May 8, 2020 | Mortgage
Every year, homeowners spend billions of dollars renovating their homes. It almost seems expected that homeowners are going to end up going over budget on any project. On the other hand, this doesn’t have to be the case. In reality, there are a few tips and tricks that homeowners can follow to help them save big money on that next home renovation project.
Serve As The General Contractor
Many homeowners hire a general contractor to control the staffing of each individual project. While this might reduce stress levels, it also costs more money. Hiring a general contractor adds an additional middle man to the project who might charge a premium for each individual project.
Homeowners that need to renovate the kitchen, replace the roof, and find a new water heater should hire professionals to handle these individual projects; however, they don’t necessarily need to hire a general contractor. Skipping this step can save money.
Seek Out Multiple Bids On Each Project
Some homeowners don’t like making phone calls and filling out paperwork to collect bids for various projects; however, collecting multiple bids can help homeowners save money. On any given home renovation project, try to collect at least three bids. For larger projects, it is better to collect even more.
Then, once all the bids are collected, they can be leveraged against each other for a lower price. Homeowners are often surprised by the wide range of bids on a project. Some proposals might even be thousands of dollars apart.
Take Advantage Of Sales
Just as food goes on sale at the grocery store, the materials needed to complete a home renovation project might go on sale from time to time as well. Taking advantage of sales at department stores can be a great way to reduce overhead costs. There might even be cheaper options online.
Reduce Home Renovation Costs
These are a few of the most important tips for reducing the cost of that next big home renovation project. Home renovation projects don’t have to break the bank! Be sure to collect multiple bids and leverage inventory sales.
May 7, 2020 | Real Estate
You’ve probably heard that living near excellent schools or having curb appeal can boost the value of your home. However, a home’s value is dependent upon a lot of different factors. Some of these things are more obvious than others. Things that might seem insignificant can have an impact on your home’s worth. Here are some surprising things that can affect the existing value of your home or how much a buyer is willing to pay for it.
#1 A Blue Kitchen or Bathroom
Painting your home is an easy and cost-effective way to update your home. Just make sure that you select the right colors. Based on recent research, walls that are painted cool neutral colors like blue are more likely to appeal to buyers. According to a 2017 study by Zillow, homes with blue bathrooms sell for an average of $5,500 more than expected. Houses that had blue kitchens sold for $1,809 more compared to similar homes that had a white kitchen.
#2 How Close You Are To A Supermarket
Being next a well-known supermarket can increase the value of your home. If the supermarket is considered upmarket, then the increase in value is even higher. According to “Zillow Talk, The New Rules of Real Estate,” homes that are near a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods grocery store appreciate up to 40 percent faster than other homes. The presence of a popular store like a Trader Joe’s has a positive effect on market values over time.
#3 A Joanna Gaines’ Aesthetic
Joanna Gaines urban farmhouse aesthetic is more than just chic; it can have a surprisingly positive effect on the value of your home. According to a Zillow analysis of home sale descriptions from 2016, houses that had the keywords “farmhouse sink” and “barn door” sold quicker and at a premium compared to similar homes. Listings that had the words “barn door” sold 57 days quicker and for 13.4 percent more than similar homes. For sale listings that included a “farmhouse sink” sold for 8 percent more. So, if you plan to make interior updates in your home, you might want to watch a couple of episodes of “Fixer Upper” for inspiration.
#4 Your Proximity to Starbucks
Do you live within a quarter of a mile from a Starbucks? If so, then you are in luck? A study released by Zillow in 2015 found that homes that were within a quarter of a mile from the Seattle-based coffeehouse increased by 96 percent on average from 1997 to 2014. This number is well above the average of 65 percent of all U.S. homes.
Whether you are in the process of buying a new home or updating your existing home, think about the above factors as they may play a role in the value of your home.
May 6, 2020 | Mortgage
Those who own homes might regularly receive mail advertising something called a home warranty. Many people end up tossing these leaflets away because they think this is just another form of home insurance, which many people get through their mortgage lender. In reality, a home warranty is not home insurance. Therefore, some people might be wondering whether or not a home warranty is worth the money.
There are a few important points that people should know.
What Is A Home Warranty?
A home warranty is similar to insurance is that people are going to pay a set premium per year to protect them against the risk of larger expenses down the road; however, people need to know what a home warranty is going to cover. This is where people need to read the policy.
Typically, a home warranty is going to cover the cost to repair or replace certain appliances or home systems is they are damaged or break down. If someone needs to file a claim, this is usually done online or over the phone. Then, the homeowner is going to bring out a professional and pay a service fee (which is similar to a deductible) to get the repair completed. In some cases, the homeowner will have to pay the entire bill and get reimbursed later.
Is The Home Warranty Worth It?
