Found 25 blog entries tagged as Buyers.

How Much Does It REALLY Cost to Build a House?

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) just released its 2024 Cost of Construction Survey, showing that construction expenses made up 64.4% of the average newly built single-family home's sales price — an increase from 60.8% in 2022. The average construction cost reached $428,215, or $162 per square foot, while builder profit accounted for 11% of the total price. Based on responses from 41 builders, the study details cost allocations across site work, foundations, framing, major systems, interior finishes, and final steps.

  • Average sales price of new construction was $665,298

  • Framing costs (including the roof) accounted for 11.6%

  • Excavation costs…

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Westchester County Home Insurance up 57.1% from 2020

Home Insurance Premiums by County Since 2020

California’s battle with recent wildfires has resulted in the deconstruction of more than 57,000 acres and 16,000 structures, estimating $35 – $45 billion with insured losses. Before the fires began, insurance non-renewal rates had been climbing nationwide, with Florida bearing the brunt — home to 9 of the 15 counties experiencing the largest premium increases between 2020 and 2023, according to ResiClub. Increasing disaster risks, combined with pandemic-driven spikes in housing and construction costs, have pushed insurance premiums and repair expenses higher — and Westchester County is also feeling the impact. Here’s how:

  • 2023 Non-renewal rate: 0.54%

  • Median…

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Existing Home Sales Expected to Rise in 2025

According to ResiClub's analysis of projections from 16 top industry forecasters, U.S. existing home sales are expected to average around 4.22 million in 2025. Below, you'll find detailed forecasts alongside historical data for added context.

Forecasts

  • NAR: 4.5M

  • Fannie Mae: 4.25M

  • MBA: 4.25M

  • Zillow: 4.16M

  • Capital Economics: 4.12M

  • Goldman Sachs: 4.09M

  • Realtor.com: 4.07M

  • Morgan Stanley: 3.8M

  • Moody’s: 3.74M

Historical Stats

  • 2017: 5.62M

  • 2018: 5.15M

  • 2019: 5.26M

  • 2020: 6.47M

  • 2021: 6.43M

  • 2022: 4.19M

  • 2023: 3.91M

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Is SALT Reform on the Way?

President-elect Donald Trump has directed House Republicans to negotiate an increase in the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap, currently set at $10,000. The initiative aims to provide tax relief to residents in high-tax states like New York, California, and New Jersey. Trump's guidance followed a meeting with Republican lawmakers from these states, where he emphasized the need to determine a "fair number" for the deduction.

  • Background: The SALT deduction cap was established in the 2017 tax law, limiting deductions to $10,000. This cap has been contentious, particularly in high-tax states, as it effectively increased the tax burden on many residents.

  • Challenges Ahead: Modifying the…

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Visual of the Week

Share of all cash homebuyers

Two out of three homeowners have at least 50% equity in their homes. To put a more tangible number on it, CoreLogic shows the average homeowner has $311,000 worth of equity built up. That kind of net worth can go a long way if you’re trying to make a move. That’s part of the reason why the share of all-cash buyers recently reached a new high. According to an annual report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 26% of buyers were able to buy without a mortgage

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Will Housing Affordability Improve?

Housing affordability in the United States experienced a slight improvement last year, marking the first positive shift in four years. A household earning the median income of $83,782 would have allocated 41.8% of their earnings toward monthly housing costs for a median-priced home, a modest decrease from 42.2% in 2023. Despite this progress, affordability remains significantly strained compared to the 30% threshold commonly deemed manageable.

Ralph’s Take

Will housing affordability improve in 2025? It’s difficult to predict, but mortgage rates are likely to play a key role. In 2024, the average mortgage rate was 6.72%, a slight dip from 6.87% in 2023. While modest, this reduction…

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FHFA: 73% of Mortgages Still Under 5%

The highest level of mortgages over 6% since 2016.

While mortgage rates remain significantly higher than three years ago, the pool of borrowers with lower-rate loans is steadily eroding as most new homeowners are securing loans in the 6% to 7% range. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) reports that 73.3% of U.S. mortgage holders now enjoy interest rates below 5.0%, a drop of 12.2 percentage points from the Q1 2022 high of 85.5%.

As borrowers adjust to the new normal, opportunities for refinancing may continue to emerge. A glimpse of this occurred in September 2024 when the average 30-year fixed rate briefly dipped to 6.11%. Savvy homeowners with higher-rate loans seized that…

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The Most Unique Home Searches of 2024

Zillow’s natural language search is redefining how we house-hunt. This AI-powered feature has opened a window into what buyers are dreaming of — and it’s not all patios and garages. Since its 2023 launch, the tool has highlighted priorities ranging from the practical to the whimsical. Think “laser tag rooms,” “spooky charm,” or even requests as niche as personal bowling alleys.

The most popular search terms were “pool,” topping the list in 38 states, and “garage,” leading in 46 states. However, some buyers got creative: at least one person in 22 states searched for “haunted” homes, a shopper in Colorado looked for a property with a “roller coaster,” and someone else scoured the entire country…

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Housing Market Gains Momentum in 2024’s Final Push

Redfin’s Homebuyer Demand Index is sitting near its highest level since September 2023. The index, which tracks seasonally adjusted metrics like tours and other services provided by Redfin agents, has risen 7% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, mortgage-purchase applications have risen 17% month-over-month, while pending sales are up 6.5% year-over-year.

Ralph’s Take

This comes as no surprise, as many buyers had postponed making significant decisions until after the election, resulting in a post-election surge in activities like property tours — a trend that persists. At the same time, buyers are adjusting to current mortgage rates, recognizing that a…

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First Comes Homeownership… Then Comes Marriage

A growing number of couples are prioritizing homeownership over marriage, seeing it as a greater commitment and a foundation for financial stability, according to Realtor.com. The trend reflects shifting societal norms and rising housing costs, with unmarried couples making up more than 11% of U.S. home sales in 2023, a significant increase from previous decades. Factors like rising ages for marriage and homeownership, along with financial benefits of owning a home, are driving this change.

Ralph’s Take

The growing trend of prioritizing homeownership over marriage reflects a shift toward financial stability and investment over traditional milestones. Homeownership offers…

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