Our Blog

Latest articles about real estate in and around Annapolis MD

50% of Homes Sold in 30 Days in March [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights:

The National Association of REALTORS® recently surveyed their members for their Confidence Index.
The REALTORS® Confidence Index is a key indicator of housing market strength based on a monthly survey sent to over 50,000 real estat…

Read More

4 Reasons Why Today’s Housing Market is NOT 2006 All Over Again

4 Reasons Why Today’s Housing Market is NOT 2006 All Over Again | Simplifying The MarketWith home prices rising again this year, some are concerned that we may be repeating the 2006 housing bubble that caused families so much pain when it collapsed. Today’s market is quite different than the bubble market of twelve years ago. There are four key metrics that explain why: Home Prices Mortgage Standards Mortgage Debt […]

Read More

This Just In: Data Says May is the Best Month to Sell Your Home

According to a newly released study by ATTOM Data Solutions, selling your home in the month of May will net you an average of 5.9% above estimated market value for your home. For the study, ATTOM performed an “analysis of 14.7 million home sales from 2011 to 2017” and found the average seller premium achieved […]

Read More

How Much Has Your Home Increased in Value Over the Last Year?

How Much Has Your Home Increased in Value Over the Last Year? | Simplifying The MarketHome values have risen dramatically over the last twelve months. In CoreLogic’s most recent Home Price Index Report, they revealed that national home prices have increased by 6.7% year-over-year. CoreLogic broke down appreciation even further into four price ranges, giving us a more detailed view than if we had simply looked at the year-over-year increases in national median […]

Read More

Why Home Prices Are Increasing

Why Home Prices Are Increasing | Simplifying The MarketThere are many unsubstantiated theories as to why home values are continuing to increase. From those who are worried that lending standards are again becoming too lenient (data shows this is untrue), to those who are concerned that prices are again approaching boom peaks because of “irrational exuberance” (this is also untrue as prices are not at peak […]

Read More

Existing Home Sales Grow Despite Low Inventory [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights:

According to the latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors, sales grew 1.1% in March to an annual pace of 5.60 million.
This is the strongest pace since November of 2017.
Inventory levels dropped ye…

Read More

“Short of a war or stock market crash…”

“Short of a war or stock market crash…” | Simplifying The MarketThis month, Arch Mortgage Insurance released their spring Housing and Mortgage Market Review. The report explained that an increase in mortgage rates and/or home prices would impact monthly payments this way: A 5% increase in home prices increases payments by roughly 5% A 1% rise in interest rates increases payments by roughly 13% or 14% […]

Read More

New Study Shows ‘Best States for Millennials’

New Study Shows ‘Best States for Millennials’ | Simplifying The MarketA new study by WalletHub used “30 key metrics, ranging from share of millennials to millennial unemployment rate to millennial voter-turnout rate” to find out which states are the ‘Best States for Millennials.’ The Top 5 Best States for Millennials are: Washington, D.C. (also ranks highest in percentage of millennials already living there!) North Dakota […]

Read More

Thinking of Selling Your Home? Why You Need A Pro in Your Corner

Thinking of Selling Your Home? Why You Need A Pro in Your Corner | Simplifying The MarketWith home prices on the rise and buyer demand strong, some sellers may be tempted to try and sell their homes on their own (FSBO) without using the services of a real estate professional. Real estate agents are trained and experienced in negotiation and, in most cases, the seller is not. Sellers must realize that […]

Read More

Buying a Home Is Cheaper Than Renting in the Majority of the US

Buying a Home Is Cheaper Than Renting in the Majority of the US | Simplifying The MarketThe results of the 2018 Rental Affordability Report from ATTOM show that buying a median-priced home is more affordable than renting a three-bedroom property in 54% of U.S. counties analyzed for the report. The updated numbers show that renting a three-bedroom property in the United States requires an average of 38.8% of income. The least affordable market for […]

Read More

Home Buying Myths Slayed [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights:

The average down payment for first-time homebuyers is only 6%!
Despite mortgage interest rates being over 4%, rates are still below historic numbers.
88% of property managers raised their rents in the last 12 months!
The credit scor…

Read More

Is Family Mortgage Debt Out of Control?

Is Family Mortgage Debt Out of Control? | Simplifying The MarketSome homeowners have recently done a “cash out” refinance and have taken a portion of their increased equity from their house. Others have sold their homes and purchased more expensive homes with larger mortgages. At the same time, first-time buyers have become homeowners and now have mortgage payments for the first time. These developments have […]

Read More

How Much Do You Need to Make to Buy a Home in Your State?

How Much Do You Need to Make to Buy a Home in Your State? | Simplifying The MarketIt’s no mystery that cost of living varies drastically depending on where you live, so a new study by GOBankingRates set out to find out what minimum salary you would need to make in order to buy a median-priced home in each of the 50 states, and Washington, D.C. States in the Midwest came out […]

Read More

Rising Prices Help You Build Your Family’s Wealth

Rising Prices Help You Build Your Family’s Wealth | Simplifying The MarketOver the next five years, home prices are expected to appreciate, on average, by 3.6% per year and to grow by 18.2% cumulatively, according to Pulsenomics’ most recent Home Price Expectation Survey. So, what does this mean for homeowners and their equity position? As an example, let’s assume a young couple purchased and closed on a $250,000 home this […]

Read More

Getting Pre-Approved Should Always Be Your First Step

Getting Pre-Approved Should Always Be Your First Step | Simplifying The MarketIn many markets across the country, the number of buyers searching for their dream homes greatly outnumbers the number of homes for sale. This has led to a competitive marketplace where buyers often need to stand out. One way to show you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a […]

Read More