[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f3mlsajats0h2t":3,"$ffeh0925h8cuz":51,"$fbwk2pqjjqsc7":55},{"item":4,"previous":39,"next":45},{"id":5,"slug":6,"title":7,"description":8,"excerpt":9,"contentType":10,"featuredImage":11,"bannerImage":9,"body":12,"agentsBottomLine":13,"bodyImage":14,"isInfographic":15,"categories":16,"isVideo":15,"videoThumbnail":9,"videoSource":9,"publishedAt":37,"updatedAt":38},665,"3-questions-to-ask-before-buying-your-dream-home","3 Questions to Ask Before Buying Your Dream Home","If you are debating purchasing a home right now, you are probably getting a lot of advice. Though your friends and family will have your best interest at heart, they may not be fully aware of your needs and what is currently happening in the real estate market.\r\n\r\nAsk yourself the following 3 questions to help determine if now is actually a good time for you to buy in today’s market.\r\n\r\n","","blog","https:\u002F\u002Fsimplifyingmedia\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002F01161049\u002F3-Questions-STM.jpg","If you are debating purchasing a home right now, you are probably getting a lot of advice. Though your friends and family will have your best interest at heart, they may not be fully aware of your needs and what is currently happening in the real estate market.\r\n\r\nAsk yourself the following 3 questions to help determine if now is actually a good time for you to buy in today’s market.\r\n\r\n\u003C!--more-->\r\n\u003Ch3>\u003Cstrong>1. Why am I buying a home in the first place?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\r\nThis truly is the most important question to answer. Forget the finances for a minute. Why did you even begin to consider purchasing a home? For most, the reason has nothing to do with money.\r\n\r\nFor example, a recent survey by \u003Cem>Braun\u003C\u002Fem> showed that over 75% of parents say \u003Cem>“their child’s education is an important part of the search for a new home.”\u003C\u002Fem>\r\n\r\nThis survey supports a study by the \u003Cem>Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University\u003C\u002Fem> which revealed that the four major reasons people buy a home have nothing to do with money. They are:\r\n\u003Cul>\r\n \t\u003Cli>A good place to raise children and for them to get a good education\u003C\u002Fli>\r\n \t\u003Cli>A place where you and your family feel safe\u003C\u002Fli>\r\n \t\u003Cli>More space for you and your family\u003C\u002Fli>\r\n \t\u003Cli>Control of that space\u003C\u002Fli>\r\n\u003C\u002Ful>\r\nWhat does owning a home mean to you? What non-financial benefits will you and your family gain from owning a home? The answer to that question should be the biggest reason you decide to purchase or not.\r\n\u003Ch3>\u003Cstrong>2. Where are home values headed?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\r\nAccording to the latest \u003Cem>Home Price Index\u003C\u002Fem> from \u003Cem>CoreLogic\u003C\u002Fem>, home values are projected to increase by 5.3% over the next 12 months.\r\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>What does that mean to you?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh4>\r\nSimply put, if you are planning on buying a home that costs $250,000 today, that same home will cost you an additional $13,250 if you wait until next year. Your down payment will need to be higher as well to account for the higher home price.\r\n\u003Ch3>\u003Cstrong>3. Where are mortgage interest rates headed?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\r\nA buyer must be concerned about more than just prices. The ‘long term cost’ of a home can be dramatically impacted by even a small increase in mortgage rates.