The fact is that almost anyone – including your clients – has the opportunity to invest in real estate. Whether they invest in real estate directly or indirectly, they can enjoy the healthy returns they receive on their investment. Continue reading
Many market experts had predicted that home prices would decelerate this year, and home inventory would increase, making it at least a little easier for your clients to find and afford a home in 2022. Continue reading
With soaring home values and low inventory, finding some of your home buying clients even one primary residence they can afford might be challenging. But what about a second home?
According to Redfin data, demand for second homes is soaring well above pre-pandemic levels. That’s even though houses are selling for record prices as competition remains high. Affluent buyers aren’t the only ones driving this trend. Even middle-class families are seeking second homes that can serve specific purposes.
This increased demand for second homes is good news for you. Past clients who already own a primary residence may be open to the idea of purchasing a second home they can get for a good deal because of low-interest rates or if it’s considered a fixer-upper.
There are several reasons your prospects should consider purchasing a second home during these current market conditions. Share these with them and gauge their needs and interests.
Already in 2022, mortgage interest rates have increased. That’s not a huge surprise considering the costs of practically everything, including gasoline and groceries, are soaring. But putting the interest rates into perspective, they are still low enough to entice homebuyers.
Your clients who have ever considered owning more than one property may want to now take advantage of these lower rates. If they’ve been able to sock away some cash from last year’s stimulus payments or bigger tax refunds, that may be enough for a solid down payment on a second home.
If your clients like to vacation or get away once in a while, they understand that it can get expensive. Renting beach homes, condos, or other lodgings short term isn’t cheap. What if they actually owned the property they vacationed at and could go there anytime they wanted?
Buying a second home to use as a getaway could be a sound investment. Not only could your client use it as a retreat for themselves, but if it’s located in a desirable spot, they could rent it out to others throughout the year to help recoup some of the costs.
As many real estate professionals understand, real estate investment can be lucrative. But your client doesn’t have to own a high-rise property or apartment complex to benefit.
Now might be the time to purchase a second home for investment purposes. Even the most modest property could be used as a rental property as a way to yield extra income. Your client could always decide later whether they want to make this their primary residence, sell it at a higher profit or keep it as a long-term real estate investment.
The pandemic changed the way – and where – we work. Many of your clients may now have the capability of flexibility to do their jobs from virtually anywhere. In some cases, that could eliminate the need to live in specific places near their company’s headquarters or offices.
While they still may be rooted in a specific area because of family, some of your clients might want the freedom of spending parts of the year at a second home somewhere else.
A second home may also be needed out of necessity. If your client has to work remotely permanently or often, they may need a home that’s functionally suited for that if their primary residence isn’t.
While some of your clients might think second homes are just for the rich, it’s not true. Make sure they understand why they should give it some thought now as the demand for second homes continues.
If your prospects have been putting off buying a new home and considering a refinance instead, their window of opportunity seems to be closing quickly. That means it’s time for you to nudge them about exploring all their options – like buying a home from you. Continue reading
While having the capability to handle many transactions or tasks digitally with next to no human interaction is convenient, it also lacks some advantages of having a real person available if and when issues arise. Continue reading
This week, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have agreed to eliminate the “Adverse Market Refinance Fee” for all refinanced mortgages, effective Aug. 1. The refinancing fee was implemented in December 2020 to help pay for some of the federal pandemic-related mortgage relief. Continue reading
The recent news about one major financial institution closing all existing personal lines of credit and no longer offering them to customers may sound like a scary proposition.
Let’s discuss why. Continue reading
According to Freddie Mac and the National Association of Homebuilders, mortgage rates are expected to hover around 3 percent this year. The National Association of Realtors projects the rate will reach 3.2 percent in 2021, and Wells Fargo believes rates will be around 2.89 percent. All these numbers are attractive for both new home buyers and those looking to refinance.
There are benefits and pitfalls to both that a knowledgeable and professional agent can communicate to put you in the best position possible.
Despite it being a seller’s market where home prices in many regions are skyrocketing, you could still manage to land the home of their dreams without breaking the bank.
However, if you aren’t up for getting into possible bidding wars, are still content in your current home, or need to squeeze some money out of your monthly budgets, refinancing can provide some benefits.
To help you clients determine whether they should buy now or refinance instead, here are some essential considerations to share.
A message and answers from Amerifirst to frequently asked questions regarding mortgage forbearance during these difficult times.
*Not intended as real estate, accounting or investment advice. Contact your financial representative for more information.
Interfamily transfers permit some unique rules to be considered when buying a home. We encourage mortgage planning to implement these strategies. A gift of equity can be used a few ways…and when done right, can drastically limit the use of actual money needed to buy a home. An interfamily transfer – also known as a non-armslength transaction – can be used three ways in any combination:
First, for down payment; Second, to cover closing costs for the loan; Third, to actually pay off debt. In many cases, these are great when estate planning is used in combination when transferring real estate. Imagine buying Grandma’s house, paying off your consumer debt, renovating the home, and doing so with almost no money out of pocket. It is certainly a technical transaction…and yet it’s done quite often. Do you qualify for a gift of equity? Maybe so…ask us how
*Not intended as real estate, accounting or investment advice. Contact your financial representative for more information.