In general, if someone has purchased a brand new home, this policy simply isn’t necessary. In many states, the builder is required to repair defects for a few years after the home is built. The common time-frames range from two years to ten years. Therefore, a home warranty might be duplicate coverage and, thus, unnecessary. Furthermore, brand new appliances are almost always protected by one or two-year warranties. Again, a home warranty might be duplicate coverage.
On the other hand, if someone has an older home or older appliances, the home warranty might be worth it. Older appliances are more likely to break down and, thus, require repairs. Therefore, people need to think about their own individual circumstances and weigh the risk of a broken appliance against the cost of the policy. A home warranty may be right for some people but not others.
May 5, 2020 | Real Estate
Buying or selling a home is unquestionably one of the biggest and most important transactions in a person’s life, financially and otherwise. The ins and outs of the entire process can be overwhelming, particularly for first-time homebuyers or sellers. There’s mortgage loan paperwork to manage, open houses to attend, inspections and appraisals to coordinate, not to mention all the different people involved.
While it may seem daunting, rest assured that everyone who plays a role in real estate transactions is essential. Two of the key players involved are also two of the most commonly confused: Listing agents and selling agents. Though their titles sound extremely similar, they have two very different jobs. Here’s a closer look at what their differences are.
Listing Agents
Much of the confusion about listing versus selling agents likely stems from the fact that listing agents are frequently also referred to as seller‘s agents. Regardless of which title is used – listing agent or selling agent – this person exclusively represents the seller in a home sale, working solely in his or her best interest.
Listing agents spend their time primarily working with the homeowner trying to sell the property and typically have very little if any, interaction with potential buyers.
Some of the responsibilities listing agents have are:
- Staging the home and marketing it for sale
- Fielding and reviewing offers on the property
Selling Agents
The person who exclusively represents the buyer in a real estate transaction is the selling agent, also commonly called a buyer’s agent. While the listing agent is working on behalf of the person selling their home, the selling agent represents the homebuyer and seeks to get them the best available home at the best price possible.
Tasks a selling agent may help potential homebuyers with include:
- Researching homes and monitoring the MLS, looking for homes that meet the buyers’ criteria
- Help buyers to prepare and submit an offer
Whether you are the home buyer or seller, finding an agent who is a good fit, understands your needs and wants in a home, and who has your best interest at heart is crucial.
May 4, 2020 | Financial Reports
Last week’s economic reports included readings from Case-Shiller Housing Market Indices, pending home sales, and inflation. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released.
Case-Shiller: February Home Price Data Positive Before Coronavirus Impact
February data on home prices showed rising home prices; the Case-Shiller National Home Price Index showed 4.20 percent growth in home prices year-over-year as compared to January’s home price growth rate of 3.90 percent.
Case-Shiller’s 20-City Home Price Index rose by 0.40 percent from a year-over-year rate of 3.10 percent to 3.50 percent. Home prices increased in all of the 20 cities included in the Index; 17 of the 20 cities reported a greater rate of price growth than for January. Phoenix, Arizona led the 20-City Index with 7.50 percent year-over-year growth in home prices and home prices in Seattle, Washington grew by 6.00 percent year-over-year. Tampa, Florida, and Charlotte, North Caroline were tied for third place with home price growth rates of 5.20 percent.
Factors supporting continued home price growth included short supplies of available homes, strong demand for homes, and mortgage rates near all-time lows.
Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee Holds Fed Rate Range Steady
The post-meeting statement of the Federal Open Market Committee showed no change in the Federal Reserve’s target federal funds rate range of 0.00 to 0.25 percent. The committee expects the ongoing national health crisis to “weigh heavily on economic activity, employment, and inflation in the near term.” FOMC members voted to maintain an accommodative stance on monetary policy until economic conditions again support the Fed’s dual mandate of achieving maximum employment and price stability,
Inflation rates were quashed in March as the coronavirus spread in the U.S, The Consumer Price Index fell -7.50 percent in March as compared to February’s growth rate of -0.20 percent. Analysts expected a March inflation rate of -6.90 percent. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and fuel sectors, fell by -0.10 percent and met expectations but was lower than February’s core inflation reading of -0.20 percent.
Mortgage Rates Fall to Record Lows, New Jobless Claims Fall
Freddie Mac reported the lowest mortgage interest rates ever recorded with rates for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage 10 basis points lower at an average of 3.23 percent. Rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged nine basis points lower at 2.77 percent.
The average rate for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages fell by 14 basis points to 3.14 percent. Discount points averaged 0.70 percent for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, 0.60 percent for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, and 0.40 percent for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages.
First-time jobless claims fell last week but remained well above numbers seen before the coronavirus pandemic. 3.84 million new jobless claims were filed, which surpassed expectations of 3.50 million new claims filed and the prior week’s reading of 4.40 million new claims filed.
What’s Ahead
This week’s scheduled economic readings include reports on public and private sector jobs, the national unemployment rate, and weekly reports on mortgage rates and new jobless claims.
