[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f3asabqglkwbl4":3,"$ffeh0925h8cuz":43,"$fbwk2pqjjqsc7":47},{"item":4,"previous":31,"next":37},{"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":29,"updatedAt":30},758,"3-questions-to-ask-if-you-want-to-buy-your-dream-home","3 Questions to Ask If You Want to Buy 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.","","blog","https:\u002F\u002Fsimplifyingmedia\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F02\u002F07141946\u002F20171213-Share-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.\u003C!--more-->\r\n\r\nAsk yourself the following 3 questions to help determine if now is a good time for you to buy in today’s market.\r\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>1. Why am I buying a home in the first place?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003Cstrong> \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh4>\r\nThis is truly 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 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 top four reasons Americans 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\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>2. Where are home values headed?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh4>\r\nAccording to the latest \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nar.realtor\u002Fnews-releases\u002F2017\u002F01\u002Fexisting-home-sales-slide-in-december-2016-sales-best-since-2006\">\u003Cem>Existing Home Sales Report\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fa> from the \u003Cem>National Association of Realtors (NAR)\u003C\u002Fem>, the median price of homes sold in December (the latest data available) was $232,200, up 4.0% from last year. This increase also marks the 58th consecutive month with year-over-year gains.\r\n\r\nIf we look at the numbers year over year, \u003Cem>CoreLogic\u003C\u002Fem> \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.corelogic.com\u002Fresearch\u002Fhpi\u002Fcorelogic_hpi_november_2016.pdf\">forecasted\u003C\u002Fa> a rise by 4.7% from December 2016 to December 2017. On a home that costs $250,000 today, that same home will cost you an additional $11,750 if you wait until next year.\r\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>What does that mean to you?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh4>\r\nSimply put, with prices increasing each month, it might cost you more if you wait until next year to buy. Your down payment will also need to be higher in order to account for the higher price of the home you wish to buy.\r\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cstrong>3. Where are mortgage interest rates headed?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh4>\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\u003C\u002Fem> (MBA), the \u003Cem>National Association of Realtors\u003C\u002Fem>, and \u003Cem>Fannie Mae\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\u002F2017\u002F02\u002F20170213-STM-ENG.jpg\">\u003Cimg class=\"alignnone wp-image-35003\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.keepingcurrentmatters.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F02\u002F20170213-STM-ENG.jpg\" alt=\"3 Questions to Ask If You Want to Buy Your Dream Home | 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\u002F2017\u002F02\u002F20170213-STM-ENG.jpg",false,[17,21,25],{"id":18,"name":19,"slug":20},5,"For Buyers","buyers",{"id":22,"name":23,"slug":24},11,"First-Time Buyers","first-time-buyers",{"id":26,"name":27,"slug":28},38,"Move-Up","move-up","2017-02-13T10:00:27Z","2017-02-07T15:29:41Z",{"id":32,"slug":33,"title":34,"featuredImage":35,"publishedAt":36,"contentType":10,"isVideo":15},757,"listing-in-the-winter-attracts-more-serious-buyers","Listing in the Winter Attracts More Serious Buyers","https:\u002F\u002Fsimplifyingmedia\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F02\u002F09163754\u002FSTM-Share5.jpg","2017-02-12T10:00:06Z",{"id":38,"slug":39,"title":40,"featuredImage":41,"publishedAt":42,"contentType":10,"isVideo":15},759,"first-comes-love-then-comes-mortgage","First Comes Love… Then Comes Mortgage?","https:\u002F\u002Fsimplifyingmedia\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2017\u002F02\u002F09130612\u002FSTM-Share4.jpg","2017-02-14T10:00:21Z",{"cover":44,"open":45,"shareSpread":46},"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",[48,52,53,57,61,65,69,70,74,78,79,83,87,91,95,99,103,107,111,115,119,123,127,131,135,139,143,147,151,155],{"id":49,"name":50,"slug":51},1,"Uncategorized","uncategorized",{"id":18,"name":19,"slug":20},{"id":54,"name":55,"slug":56},6,"For Sellers","sellers",{"id":58,"name":59,"slug":60},7,"Foreclosures","foreclosures",{"id":62,"name":63,"slug":64},8,"Infographics","infographics",{"id":66,"name":67,"slug":68},9,"Home Prices","home-prices",{"id":22,"name":23,"slug":24},{"id":71,"name":72,"slug":73},34,"Senior Market","senior-market",{"id":75,"name":76,"slug":77},35,"Mortgage Rates","mortgage-rates",{"id":26,"name":27,"slug":28},{"id":80,"name":81,"slug":82},41,"For Sale by Owner","for-sale-by-owner",{"id":84,"name":85,"slug":86},42,"Featured","featured",{"id":88,"name":89,"slug":90},45,"New Construction","new-construction",{"id":92,"name":93,"slug":94},52,"Luxury \u002F Vacation","luxury--vacation",{"id":96,"name":97,"slug":98},53,"Rent vs. Buy","rent-vs-buy",{"id":100,"name":101,"slug":102},80,"Time-sensitive","time-sensitive",{"id":104,"name":105,"slug":106},81,"Outdated","outdated",{"id":108,"name":109,"slug":110},147,"Internal","internal",{"id":112,"name":113,"slug":114},148,"Do Not Autopost","do-not-autopost",{"id":116,"name":117,"slug":118},320,"Inventory","inventory",{"id":120,"name":121,"slug":122},321,"Agent Value","agent-value",{"id":124,"name":125,"slug":126},322,"Affordability","affordability",{"id":128,"name":129,"slug":130},323,"Buying Tips","buying-tips",{"id":132,"name":133,"slug":134},324,"Downsize","downsize",{"id":136,"name":137,"slug":138},325,"Economy","economy",{"id":140,"name":141,"slug":142},326,"Equity","equity",{"id":144,"name":145,"slug":146},327,"Forecasts","forecasts",{"id":148,"name":149,"slug":150},328,"Selling Tips","selling-tips",{"id":152,"name":153,"slug":154},339,"Expired\u002FWithdrawn\u002FCanceled","expiredwithdrawncanceled",{"id":156,"name":157,"slug":158},340,"Price It Right\u002FOverpricing","price-it-rightoverpricing"]