Category: Bay Area Real Estate

Why 20% of Households Are Throwing Away $11,500

 Why 20% of Households Are Throwing Away $11,500

About 20 percent of households who would benefit from refinancing are not doing it — and they could be losing out on lessening their mortgage payments by thousands of dollars over the life of the loan, according to a new report from the National Bureau of Economic Research.

In analyzing a large random sample of outstanding mortgages from December 2010, researchers found that the median household could save $160 per month over the remaining life of the loan, amounting to a total savings of about $11,500.

“Despite the large stakes, anecdotal evidence suggests that many households may fail to refinance when they otherwise should,” according to the report. “Failing to refinance is puzzling due to the large financial incentives involved.”

The report found that borrowers may fail to refinance because they are unable to calculate the full financial benefit to them, they fail to see the benefits over time, or the high amount of upfront costs may deter them.

“Our results suggest the presence of information barriers regarding the potential benefits and costs of refinancing,” according to the NBER report. “Expanding and developing partnerships with certified housing counseling agencies to offer more targeted and in-depth workshops and counseling surrounding the refinancing decision is a potential direction for policy to alleviate these barriers for the population most in need of financial education.”

 

If you are looking for a reliable lender – let The Caton Team know and we can connect you with the best in the business.

 

Source: “Here’s Why Some Home Owners Throw Away $11,500 a Year on Mortgage Payments,” HousingWire (Sept. 10, 2014)

I read this article at: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2014/09/11/why-20-households-are-throwing-away-11500?om_rid=AACmlZ&om_mid=_BUEfE1B88XY4RJ&om_ntype=RMODaily

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The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE#70000218/ Office BRE# 0149900

Top School Districts Lift Home Prices

Top School Districts Lift Home Prices

 

Homes within highly rated school districts tend to have a higher median sales price, sell for a greater percentage over the list price, and sell faster, according to a new study by the real estate brokerage Redfin.

Highly rated public schools were found to have homes with a median sales price of $474,900 compared to $290,000 in an average-rated school zone. Redfin researchers also found that homes in top school districts are more likely to sell for 30 percent above the list price versus 23 percent. They tend to sell faster too: A median of 25 days on the market versus 21 days.

Homes in top-level school districts can be more difficult to come by, the study shows. For every 100 homes in a neighborhood, on average, only 5.8 were on the market in the past year compared with 6.5 for the greater metro area.

Redfin analyzed test score data from GreatSchools ratings, provided by Onboard Infomatics, in 22 major metro areas to determine the neighborhoods that have the most highly rated public schools. Redfin also included data on median sales price, and the percentage of homes that sold above the asking price.

The following metros have some of the top rating averages from GreatSchools, and listed below them are the top three neighborhoods containing the most highly rated schools within each metro. (For the full list of 22 metros and the top schools identified, visit Redfin’s research blog.)

  • Orange County, Calif. metro area

Turtle Rock, El Camino Real, Northwood

  • Austin, Texas metro area

Steiner Ranch, Circle C Ranch, East Oak Hill

  • Long Island, N.Y. metro area

South Wantagh, North Syosset, North Baldwin

  • Seattle, Wash. metro area

Queen Anne, Ballard, Factoria

  • Phoenix, Ariz. metro area

Desert Ridge, Hillcrest Ranch, Ahwtukee

  • San Jose, Calif. metro area

Monta Vista, Blossom Hill, North Los Altos

  • Houston, Texas metro area

Shadow Creek Ranch, Kingwood, Sugar Creek

 

I read this article at: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2014/09/12/top-school-districts-lift-home-prices?om_rid=AACmlZ&om_mid=_BUEz4EB88ZKvTn&om_ntype=RMODaily

Remember to follow our Blog at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com/

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Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Call us at: 650-568-5522 Office: 650-365-9200

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Thanks for reading – Sabrina

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE#70000218/ Office BRE# 0149900

 

Pending Home Sales Surge Nationwide

Pending Home Sales Surge Nationwide

Posted by RE-Insider on 7/14/14 • Categorized as Industry News

While much of this year has proven to be a bust for those of us in the RE industry, recent waves of good news have been emerging. Lately we’ve seen mortgage rates going down, inventory going up and new jobs being created – all signs that an improving market is on its way – and now it would seem that our hopes have come to fruition, as a new study has found that pending home sales have jumped the most since 2010.

