Category: Buying Tips

Auto Added by WPeMatico

Remote Work Could Be Your Affordability Answer

Written by Miramar Beach FL Mortgage Syndicated User on September 11, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Agent Value, Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Miramar Beach Mortgage, Mortgage Miramar Beach FL.

For most first-time buyers, the hardest part of buying a home is making the numbers work. You budget, you save, and the finish line still feels far away. But your salary is only half the equation. Where you live shapes what you can afford just as much. And if you can work remotely, you have an advantage a lot of buyers don’t. You’re not tied to living where the jobs are, so you can look where your money goes further.Where You Work Doesn’t Have To Dictate Where You LiveRemote job openings are on the rise. According to FlexJobs, remote job postings climbed 22% from the quarter...

Who Has the Upper Hand in Today’s Housing Market?

Written by Miramar Beach FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 15, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, For Sellers, Miramar Beach Mortgage, Mortgage Miramar Beach FL, Selling Tips.

Ask around and almost every homebuyer out there wants to know if there’s a way to get a better deal. And just about every seller wants to know if they’ll still get top dollar.The interesting thing is… both can be right at the exact same time. It just depends on where you live.That’s because today’s housing market isn’t moving in one direction anymore. Some markets clearly favor buyers. Others still favor sellers. But most are sitting somewhere in the middle.And knowing which market you’re actually in can completely change the strategy you use to buy or...

The Case for Putting 20% Down on Your Next Home

Written by Miramar Beach FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 15, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, Downsize, For Buyers, Miramar Beach Mortgage, Mortgage Miramar Beach FL, Move-Up.

If you’re planning to buy your next home soon, you’ve probably heard the old rule about saving 20% for your down payment.The truth is, you usually don’t have to. Plenty of loan options let qualified buyers put down much less. But a lot of repeat buyers are choosing to put down 20% anyway.So, why are they if they don’t have to?Two reasons. They know a bigger down payment pays off, and after years in their current house, they’ve built up enough equity that it’s finally possible.Repeat Buyers Put More Money DownAccording to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the typical repeat buyer...

You May Not Want To Skip Over That House That’s Been Sitting on the Market

Written by Miramar Beach FL Mortgage Syndicated User on February 1, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, Miramar Beach Mortgage, Mortgage Miramar Beach FL.

When you see a house that’s been sitting on the market for a while, the reaction is almost automatic. You start thinking:What’s wrong with it?Why hasn’t anyone bought it yet?Am I missing something?That mindset made sense a few years ago. But in today’s market, you may actually miss out.More Time on Market Isn’t Automatically a Concern AnymoreA few years ago, homes sold in just a matter of days. Sometimes, hours. Anything that lingered longer than that raised concerns. But that’s no longer the baseline.Inventory has grown. Buyers have more choices. And homes are taking longer to sell...

More Buyers Are Planning To Move in 2026. Here’s How To Get Ready.

Written by Miramar Beach FL Mortgage Syndicated User on January 1, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, Miramar Beach Mortgage, Mortgage Miramar Beach FL.

Momentum is quietly building in the housing market. New data from NerdWallet shows more Americans are starting to think about buying a home again. Last year, 15% of respondents said they planned to buy a home in the next 12 months. This year, that number rose to 17%.That 2% increase might not sound like a big jump, but in a market where buyer demand has been cooling for the past few years, it’s a sign things are starting to shift. More people are feeling ready (or at least closer to ready) to take the leap and buy a home in 2026.And if you’re in that camp and buying a home is on your goal...

How To Find the Best Deal Possible on a Home Right Now

Written by Miramar Beach FL Mortgage Syndicated User on December 1, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Miramar Beach Mortgage, Mortgage Miramar Beach FL.

Want to know how to find the best deal possible in today’s housing market? Here’s the secret. Focus on homes that have been sitting on the market for a while.Because when a listing lingers, sellers tend to get more realistic – and, more willing to negotiate. And that’s where the savviest buyers are finding homes other buyers overlook.The Opportunity: 1 in 5 Homes Has Had a Price Cut This YearAccording to Realtor.com, about 1 in every 5 listings (20.2%) have dropped their asking price at least once. And while so many things in today’s housing market vary by region, that number is consistent...

Thought the Market Passed You By? Think Again.

Written by Miramar Beach FL Mortgage Syndicated User on November 1, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Inventory, Miramar Beach Mortgage, Mortgage Miramar Beach FL.

If you stepped back from your home search over the past few years, you’re not alone – and you’re definitely not out of options. In fact, now might be the ideal time to take another look. With more homes to choose from, prices leveling off in many areas, and mortgage rates easing, today’s market is offering something you haven’t had in a while: options.Experts agree, buyers are in a better spot right now than they’ve been in quite a long time. Here’s what they have to say.Affordability Is Finally Improving Lisa Sturtevant, Chief Economist at Bright MLS, says affordability is finally starting...

Why You Don’t Need To Be Afraid of Today’s Mortgage Rates

Written by Miramar Beach FL Mortgage Syndicated User on November 1, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, Downsize, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Miramar Beach Mortgage, Mortgage Miramar Beach FL, Mortgage Rates, Move-Up.

Mortgage rates have been the monster under the bed for a while. Every time they tick up, people flinch and say, “Maybe I’ll wait.” But here’s the twist. Waiting for that perfect 5-point-something rate could end up haunting your wallet later.The Magic NumberAccording to the National Association of Realtors (NAR):“. . . a 30-year fixed rate mortgage of 6% would make the median-priced home affordable for about 5.5 million more households—including 1.6 million renters. If rates were to hit that magic number, it’s likely that about 10%—or 550,000—of those additional households would buy a home...

What Credit Score Do You Really Need To Buy a Home?

Written by Miramar Beach FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 1, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Miramar Beach Mortgage, Mortgage Miramar Beach FL.

According to Fannie Mae, 90% of buyers don’t actually know what credit score lenders are looking for, or they overestimate the minimum needed.Let that sink in. That means most homebuyers think they need better credit than they actually do – and maybe you’re one of them. And that could make you think buying a home is out of reach for you right now, even if that’s not necessarily true. So, let’s look at what the data really says about credit scores and homebuying.There’s No One Magic NumberThere’s no universal credit score you absolutely have to have when buying a home. And that means there’s...

Multi-Generational Homebuying Hit a Record High – Here’s Why

Written by Miramar Beach FL Mortgage Syndicated User on July 1, 2025. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Miramar Beach Mortgage, Mortgage Miramar Beach FL.

Multi-generational living is on the rise. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 17% of homebuyers purchase a home to share with parents, adult children, or extended family. That’s the highest share ever recorded by NAR (see graph below):And what’s behind the increase? Affordability. NAR explains:“In 2024, a notable 36% of homebuyers cited “cost savings” as the primary reason for purchasing a multigenerational home—a significant increase from just 15% in 2015.”In the past, caregiving was the leading motivator – especially for those looking to support aging parents. And...