Why Do We Buy Real Estate?

Why Do We Buy Real Estate?

by Ashley Garner on October 21, 2013 in For Buyers

Why do you own your home? Why do you want to buy a home? According to Fannie Mae the top five reasons people buy a home or aspire to buy a home are: To have a better place to raise their children; A place where their family can feel safe; To have more space; Freedom to renovate to their own taste; and Owning is a better investment. Does this hold true for you? How about for a friend or family member you are close to? I know that all five reasons were a factor in my personal decision to own a home rather than rent. While I do think that sometimes for some people it is better to rent than own (or possibly it is the only option), the vast majority of the time there is no question it is better to own than rent.

The reasons we buy a home have stayed constant throughout the recovery of our real estate market and are strengthening all the while.

Freedom

People have to live somewhere and at least in the United States, people want to own where they live. It has a lot to do with freedom. We are a free nation with citizens who strive for financial freedom, enjoy their religious freedom, freedom to say what we want, etc. Something about owning your home gives you freedom.

Every day I work with people who are buying a home and they all have their own unique set of circumstances. Some are newly married and are ready to start their life together. Some need more space. Some have the means to buy a home in a special location to enjoy the beauty of the oceans or mountains. Either way the drive to own is strong.

Recovery

Let’s face it; we have been through tough economic times in the past several years. Many of us have been caught in the midst of short sales, foreclosures and even bankruptcies. The first question I’m asked by someone who has been through a tough time is “how long do I have to wait before I can buy another house?”

The American Dream

In 1931 the phrase “The American Dream” was defined by James Truslow Adams, historian and author, in his book Epic of America- “…life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement”. Homeownership is a very strong part of the American Dream.

We have all read books, seen movies and heard stories about immigrants who have come to America in pursuit of a better life in a society that allowed them to better themselves based on their own ability and achievement. Most of these people were coming to America from a society that was without opportunity because the class structure did not allow for significant achievement…you pretty much stayed in the class in which you were born.

In America that is not the case, every day we have the freedom to make better choices, work smarter, work harder, take risks, etc. all in pursuit getting to a better place than we came from.

Financial Strength

Owning a home is one of the best ways to better yourself as judged in financial AND non- financial terms. For example, according to the Federal Reserve (2012), on average, Homeowners have a total net worth over thirty times greater than those who rent their home. For most of us the equity in our home is the biggest asset on our balance sheet.

Other Factors

Some of the non-financial related ways we are better off owning a home versus renting include having more room for our growing family by way of buying a bigger house or adding on to our current house… if you rent, your landlord is not likely to allow you to knock down walls and add on to your apartment.

Another way we are better is by having the ability to choose where we want to live. Location is the single most important variable that affects the value of real estate, there is good reason for this…if the location is unsafe, polluted, noisy, high-traffic, prone to flooding, etc. then it less valuable than a location which is safe, quiet, convenient, dry, etc.

Achieving the American Dream is a noble pursuit. I would argue that owning your own home is one of the very best ways to live that Dream. It isn’t the only way but it is so important psychologically and financially that it helped make the USA the wonderfully free and prosperous nation it is and will be.

Why do you own your home? Why do you want to buy a home? Go out and achieve the American Dream!

Obama Proposes Fundamental Overhaul of U.S. Mortgage System
by The Associated Press Aug 6th 2013 6:55AM
Updated Aug 6th 2013 4:18PM


By JULIE PACE

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is proposing to overhaul the nation's mortgage finance system, including shutting down government-backed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- a plan with bipartisan support on Capitol Hill.

Obama will also insist that popular 30-year mortgages be widely available to borrowers, even in a system that would rely more on the private sector than the government to guarantee loans.

The president was to outline his proposals Tuesday at a construction company in Phoenix, once the epicenter of the housing crisis following the 2008 economic collapse. The housing market in the region, as in much of the country, has rebounded in recent months, buoyed in part by low interest rates.

The president's trip marks the latest stop on his summertime economic tour aimed at refocusing his agenda on middle-class Americans still struggling to recover from the recession. The collapse of the housing market in particular had a dramatic impact on people's lives and the economic viability of communities nationwide.

"So many Americans across the country view their own economic and financial circumstances through their homes and whether they own a home, whether their home is underwater, whether they feel like they have equity in their homes," White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday.

Senior administration officials said Obama would focus in Phoenix on shifting more of the burden for supporting the nation's massive mortgage market to the private sector. A centerpiece of that effort is winding down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the mortgage finance operations that received a $187 billion taxpayer-funded bailout in 2008.


The White House has previously lauded efforts to achieve that goal spearheaded by Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. While Obama will outline his own proposals Tuesday, his plans are largely in line with the bipartisan Senate overhaul.

