Blog - Syed Ahmed

Keeping Current Matters, September 2021

What You Can Do Right Now To Prepare for Homeownership

As rent prices continue to soar, many renters want to know what they can do to get ready to buy their first home. According to recent data from ApartmentList.com: “The first half of 2021 has seen the fastest growth in rent prices since the start of our estimates in 2017. Our national rent index has increased by 11.4 percent […]
Keeping Current Matters

What Buyers and Sellers Need To Know About the Appraisal Gap

It’s economy 101 – when supply is low and demand is high, prices naturally rise. That’s what’s happening in today’s housing market. Home prices are appreciating at near-historic rates, and that’s creating some challenges when it comes to home appraisals. In recent months, it’s become increasingly common for an appraisal to come in below the contract price on […]
Keeping Current Matters

The Difference in Net Worth Between Homeowners and Renters Is Widening

Becoming financially secure is an important goal for many people today, but some don’t realize just how much homeownership can help them achieve that dream. A recent report, The Journey Toward Financial Freedom, surveys Americans about their perspective on financial wellness and their goals. It shows there may be a significant misconception about the role owning a home plays […]
Keeping Current Matters

Your Checklist To Get Ready To Sell [INFOGRAPHIC]

Keeping Current Matters What You Can Do Right Now To Prepare for Homeownership As rent prices continue to soar, many renters want to know what they can do to get ready to buy their first home. According to recent data from ApartmentList.com: “The first half of 2021 has seen the fastest growth in rent prices since the start of our estimates in 2017. Our national rent index has increased by 11.4 percent […]

Keeping Current Matters What Buyers and Sellers Need To Know About the Appraisal Gap It’s economy 101 – when supply is low and demand is high, prices naturally rise. That’s what’s happening in today’s housing market. Home prices are appreciating at near-historic rates, and that’s creating some challenges when it comes to home appraisals. In recent months, it’s become increasingly common for an appraisal to come in below the contract price on […]

Keeping Current Matters The Difference in Net Worth Between Homeowners and Renters Is Widening Becoming financially secure is an important goal for many people today, but some don’t realize just how much homeownership can help them achieve that dream. A recent report, The Journey Toward Financial Freedom, surveys Americans about their perspective on financial wellness and their goals. It shows there may be a significant misconception about the role owning a home plays […]

Keeping Current Matters Your Checklist To Get Ready To Sell [INFOGRAPHIC]

Keeping Current Matters If Housing Affordability Is About the Money, Don’t Forget This. There are many non-financial benefits of buying your own home. However, today’s headlines seem to be focusing primarily on the financial aspects of homeownership – specifically affordability. Many articles are making the claim that it’s not affordable to buy a home in today’s market, but that isn’t the case. Today’s buyers are spending approximately 20% of their income on […]

Keeping Current Matters Why 2021 Is Still the Year To Sell Your House If you’re trying to decide whether or not to sell your house, this is the time to think seriously about making a move. Fannie Mae’s recent Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) reveals the number of respondents who say it’s a good time to sell is higher now than it was over the past few summers (see graph below). Today, the majority of consumers, […]

Keeping Current Matters What To Do with Your Vacation Home as Summer Ends As summer comes to a close, is it time to think about selling your vacation home? Based on recent data and expert opinions, it’s something you may want to consider. According to research from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), vacation home sales are up 57.2% year-over-year for January-April 2021. If you’ve taken your last vacation this summer, here are […]

Keeping Current Matters What Do Experts Say About Today’s Mortgage Rates? Mortgage rates are hovering near record lows, and that’s good news for today’s homebuyers. The graph below shows mortgage rates dating back to 2016 and where today falls by comparison.Generally speaking, when rates are low, you can afford more home for your money. That’s why experts across the industry agree – today’s low rates present buyers with […]

Keeping Current Matters Options for First-Time Homebuyers [INFOGRAPHIC]

Keeping Current Matters More Young People Are Buying Homes There’s a common misconception that younger generations aren’t interested in homeownership. Many people point to the fact that millennials put off purchasing their first home as a reason for this belief. Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist for First American, explains why millennials have put off certain milestones linked to homeownership. Those delays led to their homeownership rates trailing […]

Keeping Current Matters Real Estate: It’s Still a Lack of Supply, Not a Lack of Demand One of the major questions real estate experts are asking today is whether prospective homebuyers still believe purchasing a home makes sense. Some claim rapidly rising home prices are impacting demand and, by extension, leading to the recent slowdown in sales activity. However, demand isn’t the real issue. Instead, it’s the lack of supply (homes […]

Keeping Current Matters What Does Being in a Sellers’ Market Mean? Whether or not you’ve been following the real estate industry lately, there’s a good chance you’ve heard we’re in a serious sellers’ market. But what does that really mean? And why are conditions today so good for people who want to list their house? It starts with the number of houses available for sale. The […]

Keeping Current Matters A Look at Home Price Appreciation and What It Means for Sellers When you hear the phrase home price appreciation, what does it mean to you? Through context clues alone, chances are you know it has to do with rising home prices. And as a seller, you know rising home prices are good news for your potential sale. But let’s look past the dollar signs and dive deeper […]

Keeping Current Matters Sellers Are in a Sweet Spot [INFOGRAPHIC]

Keeping Current Matters The Best Use of Time (and Money) When It Comes to Renovations In the current sellers’ market, many homeowners wonder what, if anything, needs to be remodeled before they list their house. That’s where a trusted real estate professional comes in. They can help you think through today’s market conditions and how they impact what you should – and shouldn’t – renovate before selling. Here are some […]

Keeping Current Matters Are Houses Less Affordable Than They Were in Past Decades? There are many headlines about how housing affordability is declining. The headlines are correct: it’s less affordable to purchase a home today than it was a year ago. However, it’s important to give this trend context. Is it less expensive to buy a house today than it was in 2005? What about 1995? What happens […]

Keeping Current Matters Looking for a Place To Call Home? Consider a Condominium. It’s no secret that one of the top stories in today’s real estate market is low housing supply and high buyer demand. If you’re a first-time buyer looking for a starter home or are someone who’s interested in downsizing, it may be worth considering a condominium (condo) as a worthwhile option. In fact, trends indicate condos are […]

Keeping Current Matters The Community and Economic Impacts of a Home Sale If you’re thinking of buying or selling a house, chances are you’re focusing on the many extraordinary ways it’ll change your life. What you may not realize is that decision impacts people’s lives far beyond your own. Home purchases and sales are significant drivers of economic activity. They have a major impact on your community and the […]

Keeping Current Matters Ready To Sell, but Don’t Know Where You’ll Go? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Keeping Current Matters Surprising Shift Favors Homeowners: Buyers Now Prefer Existing Homes In April, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) posted an article, Home Buyers’ Preferences Shift Towards New Construction, which reported: “60% of people who were looking to buy a home in 2020 said they’d prefer new construction to an existing home.” However, it seems buyers are now shifting their preferences back to existing homes. The latest Consumer Confidence Survey reveals […]