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82,338 Great Reasons to Buy a Home Today
82,338 Great Reasons to Buy a Home Today

The financial benefits of buying a home as compared to renting one are always up for debate. However, one element of the equation is often ignored – the ability to build wealth as a homeowner.
Most experts are calling for home prices to continue appreciating over the next several years. The most recent Home Price Expectation Survey, a survey of over one hundred economists, real estate experts, and investment and market strategists, expects home appreciation to increase as follows:
- 2021: 6%
- 2022: 4.5%
- 2023: 4%
- 2024: 3.6%
- 2025: 3.5%
Using their annual projections, the graph below shows the equity build-up a purchaser could earn, using a $350,000 home as an example:
A homeowner could increase their net worth by over $80,000 in five years. That’s an average of $16,000 annually. That number should be in any equation determining the financial benefits of owning a home compared to renting.
Bottom Line
Homeowners are going to make a substantial amount of money in home equity over the next five years. If you’re ready to buy a home, let’s connect so you can enjoy this great benefit as well.
How Much Time Do You Need To Save for a Down Payment?
How Much Time Do You Need To Save for a Down Payment?

One of the biggest hurdles homebuyers face is saving for a down payment. As you’re budgeting and planning for your home purchase, you’ll want to understand how much you’ll need to put down and how long it will take you to get there. The process may actually move faster than you think.
Using data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Apartment List, we can estimate how long it might take someone earning the median income and paying the median rent to save up for a down payment on a median-priced home. Since saving for a down payment can be a great time to practice budgeting for housing costs, this estimate also uses the concept that a household should not pay more than 28% of their total income on monthly housing expenses.
According to the data, the national average for the time it would take to save for a 10% down payment is right around two and a half years (2.53). Residents in Iowa can save for a down payment the fastest, doing so in just over one year (1.31). The map below illustrates this time (in years) for each state:
What if you only need to save 3%?
What if you’re able to take advantage of one of the 3% down payment programs available? It’s a common misconception that you need a 20% down payment to buy a home, but there are actually more affordable options and down payment assistance programs available, especially for first-time buyers. The reality is, saving for a 3% down payment may not take several years. In fact, it could take less than a year in most states, as shown in the map below:
Bottom Line
Wherever you are in the process of saving for a down payment, you may be closer to your dream home than you think. Let’s connect to explore the down payment options available in our area and how they support your plans.
Home Is Where the Heart Is [INFOGRAPHIC]
Home Is Where the Heart Is [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Home Is Where the Heart Is [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM](https://files.mykcm.com/2021/04/15144410/20210402-MEM-1-1046x1987.png)
Some Highlights
- There’s no doubt about it: homeowners love their homes, and that feeling has become even more important over the past year.
- The vast majority of homeowners say they’re emotionally attached to their home and that it has kept them safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Owning a home provides a sense of safety, security, and accomplishment. Let’s connect to move your homeownership goals forward today.
Why This Is a Great Year to Sell Your Vacation Home
Why This Is a Great Year to Sell Your Vacation Home

As vaccines are administered and travel resumes, many of us are beginning to plan for those long-awaited vacations we missed out on over the past year. Some households are focusing their efforts on buying a vacation home rather than staying in a hotel, too. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports:
“Second homes (i.e., homes sold to buyers who are not going to occupy the home year-round, but use it as a vacation home, investment property, etc.) account for 15 percent of new single-family home sales.”
It’s not surprising that there’s an increase in demand for vacation homes. The majority of Americans are realizing they prefer to be around small groups, as shown in a recent survey from The Harris Poll:
“Social distancing taught consumers new things about how they like to socialize; (75%) said, ‘during COVID social distancing I realized I preferred smaller social gatherings at home or at friends’ place.’”
Not only are vacation homes seen as a potentially more pandemic-friendly way to travel and socialize, but they can also serve as an extended home-away-from-home. With more Americans being given the option to continue working remotely or retire earlier than expected, vacation homes can be used year-round. The NAHB explains:
“Remote work arrangements have made it possible for some wealthier Americans to move to alternate locations that are not just small, suburban shifts from within their current metro area. More fundamentally, second home demand may also be benefitting by an acceleration of retirement plans, as well as stock market gains.”
Bottom Line
The demand for vacation homes has increased and will continue to rise as we head into summer. If you own a house in a destination area and have thought about selling, now is a great time to take advantage of today’s high buyer interest. Let’s connect to discuss your opportunities in our local market.
