Buying a home IS more stressful than planning a wedding, however I can help make your homebuying process be a better one (you're on your own with the wedding though!)

Is Buying a Home Really More Stressful Than Planning a Wedding? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Some Highlights:

• According to a new survey from Open Listings, 62% of Americans ages 25-54 believe that buying a home is more stressful than planning a wedding.
• Many young couples are saving for a wedding and a home at the same time.
• The average US wedding now costs 66% of a median home down payment, according to The Knot.

Spooked out by the home buying process? I can make it a lot less scary!

Some Highlights:

• 36% of Americans think they need a 20% down payment to buy a home. 44% of Millennials who purchased a home this year have put down less than 10%.
• 71% of loan applications were approved last month
• The average credit score of approved loans was 723 in September (the lowest recorded score since Ellie Mae began tracking in August 2011).

Need a reason to buy a home, instead of renting one?

  Check out these Keeping Current Matters statistics...


There are some people that have not purchased a home because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. Everyone should realize that, unless you are living with your parents rent free, you are paying a mortgage - either your mortgage or your landlord’s.
As The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University explains:

“Households must consume housing whether they own or rent. Not even accounting for more favorable tax treatment of owning, homeowners pay debt service to pay down their own principal while households that rent pay down the principal of a landlord plus a rate of return.  
That’s yet another reason owning often does—as Americans intuit—end up making more financial sense than renting.”

Christina Boyle, a Senior Vice President, Head of Single-Family Sales & Relationship Management at Freddie Mac, explains another benefit of securing a mortgage vs. paying rent:

“With a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, you’ll have the certainty & stability of knowing what your mortgage payment will be for the next 30 years – unlike rents which will continue to rise over the next three decades.”

As an owner, your mortgage payment is a form of ‘forced savings’ which allows you to have equity in your home that you can tap into later in life. As a renter, you guarantee the landlord is the person with that equity.
The graph below shows the widening gap in net worth between a homeowner and a renter:

Bottom Line

Whether you are looking for a primary residence for the first time or are considering a vacation home on the shore, owning might make more sense than renting since home values and interest rates are projected to climb.

Thinking of buying home?

Here are some reasons why you shouldn't wait any longer...

Click here for the KCM article

What is the true cost of waiting?

Economists, real estate experts and strategists are forecasting that 2015 may be the year of home appreciation.  What does that mean?  As a buyer - it means that your buying power may shrink.  As a seller - it may mean that your appeal to a buyer will be stronger earlier in the year, when the buyer can get more for their money.  Coupled with the prospect of higher interest rates on mortgages, and a buyer may be considerably impacted.  To see how much, click here.

Top 13 tips for homebuyers to follow...

Is buying a home on your list of 2015 resolutions?  Zillow has compiled a true, and amusing, list of 13 hints to follow.  Spoiler - sex, drugs and rock n' roll aren't in the top 13...

Click here to see the list