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US Real Estate News for Global Investroers 11-25-2022

Posted By Yoshi Takita on November 26, 2022 in Global Real Estate

Home Sweet Home: The Emotional Benefits of Homeownership [INFOGRAPHIC] Home Sweet Home: The Emotional Benefits of Homeownership [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM Some Highlights While there are many financial perks to owning a home, there are also powerful non-financial benefits to consider if you’re thinking about making a move. Homeownership allows you to express yourself, gives you greater privacy and comfort, enhances your connection to your community and loved ones, and is an achievement to feel proud of. Let’s connect today to discuss all that homeownership has to offer.

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Happy Thanks Giving and Thank You for Your Support 11-24-2022

Posted By Yoshi Takita on November 24, 2022 in Global Real Estate

Happy Thanks Giving and Thank You for Your Support

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US Real Estate News for Global Investroers 11-23-2022

Posted By Yoshi Takita on November 23, 2022 in Global Real Estate

What Buyers Need To Know About the Inventory of Homes Available for Sale What Buyers Need To Know About the Inventory of Homes Available for Sale | MyKCM If you’re thinking about buying a home, you’re likely trying to juggle your needs, current mortgage rates, home prices, your schedule, and more to try to decide if you want to jump into the market. If this sounds like you, here’s one key factor that could help you with your decision: there are more homes for sale today than there were at this time last year. According to Calculated Risk, for the week ending in November 18th, there were 47.7% more homes available for sale than there were at the same time in 2021. And having more options for your home search may be exactly what you need to feel confident about making a move. Here’s a look at where the increased housing supply is coming from so you can get a better sense of what’s happening in the market today and what it means for you. What Caused the Growth in Housing Inventory This Year? The increase we’ve seen in housing supply this year isn’t from the source you think it is. Rather than an influx of recent homeowners listing their houses for sale (known as new listings), the primary reason the supply has grown is because homes are staying on the market a bit longer (known as active listings). That’s happening because higher mortgage rates and home prices have helped moderate the peak frenzy of buyer demand, which has slowed down the pace of sales. And, as the pace of sales has eased, inventory has grown as a result. The graph below uses data from realtor.com to show that it’s active listings, not new listings, that have driven the growth we’ve seen over the past few months: What Buyers Need To Know About the Inventory of Homes Available for Sale | MyKCM And while overall inventory gains may slow down this winter due to typical housing market seasonality, you still have a chance to capitalize on the current supply. What This Means for Your Home Search Regardless of the source, the increase in available housing supply is good for buyers. More homes available for sale means you have more options to choose from as you search for your next home, and you may even have more time to consider them. So, if you tried to buy a home last year and lost out in a bidding war or just couldn’t find something you liked, this may be the news you’ve been waiting for. If you start your search today, those additional options should make it less difficult to find a home you love, especially as some other buyers pause their search this holiday season. Just remember, housing supply is still low overall, so it won’t suddenly be easy – it’ll just be less challenging than it was at this time last year. As a recent article from realtor.com says: “Despite this improvement in the number of homes actively for sale, active listings still lag their pre-pandemic levels.” The increase in housing supply helps put you in a great position to kick off the new year in your dream home. And who better to help you find it than a trusted, local real estate professional? Bottom Line If you’re ready to jump into the housing market and see what’s available in our local area, let’s connect.

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US Real Estate News for Global Investroers 11-22-2022

