When debating whether to rent or buy your next place, the argument in favor of renting usually includes the fact that it’ll be cheaper – especially since you don’t have to pay for closing costs or save for a down payment. However, renting a place isn’t all that cheap these days and, depending on what you’re looking for, prices may be rising even faster than expected. According to recently released data, rental rates are increasing and particularly among two and three-bedroom homes. In fact, rental homes, generally, are climbing in price faster than apartments. Nationally, a typical two-bedroom now costs $1,310 per month and the cost for a typical three-bedroom is up to $1,445. And, depending on your local market, it could be even higher. So why is rent rising faster for homes than it is for apartments? Well, for some of the same reasons home prices are climbing. For one, new, and smaller, apartments are the focus of most rental unit construction, while the supply of single-family homes to rent is mostly fixed. More here.
The Advantages Of Buying New
What Is The Most Prosperous City In The US?
Prosperous is defined as “successful in material terms; flourishing financially.” And, while money isn’t everything, it’s safe to say we all want to be successful and wouldn’t mind flourishing financially. So where in the country is the best place to live if you want some prosperity? Well, the answer might surprise you. That’s because a new study – looking at factors such as population, median income, home values, share of inhabitants holding higher education degrees, poverty rate, and unemployment – determined that Odessa, Texas was the the top city for prosperity, beating out heavy hitters like Washington DC, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Charleston. So what about Odessa makes it the most prosperous city in America? Well, from 2000 to 2016, the city experienced a 38 percent spike in income growth, home values rose 91 percent, and the poverty rate dropped by 36 percent. Those are some impressive numbers but the story behind the story is that Odessa benefited from a surge in crude oil production, which boosted the city’s fortunes and lifted it to the top spot on the list. More here.
May Newsletter
High-End Neighborhoods Make Most Popular List
When searching online listings for homes to buy, it is sometimes difficult not to wander outside of your price range for a look at houses you’d love but can’t afford. This is true no matter what your particular price range might be. There will always be a house just out of your reach that’ll catch your curiosity. And the internet has made it easier than ever to get a glance of the high-end homes you’d previously only be able to see from the road. Proof of this can be found in a recent analysis of the country’s most popular neighborhoods based on page views. The top 20 features the nation’s most desirable addresses in some of the most exclusive zip codes. The Oaks in Los Angeles was the top neighborhood, followed by places like Tuxedo Park in Atlanta, Presidio Heights in San Francisco, and New York’s Crestwood neighborhood. But, in this case, the number of views a particular house or neighborhood receives isn’t likely to reflect an increase in the number of potential buyers. More likely, these neighborhoods reflect – not where Americans are buying homes – but where they dream of buying homes. More here.
How To Know When It’s Your Time To Buy
MARKET WATCH: The Typical Home Buyer & Seller
Conditions Are Ripe For Spring Home Buyers
As the spring home buying season approaches, there are many moving parts analysts and experts look at to determine how home buyers and sellers might fare. Economic growth, the job market, interest rates, home prices, buyer demand, and inventory are just some of the factors that will determine how many hopeful home buyers find new homes this year. According to one outlook – from Fannie Mae’s Economic and Strategic Research Group – conditions are good for buyers, except for one specific, long-standing obstacle. “We don’t expect rates to play much of a role in total home sales, especially with anticipated stronger disposable household income growth,” Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae’s chief economist, said. “The ongoing inventory shortages should constrain sales despite otherwise ripe home buying conditions.” In other words, though mortgage rates may inch upward this year, so will household income. That leaves inventory as the main challenge to buyers this spring. With fewer homes for sale, there will be more competition and pressure on prices. More here. 
To-Dos: Your February Home Checklist
Bedroom Communities Top List Of Safest Cities
A “bedroom community” refers to a suburb outside a major metropolis where the majority of residents commute to the city for work. These town have a number of characteristics that identify them but, according to new research from NeighborhoodScout, they are also known for safety. In fact, these suburban cities topped their most recent list of the nation’s safest cities. Andrew Schiller, CEO of NeighborhoodScout, says bedroom communities combine features that are attractive to home buyers. “We continue to see bedroom communities, which are within large metro areas and near major urban centers like Boston, Chicago, and New York, make the top of our list,” Schiller says. “These safe communities within the urban/suburban fabric of America’s largest metropolitan areas often combine access to high-paying jobs in the urban center, decent schools, and a high quality of life. This access to opportunity increases home values, with the result often being lower crime.” Cities in the Northeast topped the list, including Ridgefield, CT, which was named the country’s safest city. More here.
