Regardless of the lack of inventory on the market, the U.S. homeownership rate has climbed to a 6-year high. The United States Census Bureau reported that it increased to 65.1% in the fourth quarter of 2019, representing the highest level in the past six years. See the graph below: This increase does not come as […]
All posts by Les Sulgrove
How Pricing Your Home Right Makes a Big Difference
The Top States Americans Moved to Last Year [INFOGRAPHIC]
Some Highlights: Americans are on the move, and the most recent Atlas Van Lines Migration Patterns Survey tracked the 2019 traffic flow from state-to-state. Idaho held on to the top spot of ‘high inbound’ states for the second time since 2017, followed by Washington State. New York was the country’s outbound move leader in 2019, […]
Great News for Renters Who Want to Buy a Home
Rents in the United States have been skyrocketing since 2012. This has caused many renters to face a tremendous burden when juggling their housing expenses and the desire to save for a down payment at the same time. The recent stabilization of rental prices provides a great opportunity for renters to save more of their […]
Does “Aging in Place” Make the Most Sense?
A desire among many seniors is to “age in place.” According to the Senior Resource Guide, the term means, “…that you will be remaining in your own home for the later years of your life; not moving into a smaller home, assisted living, or a retirement community etcetera.” There is no doubt about it – […]
How to Avoid a Gender Gap When Investing in the Housing Market
When buying a home, we all want to feel like we’re making the right decision, paying a fair price, and making the best investment of our lives. According to a recent gender-based study, men and women can unknowingly walk away with very different financial outcomes when the deal closes. Thankfully, if you follow some simple […]
Des Moines Real Estate January 2020 Wrap Up
Three Reasons Why Pre-Approval Is the First Step in the 2020 Homebuying Journey
When the number of buyers in the housing market outnumbers the number of homes for sale, it’s called a “seller’s market.” The advantage tips toward the seller as low inventory heats up the competition among those searching for a place to call their own. This can create multiple offer scenarios and bidding wars, making it tough […]
4 Tips to Ace Your First Home Purchase
If you ask a homeowner what it was like to buy their first home, they’ll probably mention a few things they’d change if they could do it all again. While it’s impossible to know everything about the home-buying process beforehand, you can still prepare yourself for what lies ahead—and figure out how to avoid some […]