Working with an Inspector
Working with an Inspector
The rule of real estate is to get your money's worth. When you are looking into finding a place, you will want to make sure that the rule immediately applies. One way to make sure that you are getting more for your money is by finding the right inspector. This will allow you to find a property that is worth the upkeep.
The job of an inspector is to find everything that might be a larger problem in the house before you move in. This will begin by checking the electricity, water supply, plumbing, furnace and heat supplies, and the general build of the home. They will take a part of their day in order to make sure that everything is built up to standard and that it won't cause problems before you move in.
If there is something that the inspector says is wrong with your home, you will have the ability to ask for repairs or money back for the home. There are several who will save thousands of dollars by having an inspector look at what is in the home and how it needs to be changed. Because of this, you will want to make sure that the right inspector is coming to your home.
Most likely, your real estate agent will have a specific inspector that they like to work with. However, you can find one on your own and have them inspect the home as contract work. You want to make sure that they will do a thorough job and that they have your best interests in mind. This will help you to walk into your home without any surprises and with potential replacements before you move in.
Working with an inspector is an essential part of buying a home. It will help to determine and define the quality of the home and can help you to get the best deal in the end. Before you sign the final papers, make sure that the inspector you have worked with has looked through everything. This will help you to begin making your house into a home.
Why Real Estate May Be the Only Real Mainstay Market
Why Real Estate May Be the Only Real Mainstay Market
While you see businesses come to life, peak, and fall, you may be thinking if a business of real estate is worth investing in. Would if the same thing happens to this business. You wouldn't want to invest in something that won't be substantial. Unlike other businesses, real estate is always a good investment to make and maybe the only real mainstay market.
Even though the real estate market rises and falls, there are still many benefits to being in real estate. You can expect that if something happens that causes the real estate to lower, it will eventually come back up. There is always a need for housing and people are always moving into different locations. No matter what type of real estate you are investing in, you can expect that someone will have the need to live on the property. Because real estate is part of the basic needs of individuals, it can be expected that someone will always be looking, and others will always be selling.
One of the advantages of real estate that gives it more stability is that no matter what the economy, there will always be real estate selling. It can be expected that if the market is bad, individuals will be working towards selling their homes to move somewhere more substantial. If the economy is good, then individuals will be looking into buying homes that can offer more. This helps to keep real estate as one of the stable markets among businesses.
If you aren't certain about investing in real estate, you don't need to look any further than the economy and how the fluctuation is always to the advantage of those owning property. No matter what the circumstances, individuals are always looking for a place to live. If you want to make sure that you are part of the trends in the marketplace, then investing in real estate is a certain way to keep a stable income.
What To Do When Your Home Isn't Selling
What To Do When Your Home Isn't Selling
When you sell your home, the process is almost like going to a job interview. Selling a home involves presentation, which is one of the key factors that determine the outcome. Although this may sound a bit weird, presentation is a way of life in the world of real estate. Buyers in todayís market look for good presentation ñ many basing their final decisions on it.
If the property you are selling comes with a garage, youíll need to go through your garage before you sell your home. Chances are that you store things in your garage, which can easily pile up over time before you realize it. If your garage is in a messy condition, youíll obviously want to clean it up. Buyers look for homes that are in perfect condition, and anything less than perfect will look bad in the eyes of the buyer.
Most homes have some truly outstanding features inside of them. You should always do your best to highlight the best features of your home, instead of just hoping that the buyer understands what they are. The ideal way to bring out the best features of your home is to use the proper lighting. If your home is clean, you can use lighting to bring out the best features in your home, and ensure that they stand out to the buyer.
When a potential buyer first pulls up to your home; the first thing he will see is your lawn. If your lawn is trimmed and well taken care of, he will get a good impression right off the bat. If your lawn is a wreck, he may immediately pull away. To give the best impression to the buyer, you should put some thought into how things look. You can always plant flowers around the walkway and throughout the yard, which will look great to a potential buyer.
You should also make sure that the entrance into your home is positive as well. The front door should be in great shape, as well as the entry area into the home. You can add some plants, paintings, and rugs to ensure that your buyer gets a good impression. When the buyer walks through the entryway into your home, you should make sure that the view he or she takes in is good. Your biggest goal when showing your home is to ensure that the buyer is pleased.