Obama's plan would phase out Fannie and Freddie, replacing them with a system that relies on the private sector to buy mortgages from lenders. Officials said the government would only step in to pay out mortgage guarantees after private capital has been exhausted and said private capital would bear the substantial majority of any losses.

Built into that system would be a guarantee that 30-year mortgages would still be available. Officials said that would involve some type of government guarantee for lenders, though they did not detail what that would entail.

Obama's advisers didn't outline a specific timeframe for winding down Fannie and Freddie. The Corker-Warner legislation would shutter the operations within five years.

Fannie and Freddie don't make loans directly, but buy mortgages from lenders, package them as bonds, guarantee them against default and sell them to investors. The enterprises currently own or guarantee half of all U.S. mortgages and back nearly 90 percent of new ones.

Against the backdrop of Phoenix's reinvigorated housing market, Obama will also tout refinancing proposals that gained little traction on Capitol Hill when he first unveiled them last year. Among his proposals is a call for expanding refinancing eligibility for homeowners who do not have government-backed mortgages.

The president will also look to link his housing proposals to immigration reform, his top second-term legislative priority. Officials said he will argue that legal immigration can stimulate the housing market. According to the administration, immigrants accounted for 40 percent of new homeowners nationwide between 2000 and 2010.

The officials insisted on anonymity in order to preview the president's remarks ahead of his trip.

The nationwide housing recovery has been providing critical support to the economy at a time when manufacturing and business investment have stagnated. Steady job growth and low mortgage rates in the past year have also fueled more home sales. The increased demand, along with a tight supply of homes for sale, has pushed home prices higher. That's encouraged builders to start more homes and create more construction jobs.

The recovery in Phoenix is emblematic of the larger improvements happening in many parts of the country.

Just two years ago, the region was in the throes of the worst housing collapse in the country, with prices down nearly 60 percent from their June 2006 peak and banks foreclosing on 70,000 homeowners a year. While the current median home price remains below peak, the levels have risen 66 percent from September 2011. Buyers are plentiful and homes for sale scarce, leading to bidding wars for resale homes.


IS THIS A GOOD IDEA OR A BAD ONE?

Many are talking about why now is a great time to buy a home. Today, we want to look at why it might also be an opportune time to sell your house. Here are the Top 5 Reasons we believe now may be a perfect time to put your house on the market.
1.) Demand Is High
Homes are selling at the fastest pace since November 2009 when the market spiked in response to the home buyer tax credit. The most recent Existing Home Sales Report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) showed that monthly sales increased 9.7% over the same month last year. Total sales have been above year-ago levels for 22 consecutive months. There are buyers out there right now (buyer traffic is 31 percent stronger than a year ago) and they are serious about purchasing.
2.) Supply Is Beginning to Increase
Total housing inventory last month rose 11.9% to 2.16 million homes for sale. This represents a 5.2-month supply at the current sales pace, compared with 4.3 months in January. Many expect inventory to continue to rise as more sellers escape the shackles of negative equity. Selling now while demand is high and before supply increases may garner you your best price.
3.) New Construction Is Coming Back
Over the last several years, most homeowners selling their home did not have to compete with a new construction project around the block. As the market is recovering, more and more builders are jumping back in. These ‘shiny’ new homes will again become competition as they are an attractive alternative for many purchasers.
4.) Interest Rates Are Rising
According to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey, interest rates for a 30-year mortgage have shot up to 3.98% which represents a jump of more than ½ point since the beginning of the year. Even those trying to be the voice of reason on this issue are projecting higher rates. For example, Polyana da Costa, senior mortgage analyst at Bankrate.com said:
“Rates are unlikely to keep going up so quickly and should remain below 5%.”
Whether you are moving up or moving down, your housing expense will be more a year from now if a mortgage is necessary to purchase your next home.
5.) It’s Time to Move On with Your Life
Look at the reason you are thinking about selling and decide whether it is worth waiting. Is the possibility of a few extra dollars more important than being with family; more important than your health; more important than having the freedom to go on with your life the way you think you should?
You already know the answers to the questions we just asked. You have the power to take back control of your situation by putting the house on the market today. The time may have come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire. That is what is truly important.

Total Increase a Buyer May Pay if They Wait

This is an excerpt from an article I JUST READ .... and we are already at 4% nevermind were we will be by the end of the year!!





by THE KCM CREW on MAY 23, 2013 •

Earlier in the week, we explained that experts have projected that U.S. home prices will appreciate by approximately 5% in 2013. We also revealed the Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae and the National Association of Realtors have all projected that the 30-year mortgage rate will be at least 4% by the end of 2013. If we assume that prices and interest rates will rise as projected, here is the monthly difference a buyer may pay if they wait a year.






ANY OF YOU SEEING HIGHER RATES THAN 4% ? LET US KNOW