Keys to the Market

Unlocking Insights, One Door at a Time

Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Home Sweet Home: The Emotional Benefits of Homeownership

While there are many financial perks to owning a home, there are also powerful non-financial benefits to consider if you’re thinking about making a move.

Homeownership allows you to express yourself, gives you greater privacy and comfort, enhances your connection to your community and loved ones, and is an achievement to feel proud of.

Let’s connect today to discuss all that homeownership has to offer.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

What Homeowners Want To Know About Selling in Today’s Market

If you’re thinking about selling your house, you’re likely hearing about the cooling housing market and wondering what that means for you. While it’s not the peak intensity we saw during the pandemic, we’re still in a sellers’ market. That means you haven’t missed your window. Realtor.com explains:

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Mortgage Rates Will Come Down, It’s Just a Matter of Time

This past year, rising mortgage rates have slowed the red-hot housing market. Over the past nine months, we’ve seen fewer homes sold than the previous month as home price growth has slowed. All of this is due to the fact that the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has doubled this year, severely limiting homebuying power for consumers. And, this month, the average rate for financing a home briefly rose over 7% before coming back down into the high 6% range. But we’re starting to see a hint of what mortgage interest rates could look like next year.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Should You Update Your House Before You Sell? Ask a Real Estate Professional.

You may be wondering what needs to be renovated before you sell your house. In today’s shifting market, making your house appealing is more important than ever.

That’s why it’s essential to lean on a real estate professional who has in-depth knowledge of today’s housing market. They know what buyers are looking for and how to highlight any upgrades you make.

Let’s connect so you know where to focus your efforts so your house will stand out in a today’s market.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

More People Are Finding the Benefits of Multigenerational Households Today

If you’re thinking of buying a home and living with siblings, parents, or grandparents, then multigenerational living may be for you. The Pew Research Center defines a multigenerational household as a home with two or more adult generations. And the number of individuals choosing multigenerational living has increased over the past 50 years.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Top Questions About Selling Your Home This Winter

There’s no denying the housing market is undergoing a shift this season, and that may leave you with some questions about whether it still makes sense to sell your house. Here are three of the top questions you may be asking – and the data that helps answer them – so you can make a confident decision.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Why It May Be Time To Add Newly Built Homes to Your Search

If you put a pause on your home search because you weren’t sure where you’d go once you sold your house, it might be a good time to get back into the market. If you’re willing to work with a trusted agent to consider a newly built home, you may have even more options and incentives than you realize. That may be why the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) says the share of buyers looking for new construction is increasing:

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

VA Loans: Making Homes for the Brave Achievable

VA Loans can help make homeownership possible for those who have served our country.

These loans offer great benefits for eligible individuals and can help them buy a VA-approved house or condo, build a new home, or make improvements to their house.

Homeownership is the American Dream. One way we can honor and thank our veterans is to ensure they have the best information about the benefits of VA home loans.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

VA Loans Can Help Veterans Achieve Their Dream of Homeownership

For over 78 years, Veterans Affairs (VA) home loans have provided millions of veterans with the opportunity to purchase homes of their own. If you or a loved one have served, it’s important to understand this program and its benefits.

Here are some things you should know about VA loans before you start the homebuying process.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

What’s Ahead for Mortgage Rates and Home Prices?

Now that the end of 2022 is within sight, you may be wondering what’s going to happen in the housing market next year and what that may mean if you’re thinking about buying a home. Here’s a look at the latest expert insights on both mortgage rates and home prices so you can make your best move possible.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

The Majority of Americans Still View Homeownership as the American Dream

Buying a home is a powerful decision, and it remains a key part of the American Dream. In fact, the 2022 Consumer Insights Report from Mynd found the majority of people polled still view homeownership as a key life achievement. Let’s explore just a few of the reasons why so many Americans continue to value homeownership.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Key Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today

Every time there’s a news segment about the housing market, we hear about the affordability challenges buyers are facing today. Those headlines are focused on how much mortgage rates have climbed this year. And while it’s true rates have risen dramatically, it’s important to remember they aren’t the only factor in the affordability equation.

Here are three measures used to establish home affordability: home prices, mortgage rates, and wages. Let’s look closely at each one.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Homeownership Wins Over Time

If you’re questioning whether or not to buy a home this year due to today’s cooling market, consider the long-term financial benefits of homeownership.

As a homeowner, equity increases your wealth. On average, nationwide, home prices appreciated by 2% since 1991.

Homeownership wins in the long run. If you’re ready to buy a home, let’s connect today.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Do You Believe Homeownership Is Out of Reach? Maybe It Doesn’t Have To Be.

It turns out, millennials aren’t the renter generation after all. The 2022 Consumer Insights Report from Mynd says there’s a portion of millennial and Gen Z buyers who are pursuing homeownership as a way to build their wealth, but it may not be exactly the way previous generations have done it. The study explains how they’re breaking into the market:

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Sell Your House Before the Holidays

As you look ahead to the winter season, you’re likely making plans and thinking about what you want to achieve before the year ends. One of those key decision points could be whether or not you want to move this year. If the location or size of your current home no longer meets your needs, finding a house that better suits your lifestyle may be a top priority for you. But with today’s cooling housing market, is it really a good time to sell your house, or should you wait?

If you’re ready to make your decision, here are three reasons you may want to consider selling before the holidays.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

3 Trends That Are Good News for Today’s Homebuyers

While higher mortgage rates are creating affordability challenges for homebuyers this year, there is some good news for those people still looking to buy a home.

As the market has cooled this year, some of the intensity buyers faced during the peak frenzy of the pandemic has cooled too. Here are just a few trends that may benefit you when you go to buy a home today.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Taking the Fear out of Saving for a Home

If you’re planning to buy a home, knowing what to budget for and how to save may sound scary at first. But it doesn’t have to be. One way to take the fear out of budgeting is understanding some of the costs you might encounter.  And to do that, turn to trusted real estate professionals. They can help you plan your finances and prepare your budget.

Here are just a few costs experts say you can expect.

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