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Category: For Buyers

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Don’t Let Home Prices Headlines Fool You

Written by Key West Mortgage Syndicated User on . Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Prices, Key West Florida News, Key West News.

Spend about 5 minutes online searching for news about the housing market, and odds are you’ll see something pop up about home prices. You may even stumble onto social media influencers saying we’re headed for a crash. Let’s get you the context you need.The truth is prices are going to vary depending on where you live. But they’re not crashing.Here’s what you need to know.The Local Perspective: Home Price Trends by AreaThe biggest thing feeding into the confusion online is how different home price trends are by area right now. Take a look at this data from ResiClub and Zillow (see...

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This’ll Change What You Think About Investors in Today’s Housing Market

Written by Key West Mortgage Syndicated User on . Posted in For Buyers, Key West Florida News, Key West News.

There’s a lot of noise out there right now about investors in the housing market.Some headlines make it sound like big Wall Street firms are buying up everything in sight. And if you’re trying to purchase a home yourself, that can make it feel like the odds are stacked against you.But when you take a closer look at the data, a very different picture starts to come into focus.Most Investors Are Just Everyday OwnersFor starters, when you hear the word investor, you probably picture big corporations. And that misconception is a large part of what’s feeding into the myth that they’re buying up...

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You Can’t Control What’s Happening with Mortgage Rates. But You Can Control This.

Written by Key West Mortgage Syndicated User on . Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, Key West Florida News, Key West News, Mortgage Rates.

Mortgage rates have been volatile lately. And if you’re thinking about buying a home, that can make it harder to plan. But there are still things you can do to get the best rate possible in today’s market. It starts with having the right information.So, what’s causing the bumps in rates? And what can you do about it? Let’s break it down.Mortgage Rate Volatility Is NormalData from Freddie Mac shows the recent volatility. After trending down for well over a year, there was a rise this month (see graph below): While it’s easy to be distracted by the changes, here’s what you need to...

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Affordability Has Improved in All 50 States

Written by Key West Mortgage Syndicated User on . Posted in Affordability, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Key West Florida News, Key West News.

For the past few years, affordability has been what’s stopped a lot of buyers in their tracks. Maybe it stopped you, too.At some point you probably did the math, looked at the monthly payment, and decided to pause your search and wait for things to get better. But here’s something you may have missed while you’ve been sitting on the sidelines.Over the last year, housing affordability has improved in all 50 states. Yes, you read that right. It’s gotten better in every single state.That’s based on new research coming out of First American. And while housing is still fairly expensive compared...

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One Key Sign We’re Not Headed for a Wave of Foreclosures

Written by Key West Mortgage Syndicated User on . Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Foreclosures, Key West Florida News, Key West News.

Foreclosures are ticking up. And that may make your mind jump straight to thoughts of 2008 – specifically to what happened to the market during the housing crash. So, let’s do exactly what your brain already wants to do, and see if there’s any connection there.The simple truth is foreclosure filings are rising. But they’re nowhere near crisis levels. And that’s not where they’re headed either. Here’s why.Take a look at serious delinquencies – loans where the homeowner is more than 90 days late on their mortgage payments.While those have increased slightly, data from the New York Fed shows...

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Should You Wait for Lower Rates?

Written by Key West Mortgage Syndicated User on . Posted in Affordability, Featured, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Key West Florida News, Key West News, Mortgage Rates.

Mortgage rates have already dropped into the upper 5s twice this year. But after just a few days, they ticked back up into the low 6% range. If you saw that and thought, “Great. I missed it,” you’re not the only one.A lot of buyers are treating the 5s like some kind of magic number. As if moving from 6.1% to 5.99% suddenly changes everything. And from a mindset perspective, it does feel different.But here’s the part most people don’t actually run the math on.The Payment Difference Isn’t What You ThinkLet’s say you’re looking at a $500,000 home loan. At 6.1%, generally speaking, your...

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Renting vs. Buying: The Numbers Might Surprise You

Written by Key West Mortgage Syndicated User on . Posted in Affordability, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Key West Florida News, Key West News, Rent vs. Buy.

Renting can feel like the easier choice right now. There’s no big down payment. No dealing with surprise repairs. And no long-term commitment.But then your rent goes up again. And again. And suddenly the thing that seemed flexible starts looking… expensive, especially considering you’re not building any equity. And once that happens, it’s easy to feel a little trapped in the cycle.That’s because there’s so much chatter today about how buying a home isn’t affordable. But the truth is, the math may work out better than you’d expect based on what’s changed recently.Buying Is More...

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Move-Up Buyers Are Choosing New Construction

Written by Key West Mortgage Syndicated User on . Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Key West Florida News, Key West News, Move-Up, New Construction.

At some point, a house that once felt perfect just… doesn’t anymore.Maybe you need more space.Maybe working from home turned your dining room into a permanent office.Maybe the layout just doesn’t match how you live now.If your current house is starting to feel like it’s holding you back instead of supporting your life, it’s natural to think about making a move. But that brings up the next big question: once you sell, where do you go?For a growing number of buyers, the answer is something brand new.New Construction Is a More Popular Choice LatelyAccording to the National Association of...

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Inventory Is Making a Comeback in 2026

Written by Key West Mortgage Syndicated User on . Posted in For Buyers, Forecasts, Inventory, Key West Florida News, Key West News.

After a long stretch where buyers were competing for too few homes, inventory has made a comeback over the past year. And depending on where you live, that’s opening up your options in a meaningful way. According to Realtor.com, the number of homes available for sale in January was the highest it’s been since 2020. Here’s why that’s such a big deal. Getting back to pre-pandemic levels signals a slow and steady return to what’s typical:Now, it’s worth noting, nationally we’re not there yet – and having more inventory improving won’t suddenly “fix” the market. But the growth we’ve seen lately...

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Top 3 Reasons To Buy a Home Before Spring

Written by Key West Mortgage Syndicated User on . Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, Home Prices, Key West Florida News, Key West News, Mortgage Rates.

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, you may be focused on the spring market. And hoping that when spring does hit, you’ll see:Mortgage rates drop a little more.More homes hit the market.But here’s what most buyers don’t realize. Buying just a few weeks earlier could mean paying less, dealing with less stress, and feeling less rushed.Here are three reasons why accelerating your timeline over the next few weeks could actually be a better play.1. Holding Out for Lower Rates May Not Pay Off A lot of buyers are hoping mortgage rates will fall even further. But that’s not the best...

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