What Buyers Say They Need Most (And How the Market’s Responding)

Written by Rosemary Beach Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on October 2, 2025. Posted in Affordability, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Home Prices, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage Rosemary Beach, Rosemary Beach Mortgage.

A recent survey from Bank of America asked would-be homebuyers what would help them feel better about making a move, and it’s no surprise the answers have a clear theme. They want affordability to improve, specifically prices and rates (see below):Here’s the good news. While the broader economy may still feel uncertain, there are signs the housing market is showing some changes in both of those areas. Let’s break it down so you know what you’re working with.Prices Are ModeratingOver the past few years, home prices climbed fast, sometimes so fast it left many buyers feeling shut out. But...

Closing Costs Unpacked: State-by-State Breakdowns for Today’s Buyers

Written by Rosemary Beach Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 30, 2025. Posted in First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Rosemary Beach, Rosemary Beach Mortgage.

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, there’s one expense you can’t afford to overlook: closing costs.Almost every buyer knows they exist, but not that many know exactly what they cover, or how different they can be based on where you’re buying. So, let’s break them down.What Are Closing Costs?Your closing costs are the additional fees and payments you make when finalizing your home purchase. Every buyer has them. According to Freddie Mac, they typically include things like homeowner insurance and title insurance, as well as various fees for your:Loan applicationCredit...

Why Buyers and Sellers Face Very Different Conditions Today

Written by Rosemary Beach Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 25, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Prices, Inventory, Mortgage Rosemary Beach, Rosemary Beach Mortgage.

There’s a new divide in housing right now. In some states, buyers are gaining ground. In others, sellers still have the upper hand. It all depends on where you live. Curious what’s happening in your state?These 3 maps show how the split is playing out across the country. In each one:Darker Shades of Blue = Buyer friendlyLighter Shades of Blue = Seller strongInventory Sets the StageWhile the number of homes for sale has improved pretty much across the board, how much growth we’ve seen can look dramatically different based on where you live. And that impacts who has the leverage...

3 Reasons Affordability Is Showing Signs of Improvement This Fall

Written by Rosemary Beach Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 23, 2025. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, For Buyers, Mortgage Rosemary Beach, Rosemary Beach Mortgage.

For the past couple of years, it’s been tough for a lot of homebuyers to make the numbers work. Home prices shot up. Mortgage rates too. And a number of people hit pause because it just didn’t feel possible. Maybe you were one of them.But there’s some encouraging news. If you’ve been waiting for a better time to jump back in, affordability may finally be showing signs of improvement this fall.The latest data from Redfin shows the typical monthly mortgage payment has been coming down, and is now about $290 lower than it was just a few months ago (see graph below):And here’s why this is...

What a Fed Rate Cut Could Mean for Mortgage Rates

Written by Rosemary Beach Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 16, 2025. Posted in Affordability, Economy, For Buyers, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage Rosemary Beach, Rosemary Beach Mortgage.

The Federal Reserve (the Fed) meets this week, and expectations are high that they’ll cut the Federal Funds Rate. But does that mean mortgage rates will drop? Let’s clear up the confusion.The Fed Doesn’t Directly Set Mortgage RatesRight now, all eyes are on the Fed. Most economists expect they’ll cut the Federal Funds Rate at their mid-September meeting to try to head off a potential recession.According to the CME FedWatch Tool, markets are already betting on it. There’s virtually a 100% chance of a September cut. And based on what we know now, there’s about a 92% chance it’ll be a...

Mortgage Rates Just Saw Their Biggest Drop in a Year

Written by Rosemary Beach Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 11, 2025. Posted in Affordability, Economy, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage Rosemary Beach, Rosemary Beach Mortgage.

You’ve been waiting for what feels like forever for mortgage rates to finally budge. And last week, they did – in a big way.On Friday, September 5th, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to the lowest level since October 2024. It was the biggest one-day decline in over a year.What Sparked the Drop?According to Mortgage News Daily, this was a reaction to the August jobs report, which came out weaker-than-expected for a second month in a row. That sent signals across the financial markets, and then mortgage rates came down as a result.Basically, we’re seeing signs the economy...

Builder Incentives Reach 5-Year High

Written by Rosemary Beach Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 5, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, Mortgage Rosemary Beach, Move-Up, New Construction, Rosemary Beach Mortgage.

Even with more homes on the market right now, some buyers are still having a tough time finding the right one at the right price. Maybe the layout feels off. Maybe it still needs some updating. Or maybe it’s just more of the same.That’s why more buyers are turning to new construction – and finding some of the best deals available today.Why? Today, many builders have more homes that are finished and sitting on the market than normal. And that means they’re motivated to sell. They’re running a business, and they don’t want to sit on their inventory. They want to sell it before they build more...

What Mortgage Delinquencies Tell Us About the Future of Foreclosures

Written by Rosemary Beach Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 4, 2025. Posted in Economy, For Buyers, For Sellers, Foreclosures, Mortgage Rosemary Beach, Rosemary Beach Mortgage.

You may be seeing headlines about how foreclosures are rising. And if that makes you nervous that we’re headed for another crash, here’s what you should know. According to ATTOM, during the housing crash, over nine million people went through some sort of distressed sale (2007-2011). Last year, there were just over 300,000.So, even with the increase lately, we’re talking about numbers that are dramatically lower. But what does the future hold? Is a wave coming? The short answer is, no.Here’s why. Experts in the industry look at mortgage delinquencies (loans that are more than 30 days past...

What Everyone’s Getting Wrong About the Rise in New Home Inventory

Written by Rosemary Beach Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on August 29, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, Mortgage Rosemary Beach, New Construction, Rosemary Beach Mortgage.

You may have seen talk online that new home inventory is at its highest level since the crash. And if you lived through the crash back in 2008, seeing new construction is up again may feel a little scary.But here’s what you need to remember: a lot of what you see online is designed to get clicks. So, you may not be getting the full story. A closer look at the data and a little expert insight can change your perspective completely.Why This Isn’t Like 2008While it’s true the number of new homes on the market hit its highest level since the crash, that’s not a reason to worry. That’s because...

Should You Still Expect a Bidding War?

Written by Rosemary Beach Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on August 26, 2025. Posted in First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Rosemary Beach, Rosemary Beach Mortgage.

If you’re still worried about having to deal with a bidding war when you buy a home, you may be able to let some of that fear go.While multiple-offer situations haven’t disappeared entirely, they’re not nearly as common as they used to be. In fact, a recent survey shows agents reported only 1 in 5 homes (20%) nationally received multiple offers in June 2025.That’s down from nearly 1 in 3 (31%) just a year ago – and dramatically lower than in June 2023 (39%) (see graph below):This trend means you should face less competition when you buy. That gives you more time to make decisions and the...

Category: For Buyers