by Laura Baliestiero | May 6, 2021 | Buyer, Buying a Home, Covid-19, Mortgage Rates
The housing market has been gaining strength in the last few years — particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Home values soared, buyer demand jumped, and mortgage rates hit historic lows. And ultimately, it’s made housing one of the few bright spots during an...
by Laura Baliestiero | Apr 7, 2021 | Closing Cost, Home Buying, Interest Rates, Mortgage Rates, Taxes
The answer to whether closing costs are tax-deductible — is often the most frustrating one- “It depends.” Basically, you’ll want to itemize if you have deductions totaling more than the standard deduction, which for 2021 is $12,550 for a single person and $25,100 for...
by Laura Baliestiero | Mar 8, 2021 | Down Payments, Mortgage Rates
A tax refund is one of several ways to come up with a down payment and closing costs to buy a home. Many mortgage programs have a requirement that monies used for a down payment be “sourced and seasoned.” Sourced funds mean showing where the money came from, sales of...
by Laura Baliestiero | Dec 29, 2020 | Advice For Buyers, Buying a Home, Downsizing, Extraordinary Homes, Holidays, Mortgage Rates, Winter
Ask anyone that has been to an open house or a home showing in the middle of a snowstorm, and they tell you they prefer to look at homes in the spring and summer. Ask sellers, and they will tell you they don’t want potential buyers tracking snow through their house in...
by Laura Baliestiero | Dec 29, 2020 | Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Market Updates, Mortgage Rates
Throughout 2019 and 2020, housing inventory was at record lows. Despite the pandemic and high unemployment, home sales are outpacing new listings every month. Unless there are sellers forced to come to the market in 2021, this scenario should continue. The driving...
by Laura Baliestiero | Nov 8, 2020 | Buying a Home, Housing Market Updates, Interest Rates, Mortgage Rates, Price Growth
Big picture: The housing sector is showing strength across the board resulting from a combination of low mortgage rates, rising demand, and shift in consumer preferences as a result of the pandemic. The numbers: The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-city price index...
