Keys to the Market

Unlocking Insights, One Door at a Time

Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Top Questions About Selling Your Home This Winter

There’s no denying the housing market is undergoing a shift this season, and that may leave you with some questions about whether it still makes sense to sell your house. Here are three of the top questions you may be asking – and the data that helps answer them – so you can make a confident decision.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Why It May Be Time To Add Newly Built Homes to Your Search

If you put a pause on your home search because you weren’t sure where you’d go once you sold your house, it might be a good time to get back into the market. If you’re willing to work with a trusted agent to consider a newly built home, you may have even more options and incentives than you realize. That may be why the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) says the share of buyers looking for new construction is increasing:

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

VA Loans: Making Homes for the Brave Achievable

VA Loans can help make homeownership possible for those who have served our country.

These loans offer great benefits for eligible individuals and can help them buy a VA-approved house or condo, build a new home, or make improvements to their house.

Homeownership is the American Dream. One way we can honor and thank our veterans is to ensure they have the best information about the benefits of VA home loans.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

VA Loans Can Help Veterans Achieve Their Dream of Homeownership

For over 78 years, Veterans Affairs (VA) home loans have provided millions of veterans with the opportunity to purchase homes of their own. If you or a loved one have served, it’s important to understand this program and its benefits.

Here are some things you should know about VA loans before you start the homebuying process.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

What’s Ahead for Mortgage Rates and Home Prices?

Now that the end of 2022 is within sight, you may be wondering what’s going to happen in the housing market next year and what that may mean if you’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 move possible.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

The Majority of Americans Still View Homeownership as the American Dream

Buying a home is a powerful decision, and it remains a key part of the American Dream. In fact, the 2022 Consumer Insights Report from Mynd found the majority of people polled still view homeownership as a key life achievement. Let’s explore just a few of the reasons why so many Americans continue to value homeownership.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Key Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today

Every time there’s a news segment about the housing market, we hear about the affordability challenges buyers are facing today. Those headlines are focused on how much mortgage rates have climbed this year. And while it’s true rates have risen dramatically, it’s important to remember they aren’t the only factor in the affordability equation.

Here are three measures used to establish home affordability: home prices, mortgage rates, and wages. Let’s look closely at each one.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Homeownership Wins Over Time

If you’re questioning whether or not to buy a home this year due to today’s cooling market, consider the long-term financial benefits of homeownership.

As a homeowner, equity increases your wealth. On average, nationwide, home prices appreciated by 2% since 1991.

Homeownership wins in the long run. If you’re ready to buy a home, let’s connect today.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Do You Believe Homeownership Is Out of Reach? Maybe It Doesn’t Have To Be.

It turns out, millennials aren’t the renter generation after all. The 2022 Consumer Insights Report from Mynd says there’s a portion of millennial and Gen Z buyers who are pursuing homeownership as a way to build their wealth, but it may not be exactly the way previous generations have done it. The study explains how they’re breaking into the market:

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Sell Your House Before the Holidays

As you look ahead to the winter season, you’re likely making plans and thinking about what you want to achieve before the year ends. One of those key decision points could be whether or not you want to move this year. If the location or size of your current home no longer meets your needs, finding a house that better suits your lifestyle may be a top priority for you. But with today’s cooling housing market, is it really a good time to sell your house, or should you wait?

If you’re ready to make your decision, here are three reasons you may want to consider selling before the holidays.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

3 Trends That Are Good News for Today’s Homebuyers

While higher mortgage rates are creating affordability challenges for homebuyers this year, there is some good news for those people still looking to buy a home.

As the market has cooled this year, some of the intensity buyers faced during the peak frenzy of the pandemic has cooled too. Here are just a few trends that may benefit you when you go to buy a home today.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Taking the Fear out of Saving for a Home

If you’re planning to buy a home, knowing what to budget for and how to save may sound scary at first. But it doesn’t have to be. One way to take the fear out of budgeting is understanding some of the costs you might encounter.  And to do that, turn to trusted real estate professionals. They can help you plan your finances and prepare your budget.

Here are just a few costs experts say you can expect.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Applying for a Mortgage Doesn’t Have To Be Scary

Even with higher mortgage rates, the mortgage process doesn’t need to be something you fear. Here are some steps to help as you set out to buy a home.

Know your credit score and work to build strong credit. When you’re ready, lean on the pros and connect with a lender so you can get pre-approved and begin your home search.

Any major life change can be scary, and buying a home is no different. Let’s connect so you have an advisor by your side to take fear out of the equation.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Millennials Are Still a Driving Force of Today’s Buyer Demand

If you’re thinking about selling your house but wondering if buyers are still out there, know that there are still people who are searching for a home to buy today. And your house may be exactly what they’re looking for.

While the millennial generation has been dubbed the renter generation, that namesake may not be appropriate anymore. Millennials, the largest generation, are actually a significant driving force for buyer demand in the housing market today. Here’s why.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

3 Graphs Showing Why Today’s Housing Market Isn’t Like 2008

With all the headlines and talk in the media about the shift in the housing market, you might be thinking this is a housing bubble. It’s only natural for those thoughts to creep in that make you think it could be a repeat of what took place in 2008. But the good news is, there’s concrete data to show why this is nothing like the last time.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Since the 2008 housing bubble burst, the word recession strikes a stronger emotional chord than it ever did before. And while there’s some debate around whether we’re officially in a recession right now, the good news is experts say a recession today would likely be mild and the economy would rebound quickly. As the 2022 CEO Outlook from KPMG says:

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Pre-Approval Is a Critical First Step on Your Homebuying Journey

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, one of the first steps on your journey is getting pre-approved. Especially in today’s market when mortgage rates are higher than they were just a few months ago, getting a mortgage pre-approval can be a game changer. Here’s why.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

3 Questions You May Be Asking About Selling Your House Today

If you’re planning to sell your house this year, you likely have questions about what the shift in the housing market means for your home sale.

You might be wondering: Should I wait to sell? Are buyers still out there? And can I afford to buy my next home?

Let’s connect so you can get answers to these questions and learn about the opportunities you still have in today’s housing market.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

What’s Ahead for Home Prices?

As the housing market cools in response to the dramatic rise in mortgage rates, home price appreciation is cooling as well. And if you’re following along with headlines in the media, you’re probably seeing a wide range of opinions calling for everything from falling home prices to ongoing appreciation. But what’s true? What’s most likely to happen moving forward?

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