Investment You Can Live In

Real Estate Best Investment for 5 Years Running!

Americans - across generations - agree that real estate is the best investment! It is as simple as that.

So, you can move up, you can move on from paying rent, you can start buying rent homes and let folks pay your mortgage. It is all up to you and we are here to help. Let's just do it.

REAL Reasons Why We Buy A Home!

Owning does offer stability. Whether you are going it alone or have a family, owning simply has a different feeling - it is yours! It is a way to increased wealth. Generally, you have more space. And, finally, you are in control. Are you ready to make it happen - for you?

The Difference 5 Years Makes on Home Prices

Appreciation has multiple meanings. You can express appreciation for something done or given to you, you can express appreciation for the life and all you have - and then there is appreciation on an investment - in this case, your home.

Have a look at the chart and the impact of only 5 years of pricing. Notice that the greatest appreciation is in the lower price, starter home category. If you are renting and you want to break free - seriously, have a look at becoming a homeowner. A favorite thing of mine is helping people get there - folks just like you, my readers.

Cost of NOT Owning Your Home

Studies show that a homeowner's worth is 44x greater than that of a renter. AGAIN - Studies show that a homeowner's worth is 44x greater than that of a renter. There is more good information in today's report, but first let that sink in. Whether you are a first timer, or looking to move up and reinvest the value of your present home - are you ready to move on it?

5 Home Building Tips

Ever bought a brand new home?

It can be a totally different experience. Depending on your timing and need, you can select a builder home that is ready to go - or - you can order a home and make it custom to your liking. Either way, you will have a home nobody has lived in before - all yours!

If you have the time to order a home from the ground up, the level of customization will vary based on home price and builder. The experience is amazing - and so is living in it on completion. I would love to help you with the project and that is why I earned the new construction certification - 2 of them actually!

The Rental Trap!

Don’t Get Caught in The Rental Trap!

On average, nationwide, owning is 26.3% LESS than renting in 100 of the major US metro areas. You read that correctly - ownership is less than renting. Remember, real estate is local. The difference between renting and owning in your metro area may be more or less. The differences recorded vary from 2% less in Honolulu to 48.9% less in Detroit.

For the newbies who have joined us - another way to look at this is you can make 360 rent payments and another will be due next month and the following months - or, you can make a mortgage payment 360 times and own your home. It is money in the bank!

Housing Is Still Affordable

On this one, I am going to point you to today's report. Get the details there by clicking on the link above.

You Do Not Need 15-20% Down to Buy a Home

Some myths just will not go away. The fact is, you can buy a home with good credit and very little down. Exploring the option cost you nothing but a little time. We are here to help.

The First Step in Buying a Home

If you are thinking of making your first home purchase, the first thing to do is get pre-approved. You will know not only IF you qualify, but how much you qualify for. If for some reason you do not qualify at the present time, you can find out what you must do to change that. It is not as difficult as a lot of folks think.

Once you are pre-approved, you know the price range to shop in (or under) and any offer that you decide to make has credibility. The seller will have a greater level of confidence in your ability to complete the purchase. If you have any questions about this, call and let's talk through it. Once upon a time, I bought my first house!

Veterans Day 2018

Future Home Prices

What Does the Future Hold for Home Prices?

There is a prediction of a recession during the next 24 months - but, what exactly is a recession and how does it impact home prices. As we have shared previously, a recession does NOT mean lower home prices. A recession is simply a fall in GDP for two consecutive quarters. History teaches us that home prices during the last 5 or so recessions have gone up - yes, up!

While many believe a recession is imminent, those same folks believe home prices will continue to rise - just not at the same rate. Does a home sound like a good investment to you? You can live in your investment!

How Will Supply & Demand Determine Future Home Values?

What is the number one regulator of price? It is supply and demand. The population is growing and there are only so many homes available for sale. The lack of properties for sale has been ongoing and is expected to continue into next year - and perhaps beyond... which we will look at in a future report.

What’s Happening With Home Prices?

As the market returns to a more "normal" state of supply/demand, the appreciation rate will likely slow down. Is that a bad thing? No! A nice steady and reasonable rate of appreciation is a sign of a balanced market. It serves us well.

Will Home Prices Keep On Increasing?

Right now, the laws of supply and demand are working as they should. The lack of supply causes prices to increase. As we stated previously, when demand softens we will see price appreciation slow - not stop, just slow to a lower rate. That is a good sign and an opportunity for market adjustment allowing affordability to stabilize.

Get in there now and let your home investment work for you.

2008 vs 2018

Housing Market Difference Between 2008 and 2018

The primary difference is the loose lending habits of 2008 compared to today's controlled financing options. Secondary, the runaway building that created huge inventory issues to today's housing shortage. There is simply no comparison. Have a look at today's report for more details.

3 Myths About Today’s Real Estate Market

The first myth is a pending housing bubble. Solid reasons for calling this a "myth" are in the paragraphs immediately above. The second myth is that a recession will cause another crash. This is a common misconception based on misinformation. A recession is simply a fall in GDP for two consecutive quarters.

Historically, the last 5 recessions caused home prices to INCREASE. The third myth is that housing will enter an affordability crisis. In historical terms, homes are cheaper than before and interest rates would need to rise to over 6% before buying a home would be less affordable!

Housing Not a Victim to the Next Economic Storm

Experts seem to agree; a housing crash will not repeat any time soon. I am going to point you to today's report to read their comments.

New Home Sales Up Almost 13% From Last Year

New home sales in reported August were up 12.7% from last year! The report shows builders are ramping up construction to fill the demand. But, a housing shortage of homes still exists. This is a great time to sell if it is time to move on and a great time to buy before higher prices and/or interest rates impact your buying power.

In One Hour

A lot happens in one hour.

Even in the housing market!

Millennial Generation

Owning Your Home Can Help You Retire Sooner

There is so much speculation about the adequacy of Social Security and the age of eligibility for future retirement, giving yourself an edge makes sense. In a lifetime of renting, you can collect receipts and next month, look forward to another payment and another receipt - forever.

Or, you can invest in a home and use that next egg any way you choose when the time comes. Checkout today's report and see what a millionaire has to say to millennials.

Millennial Homebuyers Continue to Increase In Number

Are we in an "Age of Millennials"? Without a doubt, they are coming of age and they are the best educated, most able generation ready to invest in a home of their own. In the right column of this blog, there is a link to our special publication dedicated to Millennials. Check it out.

Myths About Home Affordability

The truth is - homes are more affordable today than 25, 20 or even 11 years ago! That is a bold statement, so I am going to suggest you click through to today's report and read it in detail (it's a short read).

The Cost of Waiting to Buy a Home

Waiting costs money. The cost is added year after year for 30 years. Today's chart is a quick look at the impact of rising interest rates.

For something more in depth, checkout our blog page on how interest rates affect your buying power: https://www.sanantoniorealestate.blog/p/what-is-purchasing-power.html

Buying a Home In The USA Is Now 26.3% Cheaper Than Renting

In the six years that Trulia has conducted a cost of rent vs cost of buy study, this is the first time that two metro areas were cheaper to rent than to buy. Both cities are on the West Coast (San Jose and San Francisco). That does not signal a trend - real estate is high in both cities.

The remaining 98 metro areas in the study remain cheaper to own that to rent. That is pretty solid!

Spooked by Real Estate?

The right agent matters. It really matters!