According to a study performed by the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales surged more than expected in May, the latest sign a sluggish housing recovery is picking up steam.

Nationwide, signed contracts for previously owned homes jumped 6.1% from April, beating the median forecast of a 1.5% rise and the largest bump we’ve seen in four years!

Additionally, buyers closed deals on 4.9% more previously owned homes in May than April and new home sales jumped 18.6% in May.

“An improvement in sales is likely to continue for at least a few more months, a welcomed reprieve after a significantly slow start to the year,” Sterne Agee chief economist Lindsey Piegza said in a statement. Further gains, Piegza said, will rely on “sustained improvement in income and job creation.

Still, the market isn’t humming like last year. Higher prices and fewer foreclosures have investors and families less likely to strike a deal. Pending sales in May were 5.2% below 2013 levels.

Regardless, this is a change which we can all rejoice.

Have noticed the increase of pending sales in your markets? What are your thoughts?

You can read the full story here:

 

I read this article at:  http://re-insider.com/2014/07/14/pending-home-sales-surge-nationwide/

 

 

Remember to follow our Blog at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com/

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.  

Email Sabrina & Susan at:  Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Call us at: 650-568-5522  Office:  650-365-9200

Want Real Estate Info on the Go?  Download our FREE Real Estate App:  http://thecatonteam.com/mobileapp

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Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn:  http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

http://ajourneythroughhomeownership.wordpress.com

Thanks for reading – Sabrina

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE#70000218/ 01499008

 

 

Why Low Rates Aren’t Always Good for Housing – Had to share

Had to share this…

 

Why Low Rates Aren’t Always Good for Housing

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS

Mortgage rates are near historic lows, which is great news for home owners and buyers. But the situation could prove to be a big thorn in the side of the recovery.

More than one-third of homes with a mortgage have a mortgage rate below 4 percent, according to estimates provided by CoreLogic, a real estate data provider. Many home owners have taken advantage of low rates recently, fueling a refinance boom. Some home buyers were able to snag a record low of 3.3 percent interest in 2012.

As such, many home owners may be more inclined to stay put, unwilling to swap out a low mortgage rate for a new mortgage that could carry a rate up to one percentage point higher or more in the coming months. Those who can’t stay put may decide to keep their home and rent it out. In any case, the number of homes for-sale could continue to be low and contribute to slower home sales, housing analysts note.

Mark Fleming, chief economist at CoreLogic, estimates that up to 3.6 million home owners will be unlikely to sell this year because they do not want to give up a lower mortgage rate.

“They got the deal of the century,” Glenn Kelman, CEO of Redfin, a real estate brokerage, told The Associated Press. “I don’t think in 100 years anyone will be lending money at 3.5 percent. How do you walk away from a deal like that?”

Indeed, The Associated Press reports that this marks a significant shift from the way the housing market has worked in the past three decades. “For most of that time, whenever a home owner decided to trade up to a better home, mortgage rates usually were lower than the last time they had bought,” The Associated Press reports. “That helped make a new purchase seem more attractive.”

Economists say “rate lock-in” is a contributing factor for why so few homes are for sale. The housing market has faced a shortage of homes since late 2012. For every $1,000 increase in a home owner’s annual mortgage payment, the likelihood that the home owner would sell dropped as much as 16 percent, according to a 2011 study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Source: “Record-Low Mortgage Rates Now Haunt the Housing Market,” The Associated Press (July 11, 2014)

 

I read this article at: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2014/07/14/why-low-rates-arent-always-good-for-housing?om_rid=AACmlZ&om_mid=_BTxCGtB87N9-7C&om_ntype=RMODaily

Remember to follow our Blog at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com/

Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.  

Email Sabrina & Susan at:  Info@TheCatonTeam.com

Call us at: 650-568-5522  Office:  650-365-9200

Want Real Estate Info on the Go?  Download our FREE Real Estate App:  http://thecatonteam.com/mobileapp

Visit our Website at:   http://thecatonteam.com/

VISIT OUR NEW INSTAGRAM PAGE:  http://instagram.com/thecatonteam

Visit us on Facebook:   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sabrina-Susan-The-Caton-Team-Realtors/294970377834

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Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn:  http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro

Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:

http://ajourneythroughhomeownership.wordpress.com

Thanks for reading – Sabrina

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors

Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE#70000218/ 01499008