Keep in mind that it may take some time to sell your home. These days, homes can sit on the market for months at a time before they actually sell. If you are having trouble selling your home, you can always reduce the price or simply go back to the basics. Eventually, you will sell your home ñ although it may take more time than you think.
What is Pre-Construction Real Estate Investing?
What is Pre-Construction Real Estate Investing?
The idea of pre-construction investments when it comes to real estate is actually quite a clever way in which many have made millions. The theory is simple really. Invest in a property before when it is in the planning stage. Those who will be building these buildings need money and investors in order to do get the building off the ground. By investing (in many cases basically purchasing options to purchase) in the units, typically condo units in high demand areas, before the ground is broken investors often have the option of investing for pennies on the expected dollar once the building is complete and can re-sell the property at full market value once the building is complete pocketing the difference in the original investment and the asking price.
This is a win-win situation for many builders or 'owners' of the property in question because 'pre-selling the units allows lending agents to have confidence in the viability of the project as a money earner by selling many of the units sight unseen. The benefit to investors is that they are able to purchase at a much lower price pre-construction than afterward and can sell afterward at the full market value (or above in some high demand and under-saturated areas for real estate).
This style of investing is not nearly as glamorous to some as flipping houses. There is no beast to beauty renovations. There are, however, some things that should be kept in mind while making this type of transaction.
First of all, no real estate venture is ever guaranteed to turn a profit no matter what the glossy little brochures tell you. With the current trends in property sales, this is typically not the best environment for pre-construction investing though these things tend to change on a regular basis and that market could be looking up again in the very near future.
Second, networking is more often than not the best way to break into this particular business. There are all kinds of fly by night would be real estate investors. The ones that manage to last are those that network with other real estate agents as well as those who have specific interests and experience with pre-construction investments. Join local groups in addition to online groups that deal specifically with this sort of investment in order to get more information more quickly. The costs involved might appear daunting at first but they are far less than the costs of getting in over your head by not having a grasp of even the most basic 'ins' and 'outs' of pre-construction real estate investing.
Third, develop a close-knit relationship with a realtor that specializes in this particular type of real estate investing. This could prove to be the most beneficial thing you will ever do in order to ensure future success. By developing the right relationship with the right realtor you can get information on new properties before they make it to the public sector. This puts you in the rare and wonderful position of beating the competition to the punch. This gives you a much better shot at receiving the rock bottom prices that are often missed by waiting too long to make the purchase.
Fourth, be prepared to hold onto the property for a little while if you need to do so. The problem with pre-construction investing is that there are no guarantees that when the time comes you will have been able to 'seal the deal'. Things come up even when you have a buyer that is willing and eager to make the purchase. In other words, there are times when you will need to hold onto the property for a short while and sometimes as a long-term investment. Some options in the case of long-term holds would include renting the property out to vacationers if it is in a high-demand tourist area. You can use your realtor to help with that. This allows the property to be earning some income until the sale can be made. Others decided to hold onto the property as a personal vacation home for themselves, friends, and family. In the end, the important thing is that there is a "Plan B" for the property should the deal fall through and you are left paying the monthly note.
Pre-construction real estate investing may not have the 'name in lights' appeal that other types of investing carry but it does provide a viable investment style that has the potential to bring in significant profits. The name of the game when it comes to investing profits so keep this in mind when considering your investment options. This is one of the forms of investing that requires (in most cases) the least amount of capital upfront.
What Type of Loan is That
What Type of Loan is That
Getting into real estate property is based on the idea of money. Your exchange of money will give you exactly what you want for a home. Within each different type of loan that you decide to get will be different divisions on how you can pay off your home or office space. If you know the terms and types of loans that are available to you, it will be easier to move your furniture into the right place.
The first way that a loan will be divided is by the principal. This is the amount that you will pay that the home is worth in total. You will pay a percentage of this amount every month. The second type of charge for the loan is an interest rate. This will be a percentage that the lender you are working with will be able to keep because of their ability to loan you the money.
Within each type of loan, you will be able to get, there will be a division in how you pay both of these off. It may mean that the interest rate or principal changes over a specific amount of time. From here, you can add escrow to your account, which will be like a savings account for your loan and won't go towards paying off the house until you need the extra money.
Within each type of this loan are different rules, regulations, and ways to divide what you are going to be paying. Different limitations for timing and the amount of money that you are able to pay are added to the loans. If you want to make sure that you are getting the best deal, make sure that you understand how each part of the loan will work together.
