For several years following its 2004 peak, the homeownership rate was falling. Fewer Americans were buying homes and, instead, more were choosing to rent. The reasons behind this were fairly obvious. The housing crash and financial crisis made buying a home difficult for younger Americans who were struggling to get …
View MoreNew numbers from the National Association of Realtors show sales of previously owned homes were slightly above year-before levels in June, though they fell from the month before. The month-over-month drop was primarily blamed on there being too few homes for sale, as buyer demand has been relatively high. Lawrence …
View MoreThese days, determining the affordability of buying a home isn't such a simple calculation. There are always a lot of variables to consider – including prices, mortgage rates, wages, and local factors – but today's housing market contains a number of contradictions that may make it even more difficult for …
View MoreSimply put, equity refers to the value of your home minus the amount of money you still owe on your mortgage. It is the factor that separates homeowners from renters and is among the greatest creators of wealth for average Americans. But how much equity does the typical homeowner have? …
View MoreBuyer demand for new homes remains strong, according to the most recent Housing Market Index from the National Association of Home Builders. The Index – which measures builders' confidence in the new home market on a scale where any number above 50 indicates more builders view conditions as good than …
View MoreFollowing news that sales of previously owned homes rose in May, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development released their estimate of how many new homes were sold during the month. According to the report, new home sales were up 2.9 percent and …
View MoreWhen considering home improvement projects that can add value to your home or even help it sell faster, don't forget to pay some attention to your lawn and landscaping. Good landscape design can help you get a better price when it's time to move but will also help beautify …
View MoreOver the past 40 years, the typical new home has grown about 1,000 square feet. It seems, for American homeowners, their current home is always smaller than the home they hope to one day buy. But is that always the case? Just 32 percent of homeowners say they'd move into …
Conventional wisdom says, after buying a house, you should stay there at least five years before selling. The reason is that, due to the substantial upfront costs of buying a home – including the down payment, closing costs, etc. - you need to allow yourself some time to build …
For many years now, the average size of a newly built home has been going up. In fact, by 2015, the typical new home was 2,689 square feet – by comparison, the average was 1,660 square feet in 1974. That longtime trend took a step back last year, however. In …