The Helpful Home Buyer Blog

The Helpful Home Buyer Blog More Homes, Slower Price Growth – What It Means for You as a Buyer There are more homes on the market right now than there have been in years – and that could be a game changer for you if you’re ready to buy. Let’s look at two reasons why. You Have More Options To Choose From An article from Realtor.com helps explain just how much the number of homes for sale has […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog Mortgage Rates Drop to Lowest Level in over a Year and a Half Mortgage rates have hit their lowest point in over a year and a half. And that’s big news if you’ve been sitting on the homebuying sidelines waiting for this moment. Even a small decline in rates could help you get a better monthly payment than you would expect on your next home. And the drop that’s […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog How Mortgage Rate Changes Impact Your Homebuying Power in Connecticut If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home here in Connecticut, you’ve probably got mortgage rates on your mind. That’s because you’ve likely heard that mortgage rates impact how much you can afford in your monthly mortgage payment, and you want to factor that into your planning. Here’s what you need to know. What’s Happening with Mortgage […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog Navigating the 2024 Connecticut Housing Market: Expert Insights and Predictions If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in Connecticut in the near future, you probably want to know what you can expect from the housing market in 2024. In 2023, higher mortgage rates, confusion over home price headlines, and a lack of homes for sale created some challenges for buyers and sellers looking to make a move. But what’s […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog Navigating the 2024 Connecticut Housing Market: Expert Insights and Predictions If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in Connecticut sometime in the near furture, you probably want to know what you can expect from the  housing market in 2024. In 2023, higher mortgage rates, confusion over home price headlines, and a lack of homes for sale created some challenges for buyers and sellers looking to make a move. But […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog People Are Still Moving, Even with Today’s Affordability Challenges If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, you might have heard that it’s tough right now because mortgage rates are higher than they’ve been over the past few years, and home prices are rising. That much is true. Take a look at the graph below. It breaks down how the current affordability situation stacks up to recent years. The National Association of […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog What Are the Real Reasons You Want To Move Right Now? If you’re considering selling your house right now, it’s likely because something in your life has changed. And while things like mortgage rates play a big role in your decision, you don’t want that to overshadow why you thought about making a move in the first place. It’s true mortgage rates are higher right now, and that has an impact on […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog How Inflation Affects the Housing Market Have you ever wondered how inflation impacts the housing market? Believe it or not, they’re connected. Whenever there are changes to one, both are affected. Here’s a high-level overview of the connection between the two. The Relationship Between Housing Inflation and Overall Inflation Shelter inflation is the measure of price growth specific to housing. It comes from a survey of […]
Don't Miss Our Next Post
Subscribe Now
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog How Inflation Affects Mortgage Rates When you read about the housing market in the news, you might see something about a recent decision made by the Federal Reserve (the Fed). But how does this decision affect you and your plans to buy a home? Here’s what you need to know. The Fed is trying hard to reduce inflation. And even though there’s been 12 […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog Momentum Is Building for New Home Construction If you’re in the process of looking for a home today, especially here in Connecticut, you know the supply of homes for sale is low because you’re feeling the impact of having a limited pool of options. And, if your biggest hurdle right now is that you’re having trouble finding something you like, don’t forget that […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog The Main Reason Mortgage Rates Are So High Today’s mortgage rates are top-of-mind for many homebuyers right now. As a result, if you’re thinking about buying for the first time or selling your current house to move into a home that better fits your needs, you may be asking yourself these two questions: Why Are Mortgage Rates So High? When Will Rates Go […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog Real Estate Is Still Considered the Best Long-Term Investment With all the headlines circulating about home prices and rising mortgage rates, you may wonder if it still makes sense to invest in homeownership right now. A recent poll from Gallup shows the answer is yes. In fact, real estate was voted the best long-term investment for the 11th consecutive year, consistently beating other investment […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog The Three Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today There’s been a ton of media focus on higher mortgage rates and how they’re creating affordability challenges for today’s homebuyers. It’s true that rates climbed dramatically since the record-low we saw during the pandemic. But home affordability is based on more than just mortgage rates – it’s determined by a combination of mortgage rates, home […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog How to Make Your Dream of Buying a Home in Connecticut a Reality According to a recent Harris Poll survey, 8 in 10 Americans say buying a home is a priority, and 28 million Americans actually plan to buy within the next 12 months. Homeownership provides many financial and nonfinancial benefits, so that interest is understandable. However, it’s unlikely all 28 million Americans will accomplish that goal in the coming year. Experts project a […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog What You Should Know About Closing Costs in Connecticut Before you buy a home, it’s important to plan ahead. While most buyers consider how much they need to save for a down payment, many Connecticut home buyers are surprised by the closing costs they have to pay. To ensure you aren’t caught off guard when it’s time to close on your home, you need to […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog Pre-Approval in 2023: What You Need To Know One of the first steps in your homebuying journey is getting pre-approved. To understand why it’s such an important step, you need to understand what pre-approval is and what it does for you. Business Insider explains: “In a preapproval [sic], the lender tells you which types of loans you may be eligible to take out, how much you may be approved […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog Key Terms To Know When Buying a Home Some Highlights Buying a home is a major transaction that can seem even more complex when you don’t understand the terms used throughout the process. If you’re looking to become a homeowner this year, it’s important to know these housing terms and how they relate to the current market so you feel confident throughout the homebuying process. Let’s connect so […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog Avoid the Rental Trap in 2023 If you’re a renter, you likely face an important decision every year: renew your current lease, start a new one, or buy a home. This year is no different. But before you dive too deeply into your options, it helps to understand the true costs of renting moving forward. In the past year, both current […]
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog What Kind of Credit Score Do I Need to Buy a Home?
The Helpful Home Buyer Blog Do You Need 20% Down Payment to Buy a Home? Here’s What You Should Know If your in the market to buy a home? Saving for a down payment is likely top of mind. But you may still have questions about the process, including how much to save and where to start.If that sounds like you, your down payment could be more in reach than you originally thought and here’s […]