while as many as 1-in-4 (25.5%) are 180+ days past due.”
These homeowners have been given permission to not make their payments, but the question now is: how many of them will be able to catch up after their forbearance program ends? There’s speculation that a forthcoming wave of foreclosures could be the result, and that could lead to another crash in home values like we saw a decade ago.
However, today’s situation is different than the 2006-2008 housing crisis as many homeowners have tremendous amounts of equity in their homes. In Raleigh Durham alone, we have seen percentages in value go up in some areas as much as 8% increases in one year alone! This means even if someone were to be in a need to sell their Raleigh Durham home, they most likely wont be upside down (a mortgage payoff equalling more than the home is worth today.)
What are the experts saying?
Over the last 30 days, several industry experts have weighed in on this subject.
Michael Sklarz, President at Collateral Analytics:
“We may very well see a meaningful increase in the number of homes listed for sale as these borrowers choose to sell at what is arguably an intermediate top in the market and downsize to more affordable homes rather than face foreclosure.”
Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at First American:
“The foreclosure process is based on two steps. First, the homeowner suffers an adverse economic shock…leading to the homeowner becoming delinquent on their mortgage. However, delinquency by itself is not enough to send a mortgage into foreclosure. With enough equity, a homeowner has the option of selling their home, or tapping into their equity through a refinance, to help weather the economic shock. It is a lack of sufficient equity, the second component of the dual trigger, that causes a serious delinquency to become a foreclosure.”
Don Layton, Senior Industry Fellow at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University:
“With a greater cushion of equity, troubled homeowners have dramatically improved options: a greater ability to access funding (e.g. home equity lines) to keep paying monthly expenses until family finances might recover, improved ability to qualify for and support a loan modification, and, if push comes to shove, the ability to sell the home and monetize their increased net worth while reducing monthly payment obligations. So, what should lenders and servicers expect: a large number of foreclosures or only a modest increase? I believe the latter.”
With today’s positive equity situation, many homeowners will be able to use a loan modification or refinance to stay in their homes. If not, some will go to foreclosure, but most will be able to sell and walk away with their equity.
Won’t the additional homes on the market impact prices?
Distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales) sell at a significant discount. If homeowners sell instead of going into foreclosure, the impact on the housing market will be much less severe.
We must also realize there is currently an unprecedented lack of inventory on the market. Just last week, realtor.com explained:
“Nationally, the number of homes for sale was down 39.6%, amounting to 449,000 fewer homes for sale than last December.”
It’s important to remember that there weren’t enough homes for sale even then, and inventory has only continued to decline in Raleigh Durham, and even nationally.
The market has the potential to absorb half a million homes this year without it causing home values to depreciate.
Bottom Line
The pandemic has led to both personal and economic hardships for many American households, including those that live in Raleigh and Durham. The overall residential real estate market, however, has weathered the storm and will continue to do so in 2021. In the triangle, we have seen more and more demand for housing and the prices are continuing to rise. Don’t wait to buy anticipating better prices this year, we just don’t see evidence that will happen anytime soon in Durham!