August Sees A Rise In New Home Sales

 Inventory has been extremely low and buyers are in high demand and some prospective home buyers have been frustrated with the current market. This is not the case with the new home sales statistics. According to the Census Bureau, new home sales rose 1.5% in August 2021.

August saw a solid improvement in new home sales. The median home price was up 20.1% from August 2020 and is now $390,900. In fact, new home sales rose for the second consecutive month in August, the latest sign that homebuilders are recovering from problems that plagued them earlier in the year. The increase also reflects homebuilder sentiment that is on the rise as housing demand remains robust and the cost of lumber continues to ease.

New home builders still have the problem with building materials, the supply chain and labor shortages. These factors are also causing home prices to soar across the United States. This coupled with low inventory is not a good issue for both the builders and home buyers. It is reported that total for-sale inventory which includes new and existing homes has dropped over 20% from August 2020.

If you are in the market for a new home or want to sell your current home now is a great time. Even with the shortage of inventory, a professional sales agent can help you find the right home for the right price.

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Summer Saw an Increase in Private Residential Spending

The strong housing market and an uptick in the US economy are encouraging homeowners to spend money. According to NAHB analysis of Census Construction Spending, there was a 0.4% increase in the month of August in private residential construction spending. This took the seasonally adjusted annual rate to $786.6 billion. The data reported shows a 24.3% increase in total private residential construction spending over a year ago.

There was a dip in spending on single-family and multifamily improvements in July but it jumped back up 2.5% in August. This might have been due to such issues with building material supply chains and labor challenges. Material prices such as lumber are also skyrocketing.

The National Association of Home Builders construction spending index saw solid growth in single-family construction and home improvement. The data also reports a rebound in new multifamily construction spending. Private nonresidential construction spending was reported at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $455.6 billion in August.

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If Your Considering Refinancing Your Home Here Are Six Important Things You Need To Know

  

There are several reasons a home may want to refinance. Homeowners can use the new loans to lower their interest rates, pay off mortgages at a faster pace or turn their home equity into cash. Before choosing this path, you need to makes sure that refinancing is right for you. Here are six things to consider to help you with the answer.

1. Refinancing is a process

Refinancing typically takes 30 to 45 days from start to finish. Once you choose a lender they will need to assess your income, assets and credit history. You will need to gather all your documents such as pay stubs and bank statements. An appraisal will also be done for the new mortgage. Make sure to clean your home and make sure your landscaping is in top shape.

2. Time is of the essence

Currently, we are at historic lows and this is a perfect time to refinance. This may not always be the case. It is smart to lock in a low monthly payment as well as a low rate. Once rates go up, the savings might not be there.

3. There are many reasons to refinance

A low interest rate is a big reason to refinance, however, it is not the only reason. The term of the loan is another factor, if you’re looking for a lower monthly outlay, a long-term loan will likely work best. This is not the case if you want to repay as soon as possible because you might get locked into a higher rate. Terms are important but other reasons also include changing your loan type, cashing out your equity or removing a name (in cases such as divorce).

4. You're not tied to your existing lender

You can always go with a new lender when refinancing. Once you have paid your original mortgage off with your lender you are free from obligation to them. This gives you an opportunity to shop around for the best terms and rates.

5. You can reinvest in your existing property

Many homeowners take the cash out equity and turn around and make improvements, renovations or additions to their home. These changes not only benefit your living situation but also can add more value to your home.

6. The decision is yours alone - so make it an educated one

Everyone has different goals and personal interests in life. This is also true with home purchases and refinancing. Refinancing is a personal decision and all options should be explored. If you are thinking of refinancing, contacting a lender who can help you with all aspects of home refinancing is the first smart choice of the process.

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The Second Quarter of 2021 Sees a Rise in Real Estate Market Values

According to the "Flow of Funds" from the current Federal Reserve Z.1 Financial Accounts of the United States the aggregate market value of all owner-occupied real estate in the United States saw the largest increase in one quarter in the last 21 years. $33.8 trillion was reported in the first quarter of 2021 and rose by $1.1 trillion in the second quarter.