The main consideration that you will need to keep with your loan is how you will be paying off your home and where your money will go. Each different part of the loan will be an investment that will show your ownership of the home later on. By determining your needs, individual situation, and what you believe will work best; you will have the ability to find the best possible loan.
What Pitfalls to Avoid and How to Avoid Them
What Pitfalls to Avoid and How to Avoid Them
The last experience that anyone wants to add to their list is being involved in a real estate deal and having everything go wrong. It is hard enough to simply find a place to move and to have everything from the contract to the loan be put in place properly. If you don't want to have extra hassles when you are packing your boxes, then preventing some pitfalls along the way can help.
One of the major problems that several homeowners run into is having the wrong information or not finding the information that they need for their home. You don't want to get caught with the wrong loan, the wrong type of financing, or payments that you have to make every month that you can't afford. There is nothing that drives a family out of a home faster than a bad financial deal. Understanding terms and investigating possibilities will help to prevent this.
A second pitfall to avoid happens when you are looking at the property. You want to make sure to not get too attached to an area or to approach the property with specific intentions. Eventually, you will end up getting a bad deal and won't be able to benefit the most out of a property that may have been better. Making sure that you examine every part of the property and are certain that it is right for you can help you to feel like you have invested in something more worthwhile.
With every part of real estate investments, you want to make sure that you do several things. The first is to investigate the terms and possibilities for you. The second is to move logically into a real estate investment. The third is to double-check your information, your investment, and the other options available.
As long as you keep your mind, eyes, and ears open, you will have the possibility to find the best piece of real estate available to you. This will help you to get the most out of your investment. This isn't something that will just last days or one year, but for several years to come. It is best to do things right the first time.
Weighing in the Factors with Comparable Sales
Weighing in the Factors with Comparable Sales
Terms for investments are everywhere in real estate. You may hear lenders, agents and brokers talking the real estate jargon. If you are finding a way to be a part of the real estate world for any type of investment, you will want to become familiar with the different terms that are used in real estate. The first one to define is comparable sales.
Oftentimes, comparable sales will be termed as comps. These will be the basis of your real estate investment and are important to know. If you are looking at a property, always ask what the comps are on the property. Your real estate agent, or you, will then look up a variety of factors to compare your property with the others around it. You can find these through various companies, the multiple listing service, (MLS), and even courthouses and newspapers.
Some of the comps that are included are the history of the property, the sales from the past, the sales of the other homes, the demographics of the area, and the different trends that have affected the sales. Anything that will affect the investment that you plan to make on the home is what you will need to look up when considering comps.
Why is it important to look up the comps? By doing this, you will know whether you are making the right investment or not. Technically, the value of the home should go up. At the same time, the value will need to be the same as the other homes. If you don't have a balance between the historical investments and the neighborhood investments, you could end up paying too much.
When looking at cash flow, you should always begin with comparable sales. This will give you a good idea about what is happening with the real estate that you are interested in and whether it is worth your time and investment. Finding the comps is the beginning of moving over the threshold and into your new home.
Utilizing a Real Estate Investment for Passive Income
Utilizing a Real Estate Investment for Passive Income
You don't need a million dollars to get a real estate investment and to begin making a living. In fact, it is real estate that could lead you to get the million dollars. If you want to work your way into a residual or passive income from real estate, then following a few specific rules can help you make your investment into your fortune.
If you are thinking of beginning a real estate investment, you can start by finding one property that only needs a little fixing and can be used for other purposes. There are several foreclosures and other types of programs, such as rent-to-own opportunities. This will give you the ability to make a small investment in order to get a large profit from what you make.
No matter what type of investment you make, it is only a matter of time before you begin to profit off of the investment. Any source will tell you that real estate will naturally build wealth over time. Because the economy and market continue to change and increase, real estate will also continue to increase. No matter what type of real estate investment you make, you can expect to begin profiting for an income that won't make you work anywhere else.
When you begin your income, you can begin making a residual or passive income. This allows you to make money simply by owning property in a variety of places without having to do the work that is involved with the property. Things such as rental properties can help you to put money in your pocket without you making an effort to go to work.
If you want a change in pace in your career, then you can begin by investing in a place and beginning to build income off of it. Real estate investment is a great way to begin putting income in your bank without having to work long hours and labor at a job that doesn't offer as many benefits as the real estate business.
Types of Real Estate Investments
Types of Real Estate Investments
The idea of real estate and property is much more than just finding a home. There are categories of homes and business properties as well as divisions in the types of real estate that are available to others. If you want to make a different type of investment in something that you know you can make a profit out of, then knowing the different types of real estate investments can help.
