According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates were mostly flat last week after four weeks of consecutive declines. In fact, rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances were unchanged from the week before, while rates for jumbo loans, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and 15-year mortgages all fell slightly. But despite favorable mortgage rates, demand for loans declined 3.3 percent. Joel Kan, MBA's vice president of economic and industry forecasting, said demand may have stalled due to economic uncertainty. “Purchase applications decreased for the third straight week, but remained more than 7 percent higher than a year ago,” Kan said. “It is possible that the trade dispute is causing potential homeowners to hold off on buying, with the fear that further escalation – or the lack of resolution – may have adverse impacts on the economy and housing market.”

Although the housing market may be a little bit off, the areas of Eastern, NC, are still booming. This area has continued to build many new homes, in different sizes and styles, offering something for most buyers. Because of the good inventory in this area it has also been able to keep prices down and more competitive. To see some of the homes available go to: https://www.firstcarolina.com/listings/

 Or join social media at: https://www.facebook.com/fcrhavelock/?notif_t=page_admin. The MBA's weekly survey has been conducted since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications. More here.

When selling a house, there are a number of things you can do to make your listing more attractive to prospective buyers. Some obvious examples include staging and getting good photos. But the number one thing you can do to make sure your home gets a good response from buyers is to price it right. After all, even a perfectly staged house with professional photos isn't going to sell quickly if it's priced way too high. And, according to a recent analysis, lowering your price after your home's been on the market a while isn't necessarily as effective as setting the price correctly the first time. In fact, when comparing the number of online views a home gets the day it's listed to the day of a price drop, the initial listing gets almost three and a half times the number of views. In other words, you'll never get another chance to make a first impression. And the longer your home has been listed without selling, the more likely buyers will assume there's a reason no one's bought it yet. The good news is there's an easy way to avoid falling into this trap. Simply follow the guidance of the pros you've hired to help sell your house. They'll be able to give you an accurate assessment of your home's current market value and help you avoid pricing it too high for interested buyers.

This is what buyers in Eastern, NC are seeing also. It seems that many if not most people looking to sell or buy in this area will go to First Carolina Realtors and hire an agent to help them. This assures them not only that the home being sold is priced right, but that the home they are looking at buying is priced right and that all inspections and other things that need to be done are done and done in a timely manner. To see some of the homes available in this area go to: https://www.firstcarolina.com/listings/ or join social media at: https://www.facebook.com/fcrhavelock/?notif_t=page_admin.  More here.

At the end of last year, the housing market looked like it might stall. Higher home prices and rising mortgage rates were making affordability conditions more challenging for buyers, especially first-time buyers and those looking for a suitable starter home. Since then, though, things have taken a turn for the better. The number of homes available to buyers has risen, which has caused prices to moderate somewhat. Additionally, mortgage rates have come back down and don't look like they're going to rise significantly any time soon. In fact, according to Fannie Mae's Economic and Strategic Research Group, there is no expectation the Fed will raise rates again this year, or next. Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae's chief economist, says that's one of a combination of factors helping market conditions right now. “We revised upward our 2019 purchase and refinance mortgage origination forecasts amid continued strong demand and a boost to entry-level inventory, the pullback in mortgage rates, and slowing home price appreciation,” Duncan said. In other words, things are trending in the right direction for buyers and improving the outlook for the overall market. Buyers in Eastern, NC, are definitely seeing a stronger housing market. This area has built many new homes and there is also a strong job market in this area. This has kept prices more moderate and has made buying a home much easier for many people. To see some of the homes available in this area go to: https://www.firstcarolina.com/listings/  or join social media at: https://www.facebook.com/fcrhavelock/?notif_t=page_admin.  More here.

Newly released numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development show new home sales fell nearly 7 percent in April. But the month-over-month results only tell part of the story. That's because some of the reason sales were down from the month before is that the March estimate was revised much higher than originally reported. And, after the revision, the data showed new home sales reached their highest level since 2007 in March. Additionally, even after coming down from that high, new home sales are still up 7 percent from where they were at the same time last year. In other words, the new home sales market is trending upward and that's good news for the housing market overall. Why? Well, when new home sales increase, builders are more likely to build more new homes. And, as more homes are built and for-sale inventory increases, home prices moderate and help affordability levels for all buyers.

New homes being built is exactly what is being seen in Eastern, NC. This area has continued to build many new homes in different sizes and styles giving something for most everyone. With such a good inventory of homes on the market it has kept prices competitive and this has helped many people to be able to get into the housing market. To see some of the homes available in this area go to: https://www.firstcarolina.com/listings/ or join social media at: https://www.facebook.com/fcrhavelock/?notif_t=page_admin.  More here.

If you're a homeowner getting ready to sell, you're likely thinking about how to get the best price for your house. Naturally, getting a good offer is going to be top priority. The other big issue is timing. Homeowners who are using the sale of their home to fund the down payment on their next place have to time it right. But could the timing of your move affect the price your home gets? Well, according to new research that compared the sale price of occupied versus vacant homes, it might. In fact, the research showed that homes whose owners had already moved out sold for $11,000 less and spent six more days on the market than comparable homes that were still occupied. Why would this be? Well, one reason is that buyers looking at an empty house assume its owners aren't as eager to sell, since they've already moved on. Another reason is furnishings can sometimes help a home show better. However, there are a lot of factors to consider. For example, a home with less attractive décor can sometimes drag its price down just as much as being vacant.

