Jamie Walsh, Your Dream Home Consultant

In today’s housing market, it seems harder than ever to find a home to buy. Before the health crisis hit us a year ago, there was already a shortage of homes for sale. When many homeowners delayed their plans to sell at the same time that more buyers aimed to take advantage of record-low mortgage rates and purchase a home, housing inventory dropped even further. Experts consider this to be the biggest challenge facing an otherwise hot market while buyers continue to compete f...or homes. As Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com, explains: With buyers active in the market and seller participation lagging, homes are selling quickly and the total number available for sale at any point in time continues to drop lower. In January as a whole, the number of for sale homes dropped below 600,000. Every month, realtor.com releases new data showing the year-over-year change in inventory of existing homes for sale. As you can see in the map below, nationwide, inventory is 42.6% lower than it was at this time last year:... https://www.stlouisareahomesearch.com//where-have-all-the/

Mortgage interest rates have dropped considerably over the past year, and compared to what we’ve seen in recent decades, it’s a great time to buy a home. Locking in a low rate today could save you thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your home loan, but these low rates may not last forever. If you’re in a position to buy a home, let’s connect to determine your best move in today’s housing market while interest rates are still in your favor! #StLouisHomesforSale #HomeBuyi...ng # StLouis #RealEstate #MotgageRates #BuyaHome #FirstTimeHomeBuyer https://www.stlouisareahomesearch.com//home-mortgage-rate/

With mortgage interest rates hitting record lows so many times recently, some are wondering if we’ll see low rates continue throughout 2021, or if they’ll start to rise. Recently, Freddie Mac released their quarterly forecast, noting: The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit a record low over a dozen times in 2020 and the low interest rate environment is projected to continue through this year. We expect interest rates to average below 3% through the end of 2021. While this is a modest rise from 2020 averages, the recent vote by the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates anchored near zero should keep rates low. https://www.stlouisareahomesearch.com//will-low-mortgage-/

Swipe away, keep track of your favorites and schedule a few daytime dates. Your gut knows the top three from the first impression. Yes there will definitely be competition for the one. Emotions will be at an all time high. Don't let that stop you from declaring your love. Compose your thoughts and put together a knock-out proposal. A lifetime together is at stake... They say YES! Do a little more getting to know each other on a deeper level during the next couple of weeks. ...If there are things to be worked on, it's ok. Your love is strong, no need to walk away. Finally, a month or so later, you will receive the key to your new home! Are your ready to fall in love?? Start your journey to find the one. https://jwalsh.stlouisareahomesearch.com/results-map/

January started off strong for the housing market, with healthy buyer demand and strong market fundamentals. A robust increase in housing starts in December points to an active year for new construction, but higher material costs, especially lumber, and a limited supply of buildable lots will temper the number of new units. New listings increased 0.5 percent for residential homes but decreased 0.7 percent for townhouse/condo homes. Pending sales increased 17.6 percent for res...idential homes and 6.2 percent for townhouse/condo homes. Inventory decreased 41 percent for residential homes and 12.3 percent for townhouse/condo homes. Median sales price increased 16.6 percent to $230,000 for residential homes and 8.1 percent to $173,000 for townhouse/condo homes. Days on market decreased 29.8 percent for residential homes and 28.3 percent for townhouse/condo homes. Months supply of inventory decreased 45.5 percent for Residential homes and 15 percent for townhouse/condo homes. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s January research estimates approximately 2.7 million homeowners with mortgages are currently in forbearance plans. Some of these homes may eventually come to market, but given the strong appreciation in most market segments in recent years, these eventual home sales are likely to be mostly traditional sellers. However, a modest increase in short sales and foreclosures at some point this year would not be surprising.

*A real estate professional is an expert who can advocate on your behalf throughout the process when building a home. *Agents help you understand key steps, like choosing upgrades and managing negotiations, while staying within your budget from start to finish. *If building is the right option for you, let’s connect so you have a trusted real estate professional who can help you successfully navigate the path to your dream home! https://www.stlouisareahomesearch.com//thinking-about-bui/