\r\n\r\nThe \u003Cem>Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), the National Association of Realtors, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac \u003C\u002Fem>have all projected that mortgage interest rates will increase over the next twelve months as you can see in the chart below:\r\n\r\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002FMortgage-Rate-Projections-STM.jpg\">\u003Cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-34334\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002FMortgage-Rate-Projections-STM.jpg\" alt=\"Mortgage Rate Projections | Simplifying The Market\" width=\"650\" height=\"488\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Fa>\r\n\u003Ch3>\u003Cstrong>Bottom Line\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh3>\r\nOnly you and your family will know for certain if now is the right time to purchase a home. Answering these questions will help you make that decision.","\r\nOnly you and your family will know for certain if now is the right time to purchase a home. Answering these questions will help you make that decision.","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002FMortgage-Rate-Projections-STM.jpg",false,[17,21,25,29,33],{"id":18,"name":19,"slug":20},5,"For Buyers","buyers",{"id":22,"name":23,"slug":24},9,"Home Prices","home-prices",{"id":26,"name":27,"slug":28},11,"First-Time Buyers","first-time-buyers",{"id":30,"name":31,"slug":32},35,"Mortgage Rates","mortgage-rates",{"id":34,"name":35,"slug":36},38,"Move-Up","move-up","2016-10-10T10:00:13Z","2016-10-07T17:14:29Z",{"id":40,"slug":41,"title":42,"featuredImage":43,"publishedAt":44,"contentType":10,"isVideo":15},664,"mortgage-rates-by-decade-compared-to-today-infographic","Mortgage Rates by Decade Compared to Today [INFOGRAPHIC]","https:\u002F\u002F\u002F","2016-10-07T10:00:26Z",{"id":46,"slug":47,"title":48,"featuredImage":49,"publishedAt":50,"contentType":10,"isVideo":15},666,"the-past-present-future-of-home-prices","The Past, Present & Future of Home Prices ","https:\u002F\u002Fsimplifyingmedia\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002F01161049\u002F20161011-Share-STM.jpg","2016-10-11T10:00:08Z",{"cover":52,"open":53,"shareSpread":54},"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260603\u002F2026-Summer-Buyers-Guide-Cover-original.png","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260603\u002F2026-Summer-Buyers-Guide-Spread-original.png","https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002FKeepingCurrentMatters\u002Fcontent\u002Fimages\u002F20260603\u002F2026-Summer-Buyers-Guide-Magazine-original.png",[56,60,61,65,69,73,74,75,79,80,81,85,89,93,97,101,105,109,113,117,121,125,129,133,137,141,145,149,153,157],{"id":57,"name":58,"slug":59},1,"Uncategorized","uncategorized",{"id":18,"name":19,"slug":20},{"id":62,"name":63,"slug":64},6,"For Sellers","sellers",{"id":66,"name":67,"slug":68},7,"Foreclosures","foreclosures",{"id":70,"name":71,"slug":72},8,"Infographics","infographics",{"id":22,"name":23,"slug":24},{"id":26,"name":27,"slug":28},{"id":76,"name":77,"slug":78},34,"Senior Market","senior-market",{"id":30,"name":31,"slug":32},{"id":34,"name":35,"slug":36},{"id":82,"name":83,"slug":84},41,"For Sale by Owner","for-sale-by-owner",{"id":86,"name":87,"slug":88},42,"Featured","featured",{"id":90,"name":91,"slug":92},45,"New Construction","new-construction",{"id":94,"name":95,"slug":96},52,"Luxury \u002F Vacation","luxury--vacation",{"id":98,"name":99,"slug":100},53,"Rent vs. Buy","rent-vs-buy",{"id":102,"name":103,"slug":104},80,"Time-sensitive","time-sensitive",{"id":106,"name":107,"slug":108},81,"Outdated","outdated",{"id":110,"name":111,"slug":112},147,"Internal","internal",{"id":114,"name":115,"slug":116},148,"Do Not Autopost","do-not-autopost",{"id":118,"name":119,"slug":120},320,"Inventory","inventory",{"id":122,"name":123,"slug":124},321,"Agent Value","agent-value",{"id":126,"name":127,"slug":128},322,"Affordability","affordability",{"id":130,"name":131,"slug":132},323,"Buying Tips","buying-tips",{"id":134,"name":135,"slug":136},324,"Downsize","downsize",{"id":138,"name":139,"slug":140},325,"Economy","economy",{"id":142,"name":143,"slug":144},326,"Equity","equity",{"id":146,"name":147,"slug":148},327,"Forecasts","forecasts",{"id":150,"name":151,"slug":152},328,"Selling Tips","selling-tips",{"id":154,"name":155,"slug":156},339,"Expired\u002FWithdrawn\u002FCanceled","expiredwithdrawncanceled",{"id":158,"name":159,"slug":160},340,"Price It Right\u002FOverpricing","price-it-rightoverpricing"]