Money & You

Money & You How the Economy Impacts Mortgage Rates How the Economy Impacts Mortgage Rates As someone who’s thinking about buying or selling a home, you’re probably paying close attention to mortgage rates – and wondering what’s ahead. One thing that can affect mortgage rates is the Federal Funds Rate, which influences how much it costs banks to borrow money from each other. While the Federal Reserve (the Fed) doesn’t directly […]
Money & You Real Estate Still Holds the Title of Best Long-Term Investment Real Estate Still Holds the Title of Best Long-Term Investment With all the headlines circulating about home prices and mortgage rates, you may be asking yourself if it still makes sense to buy a home right now, or if it’s better to keep renting. Here’s some information that could help put your mind at ease by showing that investing in […]
Money & You Why a Vacation Home Is the Ultimate Summer Upgrade Why a Vacation Home Is the Ultimate Summer Upgrade Summer is officially here and that means it’s the perfect time to start planning where you want to vacation and unwind this season. If you’re excited about getting away and having some fun in the sun, it might make sense to consider if owning your own vacation home […]
Money & You Do Elections Impact the Housing Market? Do Elections Impact the Housing Market? The 2024 Presidential election is just months away. As someone who’s thinking about potentially buying or selling a home, you’re probably curious about what effect, if any, elections have on the housing market. It’s a great question because buying or selling a home is a major decision, and it’s natural to wonder how such a major event […]
Money & You Real Estate Is Still the Best Long-Term Investment Real Estate Is Still the Best Long-Term Investment [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights According to a recent poll from Gallup, real estate has been voted the best long-term investment for twelve straight years. That’s because a home is so much more just than a roof over your head. It’s also an asset that typically grows in value over time. If you’ve been […]
Money & You The Wealth-Building Power of Home Ownership The Wealth-Building Power of Homeownership [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights If you’re trying to decide if buying a home is worth it, consider the long-term benefits, like building equity as home values grow over time. According to the FHFA, home values have increased by 315.7% since 1991. Home equity is one reason owning your own place can really pay off in the long run. When you’re ready, […]
Money & You What’s Next for Home Prices and Mortgage Rates? What’s Next for Home Prices and Mortgage Rates? If you’re thinking of making a move this year, there are two housing market factors that are probably on your mind: home prices and mortgage rates. You’re wondering what’s going to happen next. And if it’s worth it to move now, or better to wait it out. The only thing you can really […]
Money & You Home Prices Are Climbing in These Cities Home Prices Are Climbing in These Top Cities Thinking about buying a home or selling your current one to find a better fit? If so, you might be wondering what’s going on with home prices these days. Here’s the scoop. The latest national data from Case-Shiller and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) shows they’re going up (see graphs below): As you can see, home […]
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Money & You What Is Going on with Mortgage Rates? What Is Going on with Mortgage Rates? You may have heard mortgage rates are going to stay a bit higher for longer than originally expected. And if you’re wondering why, the answer lies in the latest economic data. Here’s a quick overview of what’s happening with mortgage rates and what experts say is ahead. Economic Factors That […]
Money & You What’s the Latest with Mortgage Rates? What’s the Latest with Mortgage Rates? Recent headlines may leave you wondering what’s next for mortgage rates. Maybe you’d previously heard there were going to be cuts this year that would bring rates down. That refers to the Federal Reserve (the Fed) and what they do to their Fed Funds Rate. While cutting, or lowering, the Fed Funds Rate doesn’t […]
Money & You What’s Really Happening with Mortgage Rates? What’s Really Happening with Mortgage Rates? Are you feeling a bit unsure about what’s really happening with mortgage rates? That might be because you’ve heard someone say they’re coming down. But then you read somewhere else that they’re up again. And that may leave you scratching your head and wondering what’s true. The simplest answer is: […]
Money & You 2 of the Factors That Impact Mortgage Rates 2 of the Factors That Impact Mortgage Rates If you’re looking to buy a home, you’ve probably been paying close attention to mortgage rates. Over the last couple of years, they hit record lows, rose dramatically, and are now dropping back down a bit. Ever wonder why? The answer is complicated because there’s a lot that can […]
Buyer Advice and Aid 3 Key Factors Affecting Home Affordability 3 Key Factors Affecting Home Affordability Over the past year, a lot of people have been talking about housing affordability and how tight it’s gotten. But just recently, there’s been a little bit of relief on that front. Mortgage rates have gone down since their most recent peak in October. But there’s more to being able to afford […]
Homeowners The Dramatic Impact of Home Ownership on Net Worth The Dramatic Impact of Homeownership on Net Worth If you’re trying to decide whether to rent or buy a home this year, here’s a powerful insight that could give you the clarity and confidence you need to make your decision. Every three years, the Federal Reserve releases the Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), which compares net worth for homeowners and renters. […]
Money & You Home Prices Still Growing-Just at a More Normal Pace Home Prices Still Growing – Just at a More Normal Pace If you’re feeling a bit muddy on what’s happening with home prices, that’s no surprise. Some people are still saying prices are falling, even though data proves otherwise. Part of that misconception is because people are getting their information from unreliable sources. But it’s also coming from […]
Money & You Unmasking Scary Myths about Today’s Housing Market Unmasking Scary Myths about Today’s Housing Market [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights Here’s what you really need to know about a few myths causing fear in today’s housing market. Despite common misconceptions, many people can buy a home even if they have student loans, home prices are rising nationally (not falling), and you usually don’t have to have 20% for a down payment. If you have other fears […]
Money & You Are Higher Mortgage Rates Here To Stay? Are Higher Mortgage Rates Here To Stay? Mortgage rates have been back on the rise recently and that’s getting a lot of attention from the press. If you’ve been following the headlines, you may have even seen rates recently reached their highest level in over two decades (see graph below): That can feel like a little bit of […]
Money & You Growing Your Net Worth with Home Ownership Growing Your Net Worth with Homeownership Take a moment to imagine where you want to be in a few years. You might be thinking about your job, money, wanting more stability, or goals you want to reach soon. Is homeownership a part of that vision? If it is, you should know owning a home has a whole […]
Money & You Planning to Retire? Your Equity Can Help You Make a Move Planning to Retire? Your Equity Can Help You Make a Move Reaching retirement is a significant milestone in life, bringing with it a lot of change and new opportunities. As the door to this exciting chapter opens, one thing you may be considering is selling your house and finding a home better suited for your evolving needs. Fortunately, […]
Money & You How Inflation Affects the Housing Market How Inflation Affects the Housing Market Have you ever wondered how inflation impacts the housing market? Believe it or not, they’re connected. Whenever there are changes to one, both are affected. Here’s a high-level overview of the connection between the two. The Relationship Between Housing Inflation and Overall Inflation Shelter inflation is the measure of price growth specific […]