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Bene's Blog What Rising National Debt Could Mean for Housing More Debt, More Expensive Borrowing The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) is set to add trillions of dollars to the national debt over the next decade. With the government borrowing more, interest rates on U.S. debt are expected to climb. And when Treasury rates rise, borrowing costs across the economy—especially mortgages—tend to […]
Bene's Blog What Could Happen if Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Go Public Again? The Big News Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—two of the most important companies behind U.S. home loans—might be taken public again by the end of 2025. Reports say the plan could value them at $500 billion, with the government raising around $30 billion. Their stock prices jumped about 20% on the news. Both companies have […]
Bene's Blog Mortgage Rates Dip Slightly, But Housing Market Remains Slow The average interest rate on a 30-year mortgage has ticked down slightly, offering small relief for those looking to buy a home. Rates fell to 6.72% this week, a small drop from last week’s 6.74%, bringing them back to levels seen earlier this month. One year ago, rates were almost exactly the same. Homeowners looking […]
Bene's Blog What Housing Inventory Trends Mean for Homebuyers and Sellers When it comes to real estate, what’s happening on one street might look entirely different just a few blocks away — and that’s especially true here in Portland, Oregon. Housing inventory trends continue to shape how buyers and sellers approach the market, and understanding these shifts can help you plan your next move wisely. In […]
Bene's Blog What’s Ahead for Mortgage Rates and Home Prices? Now that the end of 2022 is within sight, everyone is asking what’s going to happen in the housing market next year and what that may mean if they’re thinking about buying a home. Here’s a look at the latest expert insights on both mortgage rates and home prices so you can make your best […]
market news Why the Forbearance Program Changed the Housing Market When the pandemic hit in 2020, many experts thought the housing market would crash. They feared job loss and economic uncertainty would lead to a wave of foreclosures similar to when the housing bubble burst over a decade ago. Thankfully, the forbearance program changed that. It provided much-needed relief for homeowners so a foreclosure crisis wouldn’t happen […]
Bene's Blog Think Home Prices Are Going To Fall? Think Again Over the last two years, the rate of home prices appreciated at a dramatic pace. While that led to incredible equity gains for homeowners, it’s also caused some buyers to wonder if home prices will fall. It’s important to know the housing market isn’t a bubble about to burst, and home price growth is supported by strong market fundamentals. […]
Bene's Blog What Does an Economic Slowdown Mean for the Housing Market? According to a recent survey, more and more Americans are concerned about a possible recession. Those concerns were validated when the Federal Reserve met and confirmed they were strongly committed to bringing down inflation. And, in order to do so, they’d use their tools and influence to slow down the economy. All of this brings up […]
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Bene's Blog The Future of Home Price Appreciation and What It Means for You Many consumers are wondering what will happen with home values over the next few years. Some are concerned that the recent run-up in home prices will lead to a situation similar to the housing crash 15 years ago. However, experts say the market is totally different today. For example, Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at First American, tweeted just last week […]
market news 2022 Predictions from Matthew Gardner
buyers Owning Is More Affordable than Renting in the Majority of the Country If you were thinking about buying a home this year, but already pressed pause on your plans due to rising home prices and increasing mortgage rates, there’s something you should consider. According to the latest report from ATTOM Data, owning a home is more affordable than renting in the majority of the country. The 2022 Rental Affordability Report says: “. . . Owning a median-priced home […]
Bene's Blog What’s Going To Happen with Home Prices This Year? After almost two years of double-digit increases, many experts thought home price appreciation would decelerate or happen at a slower pace in the last quarter of 2021. However, the latest Home Price Insights Report from CoreLogic indicates while prices may have plateaued, appreciation has definitely not slowed. The following graph shows year-over-year appreciation throughout 2021. December data has not yet […]
buyers Two Reasons Why Waiting a Year To Buy Could Cost You If you’re a renter with a desire to become a homeowner, or a homeowner who’s decided your current house no longer fits your needs, you may be hoping that waiting a year might mean better market conditions to purchase a home. To determine if you should buy now or wait, you need to ask yourself […]
market news Gardner Report for Oregon and SW Washington Q2 2021 The following analysis of the Oregon and Southwest Washington real estate market is provided by Windermere Real Estate Chief Economist Matthew Gardner. We hope that this information may assist you with making better-informed real estate decisions. For further information about the housing market in your area, please don’t hesitate to contact your Windermere Real Estate […]
market news Diving Deep into Today’s Biggest Buyer Concerns Last week, Fannie Mae released their Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI). Though the survey showed 77% of respondents believe it’s a “good time to sell,” it also confirms what many are sensing: an increasing number of Americans believe it’s a “bad time to buy” a home. The percentage of those surveyed saying it’s a “bad time to buy” hit […]
market news What Do Experts See on the Horizon for the Second Half of the Year? As we move into the latter half of the year, questions about what’s to come are top of mind for buyers and sellers. Near record-low mortgage rates coupled with rising home price appreciation kicked off a robust housing market in the first half of 2021, but what does the forecast tell us about what’s on […]
market news 6 Reasons to Celebrate National Homeownership Month Our homes are so much more than the houses we live in. For many, they’ve also become our workplaces, schools for our children, and safe harbors in which we’ve weathered the toughest moments of a global pandemic. Today, 65.6% of Americans call their homes their own, a rate that has risen to its highest point in 8 […]
market news Is Home Price Appreciation Accelerating Again? At the beginning of the year, industry forecasts called for home price appreciation to slow to about half of the double-digit increase we saw last year. The thinking was that inventory would increase from record-low levels and put an end to the bidding wars that have driven home prices up over the past twelve months. However, that […]
market news Don’t Be Fooled by Remarkable Real Estate Headlines Don’t be impressed by the headlines reporting year-over-year housing numbers for the next several months (data covering March, April, May, and June). The data will most likely show eye-popping one-year increases. While the year-over-year jumps will certainly be striking, consumers should take these numbers with a grain of salt, as the situation highlights a short-term […]
buyers How Upset Should You Be about 3% Mortgage Rates? Last Thursday, Freddie Mac announced that their 30-year fixed mortgage rate was over 3% (3.02%) for the first time since last July. That news dominated real estate headlines that day and the next. Articles talked about the “negative impact” it may have on the housing market. However, we should realize two things: 1. The bump-up in rate should […]