Posted By Yoshi Takita on November 22, 2022 in Global Real Estate

What Homeowners Want To Know About Selling in Today’s Market What Homeowners Want To Know About Selling in Today’s Market | MyKCM If you’re thinking about selling your house, you’re likely hearing about the cooling housing market and wondering what that means for you. While it's not the peak intensity we saw during the pandemic, we’re still in a sellers’ market. That means you haven’t missed your window. Realtor.com explains: “. . . while prospective home sellers may lament that they missed their prime window, in reality, this is still a terrific time to sell. In fact, according to a recent Realtor.com® home seller survey, 95% of sellers who sold their home in the past year got more than they paid for it. Nonetheless, some of the more prominent pandemic trends have changed, so sellers might wish to adjust accordingly to get the best deal possible.” The key to success today is being realistic and working with a trusted real estate advisor who can help you set your expectations based on where the market is now, not where it was over the past few years. Here are a few things experts say today’s sellers need to consider. Be Willing To Negotiate At the peak of the pandemic frenzy, sellers held all the leverage because inventory was at record lows and buyers were willing to enter bidding wars over homes that were available. This year, the supply of homes for sale has increased as the market cooled. Even though inventory is still low overall, buyers today have more options, and with that comes more negotiation power. As a seller, that means you may see more buyers getting an inspection, requesting repairs, or asking for help with closing costs today. You need to be prepared to have those conversations. As Ali Wolf, Chief Economist at Zonda, says: “Today’s market is different than it was just six months ago. . . Sellers that want the contract to move forward should be willing to work with the buyer. . . Consider helping with the closing costs or addressing many of the items on the home inspection list.” Price Your Home at Market Value It’s not just that the number of homes for sale has grown this year. Buyer demand has also pulled back in light of higher mortgage rates. As a result, pricing your house appropriately so you can catch the eyes of serious buyers is important. Greg McBride, Chief Financial Analyst at Bankrate, explains: “Price your home realistically. This isn’t the housing market of April or May, so buyer traffic will be substantially slower, but appropriately priced homes are still selling quickly.” You don’t want to overreach with your price and deter buyers. At the same time, you don’t want to undervalue your home and leave money on the table. This is another area where an agent’s expertise comes in handy. Think About Your First Impression on Buyers Buyers have more options and are more particular about their investment since it costs more to buy a home given today’s mortgage rates. As a result, you need to make sure your house shows well. As an article from realtor.com says: “To stand out in the market, sellers should make their home attractive to buyers, which usually means some selective updates.” This could include everything from staging the home, to making small cosmetic updates, tackling repairs, or undergoing renovations. A trusted real estate professional will help you assess what may be worthwhile to do compared to other recently sold homes in your area. Bottom Line To sum it all up, your house should still sell today and move quickly if you’re realistic about today’s market. As a press release from Zillow puts it: “. . . sellers need to do things right to attract the attention of these buyers — pricing their home competitively and making their listing attractive to online home shoppers.” For expert advice on how to quickly sell your house in a shifting market, let’s connect.

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US Real Estate News for Global Investroers 11-21-2022

Posted By Yoshi Takita on November 21, 2022 in Global Real Estate

Mortgage Rates Will Come Down, It’s Just a Matter of Time Mortgage Rates Will Come Down, It’s Just a Matter of Time | MyKCM This past year, rising mortgage rates have slowed the red-hot housing market. Over the past nine months, we’ve seen fewer homes sold than the previous month as home price growth has slowed. All of this is due to the fact that the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has doubled this year, severely limiting homebuying power for consumers. And, this month, the average rate for financing a home briefly rose over 7% before coming back down into the high 6% range. But we’re starting to see a hint of what mortgage interest rates could look like next year. Inflation Is the Enemy of Long-Term Interest Rates As long as inflation is high, we’ll see higher mortgage rates. Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen indications that inflation may be cooling, giving us a glimpse into what may happen in the future. The mortgage market is eagerly awaiting positive news on inflation. As Ali Wolf, Chief Economist at Zonda, says: “The housing market is expected to face continued uncertainty heading into 2023 as consumers, financial markets, and policymakers work through their respective challenges in today’s economy. . . . we are watching for any additional stability in the MBS market, signs of cooling inflation, and/or less aggressive Federal Reserve action to give us confidence that mortgage rates are past their peak.” What Does This Mean for the Future of Mortgage Rates? As we get through the inflation battle and start to see that coming down, we should expect mortgage rates to follow. We’ve seen nods of this over the past couple of weeks. As the Federal Reserve works to bring inflation down, mortgage rates will come down as well. Bill McBride from Calculated Risk says: “My current view is inflation will ease quicker than the Fed currently expects.” As we look toward next year, we certainly hope he’s right. Bottom Line Mortgage rates will come down – it’s just a matter of time. The hope is we continue to see more positive news on inflation, and that’ll bring mortgage rates down. This will give prospective homebuyers more buying power and lead to more homeowners throughout the country.