The Federal Reserve Z.1 Financial Accounts used to be known as the Flow of Funds accounts. This is a collection of financial accounts where the data is taken from them to see what funds are being used by whom. Basically, it is a way to track the net money going in and money coming out from several sectors of the US economy.

Due to lack of housing inventory, home prices are the highest we have seen in a while. Home mortgages also have jumped to $11.3 trillion which was a rise of $220 billion. Real estate assets are increasing faster than real estate liabilities. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported as of September 12, indicates a forbearance rate of 3%.

The second quarter of 2021 saw a 12% year over year of appreciation of the market value of all real estate assets. Aggregate owners' equity also jumped to $23.6 trillion which was 68% of all household real estate, making it the highest seen since 1989.

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This Summer Saw a Gain in Single-Family Permit Gains

 

This summer saw a booming housing market. The year-over-year increase in single-family permits was 29.7% over July 2020. In July 2020 there were 525,623 single-family permits issued and in July 2021 there were 681,959 issued.

The uptick was also seen across the country in all four regions year-to-date in July 2021. The Northeast had the highest increase in single-family permits with 32.2%, followed by the south with a 30.4% increase, the West had a 29.8% and the Midwest came in the lowest bust till strong at 25.8%. AS for multifamily permits issued the West was the strongest at 29.8%, Northeast had a 25.6% increase, the South 18% and the Midwest with a 15.7%.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia had growth from July 2020 YTD and July 2021 YTD in single-family permits issued. The highest growth was in the District of Columbia with a 226.1% increase from 65 to 225. The highest 10 states made up 62.4% of the countries total.

Multifamily permits also saw an increase from 270,338 in July 2020 to 328,483 issued in July 2021 which was reported as a 21.5% increase. Thirty-eight states saw growth in multifamily permits while 12 states and the District of Columbia had a decline. New Mexico was the highest with a 295.8% increase from 427 to 1,690. Connecticut had the worst decline from 1,708 to 927 which was a 45.7% decrease. The top ten states totaled 63.2% of the multifamily permits issued.

Top Ten Metro Areas Issued Highest Number of  Single-Family Permits

Metropolitan Statistical Area	Single-family Permits: Jan (Units #YTD, NSA)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	32,134
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	32,017
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	22,420
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	20,352
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	1,954
Austin-Round Rock, TX	15,427
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	11,493
Orland-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	10,314
Jacksonville, FL	9,949
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN	9,993

 

 

Top Ten Metro Areas Issued Highest Number of  Multifamily Permits

 

Metropolitan Statistical Area	Multifamily Permits: Jan (Units #YTD, NSA)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	24.685
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	16,796
Austin-Round Rock, TX	16,170
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	12,565
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	10,573
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	10,307
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	9,090
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	9,055
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN	8,412
Houston-TheWoodlands-Sugar Land, TX	8,348

 

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What Are the Costs of Home Ownership?

 

Purchasing a home is one of life's major events. Many believe it is out of reach financially because of the competitive market and high cost of homes. If you are up for the challenge, homeownership can be both personally rewarding and financially rewarding. There are several long-term financial benefits of owning a home.

There are many concerns when purchasing a home, in fact, a study showed that over half of millennial homeowners have at least one regret about purchasing their home. These regrets included not being happy with their rate, not being prepared for maintenance costs, high monthly payments and high home prices.

This should not detour you from taking on the financial responsibility of homeownership. In order for it to be a confident decision, get the aid of professionals in the industry who can help you fully understand the process and what surprising costs you may occur.

There are a lot of reasons why renting is best for some such as short-term living arrangements, others trying to improve their credit scores, and some people are just not in the financial position to take the plunge into buying a home.

If you can take the plunge then it is wise to do so. When you have to renew a lease, the rent usually increases around 3 - 5% per year. Also, the money you pay for rent goes into someone else's pocket. If you own a home, you are paying into a mortgage on a home and will obtain equity.

Remember even if there are maintenance costs, every dollar you put into your home adds value. In the long run, homeownership is usually less expensive than renting. If you are in the market for a home, contact your local agent who can help you with getting a home for your needs at a great value.

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