FamilyFirstRealtyBlog

Article by: KCM (Keeping Current Matters) 3/16/18 Moving Up Is MORE Affordable Now Than Almost Any Other Time In 40 Years 1.9K SHARES 1.8K 94 0 30 0 If you are considering selling your current home, to either move up to a larger home or into a home in an area that better suits your current family needs, great news was just revealed. Last week,  Trulia  posted a blog,  Not Your Father’s Housing Market ,  which examined home affordability over the last 40+ years (1975-2016). Their research revealed that: “Nationally, homes are just about the most affordable they’ve been in the last 40 years… the median household could afford a home 1.5 times more expensive than the median home price. In 1980, the median household could only afford about 3/4 of the median home price. Despite relatively stagnant incomes, affordability has grown due to the sharp drop in mortgage rates over the last 30 years – from a high of over 16% in the 1980s to under 4% by 2016. Of the nation

Article by: KCM (Keeping Current Matters) 3/14/18 7 Factors To Consider When Choosing A Home To Retire In 998 SHARES 891 81 0 26 0 As more and more baby boomers enter retirement age, the question of whether or not to sell their homes and move will become a hot topic. In today’s housing market climate, with low available inventory in the starter and trade-up home categories, it makes sense to evaluate your home’s ability to adapt to your needs in retirement. According to the  National Association of Exclusive Buyers Agents  (NAEBA), there are  7 factors  that you should consider when choosing your retirement home. 1. Affordability “It may be easy enough to purchase your home today but think long-term about your monthly costs. Account for property taxes, insurance, HOA fees, utilities – all the things that will be due whether or not you have a mortgage on the property. ” Would moving to a complex with homeowner association fees actually be cheaper than having

Article by : KCM Keeping Current Matters     3/12/18 Here are four great reasons to consider buying a home today instead of waiting. Prices Will Continue to Rise CoreLogic’s  latest  Home Price Index  reports that home prices have appreciated by 6.6% over the last 12 months. The same report predicts that prices will continue to increase at a rate of 4.3% over the next year. The bottom in home prices has come and gone. Home values will continue to appreciate for years. Waiting no longer makes sense. Mortgage Interest Rates Are Projected to Increase Freddie Mac’s  Primary Mortgage Market Survey  shows that interest rates for a 30-year mortgage hovered close to 4.0% in 2017. Most experts predict that rates will rise over the next 12 months. The  Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac  and the  National Association of Realtors  are in unison, projecting that rates will increase by nearly a full percentage point by this time next year. An increase in rates will

Now is the Time to Think About Your Lawn (Early Spring) Article by "Lowe's" - 2018 Control Weeds in the Lawn and Garden Weeds are a common challenge around the home landscape. Even the best landscapers and gardeners must deal with these persistent pests. There are, however, proven methods for reducing and controlling weeds. Save Item 10 Save Recognizing Types of Weeds By definition, a weed is any plant that is growing where you do not want it to grow. Flowers growing in the lawn or grass growing in the flower bed would be considered weeds. Botanically, there are three types of weeds: Broadleaf (ex. dandelion) Grassy (ex. crabgrass) Grass-like (ex. wild onion) Weed seeds exist in almost all lawns and gardens, and spread in a number of ways. They can be dispersed by wind, water, animals, soil amendments, poor quality grass seed and lawn and garden equipment. Many weed seeds remain dormant for years before they begin to gr