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US Real Estate News for Global Investroers 11-18-2022

Posted By Yoshi Takita on November 18, 2022 in Global Real Estate

Should You Update Your House Before You Sell? Ask a Real Estate Professional. [INFOGRAPHIC] Should You Update Your House Before You Sell? Ask a Real Estate Professional. [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM Some Highlights You may be wondering what needs to be renovated before you sell your house. In today’s shifting market, making your house appealing is more important than ever. That’s why it’s essential to lean on a real estate professional who has in-depth knowledge of today’s housing market. They know what buyers are looking for and how to highlight any upgrades you make. Let’s connect so you know where to focus your efforts so your house will stand out in a today’s market.

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US Real Estate News for Global Investroers11-9-2022

Posted By Yoshi Takita on November 18, 2022 in Global Real Estate

What’s Ahead for Mortgage Rates and Home Prices? What’s Ahead for Mortgage Rates and Home Prices? | MyKCM Now that the end of 2022 is within sight, you may be wondering what’s going to happen in the housing market next year and what that may mean if you’re thinking about buying a home. Here’s a look at the latest expert insights on both mortgage rates and home prices so you can make your best move possible. Mortgage Rates Will Continue To Respond to Inflation There’s no doubt mortgage rates have skyrocketed this year as the market responded to high inflation. The increases we’ve seen were fast and dramatic, and the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate even surpassed 7% at the end of last month. In fact, it’s the first time they’ve risen this high in over 20 years (see graph below): What’s Ahead for Mortgage Rates and Home Prices? | MyKCM In their latest quarterly report, Freddie Mac explains just how fast the climb in rates has been: “Just one year ago, rates were under 3%. This means that while mortgage rates are not as high as they were in the 80’s, they have more than doubled in the past year. Mortgage rates have never doubled in a year before.” Because we’re in unprecedented territory, it’s hard to say with certainty where mortgage rates will go from here. Projecting the future of mortgage rates is far from an exact science, but experts do agree that, moving forward, mortgage rates will continue to respond to inflation. If inflation stays high, mortgage rates likely will too. Home Price Changes Will Vary by Market As buyer demand has eased this year in response to those higher mortgage rates, home prices have moderated in many markets too. In terms of the forecast for next year, expert projections are mixed. The general consensus is home price appreciation will vary by local market, with more significant changes happening in overheated areas. As Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, says: “House price appreciation has slowed in all 50 markets we track, but the deceleration is generally more dramatic in areas that experienced the strongest peak appreciation rates.” Basically, some areas may still see slight price growth while others may see slight price declines. It all depends on other factors at play in that local market, like the balance between supply and demand. This may be why experts are divided on their latest national forecasts (see graph below): What’s Ahead for Mortgage Rates and Home Prices? | MyKCM Bottom Line If you want to know what’s happening with home prices or mortgage rates, let’s connect so you have the latest on what experts are saying and what that means for our area.

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US Real Estate News for Global Investroers 11-10-2022

Posted By Yoshi Takita on November 17, 2022 in Global Real Estate

VA Loans Can Help Veterans Achieve Their Dream of Homeownership VA Loans Can Help Veterans Achieve Their Dream of Homeownership | MyKCM For over 78 years, Veterans Affairs (VA) home loans have provided millions of veterans with the opportunity to purchase homes of their own. If you or a loved one have served, it’s important to understand this program and its benefits. Here are some things you should know about VA loans before you start the homebuying process. What Are VA Loans? VA home loans provide a pathway to homeownership for those who have served our nation. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs describes the program like this: “VA helps Servicemembers, Veterans, and eligible surviving spouses become homeowners. As part of our mission to serve you, we provide a home loan guaranty benefit and other housing-related programs to help you buy, build, repair, retain, or adapt a home for your own personal occupancy.” Top Benefits of the VA Home Loan Program In addition to helping eligible buyers achieve their homeownership dreams, VA loans have several other great benefits for buyers who qualify. According to the Department of Veteran Affairs: Qualified borrowers can often purchase a home with no down payment. Many other loans with down payments under 20% require Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). VA Loans do not require PMI, which means veterans can save on their monthly housing costs. VA-Backed Loans often offer competitive terms and mortgage interest rates. A recent article from Veterans United sums up just how impactful this loan option can be: “For the vast majority of military borrowers, VA loans represent the most powerful lending program on the market. These flexible, $0-down payment mortgages have helped more than 24 million service members become homeowners since 1944.” John Bell, Acting Executive Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Loan Guaranty Service, also explains why this program is so powerful: “It provides early ownership for many people that would not have that opportunity to begin with. Since there’s no down payment, it allows people to hold their wealth and it gives them the ability to have long term financial security by being able to own a house and let that equity grow.” Bottom Line Homeownership is the American Dream. Our veterans sacrifice so much in service of our nation, and one way we can honor and thank them is to ensure they have the best information about the benefits of VA home loans. Thank you for your service.