One area that doesn’t seem to be affected much with someone living in the house or the house being empty is in Eastern, NC. This area has built many new homes and that along with existing homes on the market has given a very good choice of homes. This has helped to keep prices down and homes with in reach to many people. To see some of the homes available in this area go to: https://www.firstcarolina.com/listings/ or join social media at: https://www.facebook.com/fcrhavelock/?notif_t=page_admin.  More here.

It's hard not to be influenced by your family and friends. After all, their opinions hold more weight because you trust them. When someone you love recommends something, you're probably more likely to consider it than had you heard it from another source. It doesn't matter if it's a restaurant, a new movie, or a vacation destination, if a friend tells you it's good, you'll likely believe them. This is also true when deciding to buy a house. At a panel convened by the National Association of Realtors, Dr. Johannes Stroebel – an associate professor of finance at New York University – talked about why that is. According to Stroebel, a recent paper looked at how the positive experiences of people close to us can influence our decision to buy. The research showed that having a Facebook friend who experienced a 5 percent increase in their home's value over the past two years increased the probability that a current renter would purchase a home over the next two years. “Individuals do discuss property value with their friends, and this changes behavior,” Stroebel said. In short, if you have a friend who's seen their home's value rise, you're more likely to believe buying a house is a good investment.

Buyers in Eastern, NC are seeing a nice increase in their homes value. This area has continued to grow and has continued to build many new homes giving so many people the opportunity to get into the housing market. To see some of the homes available in this area go to: https://www.firstcarolina.com/listings/ or join social media at: https://www.facebook.com/fcrhavelock/?notif_t=page_admin.

More here.

The number of new homes being built can be a good gauge of the housing market's health. After all, home builders wouldn't be building homes unless they felt confident that those homes would sell. And buyers wouldn't be interested in buying a new home unless the housing market and economy were doing well. For this reason, the National Association of Home Builders' Housing Market Index is an important indicator. Released monthly, the survey measures builders' confidence in the new home market on a scale where any number above 50 indicates more builders view conditions as good than poor. In May, the index was up, rising three points to 66. Among its components, those measuring current sales conditions and expectations for the next six months were both at 72. Robert Dietz, NAHB's chief economist, says conditions are improving for home buyers, with lower mortgage rates and a strong economy leading the way. “This lower-interest rate environment, along with ongoing job growth and rising wages, is contributing to a gradual improvement in the marketplace,” Dietz said. One area of the country that is really seeing a strong job market is in Eastern, NC. This area has built many new homes and with the stronger job market and better wages, these houses are selling faster than usual. To see some of the homes available go to: https://www.firstcarolina.com/listings/ or join social media at: https://www.facebook.com/fcrhavelock/?notif_t=page_admin. More here.

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates fell again last week. In fact, rates were down for 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages. It was the third consecutive decline. It also comes at a good time for home buyers. Joel Kan, MBA's associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting, says demand for loans to buy homes is now nearly 7 percent higher than at the same time last year. “Purchase applications declined slightly last week but still remained almost 7 percent higher than a year ago,” Kan said. “Despite the third straight decline in mortgage rates, refinance applications decreased for the fifth time in six weeks, albeit by less than 1 percent.” Falling rates have largely been due to global economic concerns. Whether or not it spurs more home buyers to enter the market will determine how busy the spring and summer season will be for home sales.

It has definitely helped spur the housing market in Eastern, NC. This area has continued to build many homes and has a very good inventory of homes for sale, making it easier and more interesting for those looking to buy a home. To see some of the homes available in this area go to: https://www.firstcarolina.com/listings/ or join social media at: https://www.facebook.com/fcrhavelock/?notif_t=page_admin.  More here.

There's a reason they're called wish lists. After all, home buyers can't expect to get every single thing they want in a house unless they have one custom built. Which is to say, you're, undoubtedly, going have to make some sacrifices and some of your wishes are going to go unfulfilled. For that reason, a recent survey took a look at what new homeowners say are the things they most wish their home had. According to the results, a walk-in pantry was the most common response. Around a third of respondents said it was the thing their home didn't have that they regretted most. Other popular answers included granite countertops, kitchen islands, tankless water heaters, and hardwood floors. But though that might make it sound like recent buyers are dissatisfied with their new homes, the survey found that 95 percent of participants said they like or love the house they purchased. Which should be encouraging to prospective home buyers who worry that they'll get it wrong and end up in a house they dislike.

Buyers in Eastern, NC are finding a good inventory of homes which is making it easier to find more of the things they are wanting in their home. This area has built many new homes in so many different styles, sizes and price ranges, that most people are able to come close to their perfect home and are very happy with their home purchase. To see some of the homes that are available in this area go to: https://www.firstcarolina.com/listings/ or join social media at: https://www.facebook.com/fcrhavelock/?notif_t=page_admin. More here.

Recently, there has been a growing number of young Americans interested in buying homes. But though there's been increasing demand, the number of affordable homes available to these buyers has lagged behind in many markets. In short, there are more potential first-time buyers than entry-level homes available for sale. This is a problem for the housing market, since it means many buyers get priced out or simply can't find a home to buy. Fortunately, inventory is beginning to rebound. And, according to one recent report, the number of starter homes available for sale rose 3.5 percent over the last year. That's the fastest pace in more than 6 years. It's also good news for younger home buyers and the market overall. But though the news is good, the data also suggests inventory is growing fastest in more expensive markets. That means, some of the inventory growth is due to homes remaining on the market longer due to higher prices.

This is true in many areas, but for Eastern, NC, there are many new homes being built, in many sizes, styles and price ranges, offering something for most people. To see some of the homes available in this area go to: https://www.firstcarolina.com/listings/ or join social media at: https://www.facebook.com/fcrhavelock/?notif_t=page_admin. More here.