Real estate investments begin with two major types; business and residential. Each of these has specific guidelines set with them which will make a difference in the functions of the real estate. After you have determined what type of real estate you will be looking at, you can divide up what is available to you.
If you are looking at pure residential areas, then the real estate will be divided by the size of the home. Typically, this will be known as a single-family or multi-family home. If you are looking at a multi-family unit, you can expect to have neighbors sharing the same wall as you, such as condos or townhomes. A single-family home will be completely independent and will usually be shaped differently because the neighbors can't cross the yard.
Business real estate is also divided into several categories. These will also often be referred to as commercial properties and will range from office buildings to manufacturing sites. The difference between a business building and a residential building is that it will change the approach towards regulations. Most likely, there will be zoning rules and the lease will have different divisions for things such as taxes and insurance.
If you are in the right area, you might have the opportunity to have both a commercial and residential area in one. Things such as land investments or areas that have been zoned for commercial purposes may have these types of regulations. With this, you can also consider renting a property. If you want to have a business from home or want to expand into a business, this might be something to consider.
The investment that you decide to make can be more than your home. It can also be something that will bring you back profit for the investment. If you are interested in finding a space that is much more than cozy, then knowing the different types of real estate to invest in is the place to begin.
Top Ten Terms for Loans
Top Ten Terms for Loans
Everyone knows that you should never sign on the dotted line without reading the contract. This same term applies to loans. Signing a loan without knowing the terms and what everything means can be detrimental to your finances, credit, and future investments. Before you sign on the dotted line, make sure that you know these terms and how they will apply to you.
1. Interest rate. The interest rate is the percentage of your loan that is added on every month. The percentage will vary according to the economy and will make a difference in your payments.
2. Fixed Rate. A fixed-rate will be an interest rate that stays at the same percentage throughout the entire period of your loan.
3. Variable Rate. A variable-rate will change according to the economy and the charts that are stating what the rates should be for interest. A variable-rate usually changes every year and adjusts according to a specific given range of percentages.
4. Principal. The principal is what you will be paying for your actual house. Whatever you pay on your principal is what you will see in the end as your investment.
5. Escrow. This is similar to a savings account of your loan. Whatever you put in escrow will accumulate without paying directly into the loan. At the end of the term, you can use it to finish paying off the loan or to invest in another loan.
6. Title. A title will be what you get to your home after it is officially yours, stating that the property belongs to you.
7. Deed. A deed will most often be used as a title for a commercial area. Instead of giving ownership it shows that the property is leased to the one who is using it as a business.
8. Home Equity. This is a loan or line of credit that you can get for your home. It will finance up to eight percent of your other loan and get paid back later. This helps if you want to consolidate loans or invest more into the property.
9. Appraisal. After an inspection of the home is made, an appraisal will be made. This will be an estimated value of what the home is worth.
10. Equity. This will be the actual amount of the property that you own. Most likely, it is what is being paid off of your principal amount.
Once you know some of these basic terms, you will be able to expand on your knowledge and find the exact loan that will fit your needs. These basic definitions will help you in making the right decision for the type of loan that you want.
To Buy or To Lease
To Buy or To Lease
Buying and selling mean more than finding a real estate agent to do the work that is needed. There is also the need to make sure that you know what you want or need when you are moving with the investment. No matter what the market, there are always different moves that you can make in order to get the right person moved into your property.
Leasing is one of the several ways that you can move into a real estate investment. If you are having difficulty selling your home or property, then you can consider leasing as an option instead of selling it. If you decide to use the lease option for the property, then it means that you will become the landlord for a period of at least one year. The tenant will have a contract that is signed for this amount of time that says to take care of the property and pay rent. After the time period is up, the tenant will have the option of buying the property from you.
If you are considering buying a home, this is a good first step to get into. You will have lower payments, will be able to build your credit, and will have the option of trying out the property before you buy it. If you are selling the property, it can also be beneficial, as it allows you to demand a higher price and move into a better market when it is time to sell. Usually, by the time you are ready to sell, you will be able to offer a price that is ten to twenty percent higher than it would have been a year before.
If the market isn't right, you can't sell your home, and the right options don't seem to be walking through the door, then leasing is a second option that you can consider. By leasing the property, you will have the ability to profit on either side of the fence.