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US Real Estate News for Global Investroers 11-11-2022

Posted By Yoshi Takita on November 17, 2022 in Global Real Estate

VA Loans: Making Homes for the Brave Achievable [INFOGRAPHIC] VA Loans: Making Homes for the Brave Achievable [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM Some Highlights VA Loans can help make homeownership possible for those who have served our country. These loans offer great benefits for eligible individuals and can help them buy a VA-approved house or condo, build a new home, or make improvements to their house. Homeownership is the American Dream. One way we can honor and thank our veterans is to ensure they have the best information about the benefits of VA home loans.

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US Real Estate News for Global Investroers 11-14-2022

Posted By Yoshi Takita on November 17, 2022 in Global Real Estate

Home Equity: A Source of Strength for Homeowners Today Home Equity: A Source of Strength for Homeowners Today | MyKCM Experts agree there’s no chance of a large-scale foreclosure crisis like we saw back in 2008, and that’s good news for the housing market. As Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, says: “. . . don’t expect a housing bust like the mid-2000s, as lending standards in this housing cycle have been much tighter and homeowners have historically high levels of home equity, so there likely won’t be a surge in foreclosures.” Data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) helps tell this story. It shows the overall percentage of homeowners at risk is decreasing significantly with time (see graph below): Home Equity: A Source of Strength for Homeowners Today | MyKCMBut even though the volume of homeowners at risk is very low, there is still a small percentage of homeowners who may be coming face to face with foreclosure as a possibility today. If you’re facing difficulties yourself, it can help to understand your options. It starts with knowing what foreclosure is. Investopedia defines it like this: “Typically, default is triggered when a borrower misses a specific number of monthly payments . . . Foreclosure is the legal process by which a lender attempts to recover the amount owed on a defaulted loan by taking ownership of and selling the mortgaged property.” The good news is there are alternatives available to help you avoid going through the foreclosure process, including: Reinstatement Loan modification Deed-in-lieu of foreclosure Short sale But before you go down any of those paths, it’s worth seeing if you have enough equity in your home to sell it and protect your investment. You May Be Able To Use Your Equity To Sell Your House Equity is the difference between what you owe on the home and its market value based on factors like price appreciation. In today’s real estate market, many homeowners have far more equity in their homes than they realize due to the home price appreciation we’ve seen over the past few years. According to CoreLogic: “The total average equity per borrower has now reached almost $300,000, the highest in the data series.” So, what does that mean for you? If you’ve lived in your house for at least a few years or more, chances are your home’s value, and your equity, has risen dramatically. In addition, the mortgage payments you’ve made during that time chipped away at the balance of your loan. If your home’s current value is higher than what you still owe on your loan, you may be able to use that increase to your advantage. Rick Sharga, Executive VP of Market Intelligence at ATTOM Data, explains how equity can help: “Very few of the properties entering the foreclosure process have reverted to the lender at the end of the foreclosure. . . We believe that this may be an indication that borrowers are leveraging their equity and selling their homes rather than risking the loss of their equity in a foreclosure auction.” Lean on Experts To Explore Your Options To find out how much equity you have, work with a local real estate professional. They can give you an estimate of what your house could sell for based on recent sales of similar homes in your area. You may be able to sell your house to avoid foreclosure. If you find out you have to pursue other options, your agent can help with that too. They’ll be able to connect you with other professionals in the industry, like housing counselors, who can look into your unique situation and offer advice on next steps if selling isn’t your best alternative. Bottom Line If you’re a homeowner facing hardship, let’s connect so you have an expert on your side to explore your options and see if you can sell your house to avoid foreclosure.

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