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Introduction: Embrace the Home Buying Adventure Ready to dive into the crazy waters of home buying? Sure, it’s exciting, nerve-wracking, and you'll learn more about septic systems than you ever cared to know. But hey, welcome to adulting in Monmouth County, New Jersey!  Understanding the Local Real

If you’re planning to buy a home, an inspection is an important step in the process. It assesses the condition of the home before you finalize the transaction. It’s also a different step in the process from an appraisal, which is a professional evaluation of the market value of the home you’d like t

Are you having trouble finding a home that fits your needs and your budget? If so, you should know there’s an option worth considering – condominiums, also known as condos. According to Bankrate: “A condo can be a more affordable entry point to homeownership than a single-family home. And as a homeo

  Though there are more homes for sale now than there were at this time last year, there’s still an undersupply with fewer houses available than in more normal, pre-pandemic years. The Monthly Housing Market Trends Report from realtor.com puts it this way:  “While the number of homes for sale is inc

Are you planning to buy a home this spring? Though things are more balanced than they were at the height of the pandemic, it’s still a sellers’ market. So, when you find the home you want to buy, remember these four tips to make your best offer. 1.Lean on a Real Estate Professional Rely on an agent

You may have seen reports in the news recently saying it’s better to rent right now than it is to own your home. But before you let that impact your decisions, you should understand what these claims are based on. A lot of the time, these reports are assuming things that aren’t realistic for the ave

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you might be focusing on previously owned ones. But with so few houses for sale today, it makes sense to consider all your options, and that includes a home that’s newly built. The Number of Newly Built Homes Is on the Rise While there are more houses for sale

What You Should Know About Closing Costs Before you buy a home, it’s important to plan ahead. While most buyers consider how much they need to save for a down payment, many are surprised by the closing costs they have to pay. To ensure you aren’t caught off guard when it’s time to close on your home

How Experts Can Help Close the Gap in Today’s Homeownership Rate As we celebrate Black History Month, we reflect on the past and present experiences of Black Americans. This includes the path toward investing in a home of their own. And while equitable access to housing has come a long way, homeowne

Caption Buying a home is a very emotional process. If you allow those emotions to get the best of you, you may fall prey to several common home buyer mistakes. Since homeownership has far-reaching implications, it's important to keep your emotions in check and make the most rational decision possibl

30YR Fixed 6.16% -0.01% 15YR Fixed 5.23% -0.01%   Home Prices Are Slightly Lower, But Far From Plummeting As rates spiked and sales contracted at the fastest pace in decades last year, we knew the post-pandemic surge in home prices was set to reverse.  By the middle of 2022, the average forecast saw

Lower Mortgage Rates Are Bringing Buyers Back to the Market As mortgage rates rose last year, activity in the housing market slowed down. And as a result, homes started seeing fewer offers and stayed on the market longer. That meant some homeowners decided to press pause on selling. Now, however, ra

Some Highlights If you’re thinking of buying a home this year, be sure to factor in the long-term benefits of homeownership. On average, nationwide, home prices appreciated by 288.7% over the last 32 years. That means homeowners grow their net worth significantly in the long term. Homeownership wins

Pre-Approval in 2023: What You Need To Know One of the first steps in your homebuying journey is getting pre-approved. To understand why it’s such an important step, you need to understand what pre-approval is and what it does for you. Business Insider explains: “In a preapproval [sic], the lender t

Did the frequency and intensity of bidding wars over the past two years make you put your home search on hold? If so, you should know the hyper competitive market has cooled this year as buyer demand has moderated and housing supply has grown. Those two factors combined mean you may see less competi

If you’re a young adult, you may be thinking about your goals and priorities for the months and years ahead. And if homeownership ranks high on your goal sheet, you’re in good company. Many of your peers are also pursuing their dream of owning a home. The 2022 Millennial & Gen Z Borrower Sentiment R

30YR Fixed 6.29% -0.34% 15YR Fixed 5.75% -0.23%   $726,200 is The New Loan Limit for 2023; High Cost Counties Now Over $1m If you're just here for the conforming loan limit news, $726,200 is the number for 2023.   Does this mean no one can get a mortgage for more than $726,200?  No.  The conforming

With the rapid shift that’s happened in the housing market this year, some people are raising concerns that we’re destined for a repeat of the crash we saw in 2008. But in truth, there are many key differences between what’s happening today and the bubble in the early 2000s. One of the reasons this

⇒ 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 mor

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 li