Category: For Buyers

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

Written by Marco Island Mortgage Syndicated User on August 13, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, For Sellers, Marco Island Mortgage, Mortgage Marco Island, 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...

Here’s Why Mortgage Rates Are What They Are Right Now

Written by Marco Island Mortgage Syndicated User on August 13, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Economy, For Buyers, For Sellers, Marco Island Mortgage, Mortgage Marco Island, Mortgage Rates.

If you’re waiting for mortgage rates to fall a lot before you buy, you may be waiting a while. But before you get discouraged, there’s a number working behind the scenes that’s actually good for you right now. It’s called the spread, and once you understand it, you may see today’s rates in a whole new light. The Pattern That’s Held for 50+ Years For starters, mortgage rates don’t move on their own. They tend to follow the 10-year treasury yield, a number tied to how investors feel about the economy. It’s not an exact science, since plenty of other factors can...

The Case for Putting 20% Down on Your Next Home

Written by Marco Island Mortgage Syndicated User on August 13, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, Downsize, For Buyers, Marco Island Mortgage, Mortgage Marco Island, 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 Down According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the typical repeat...

Thinking About Waiting for Lower Mortgage Rates? Read This First.

Written by Marco Island Mortgage Syndicated User on August 6, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, Economy, For Buyers, Forecasts, Marco Island Mortgage, Mortgage Marco Island, Mortgage Rates.

Imagine waiting a year to buy a home, only to find mortgage rates haven’t changed much. That may sound frustrating.But it’s a real possibility. A lot of people are putting their plans on hold because they believe much lower mortgage rates are right around the corner. But, based on today’s forecasts, that may not happen. And you should know that before you decide what to do. Let’s look at why experts don’t expect a dramatic drop in rates – and the options that could help you buy anyway. Because even if rates don’t fall, you can still move. Here’s how. 1....

Big Investors Are Backing Off and That’s Your Opening

Written by Marco Island Mortgage Syndicated User on August 6, 2026. Posted in First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Marco Island Mortgage, Mortgage Marco Island.

For years, a lot of would-be homebuyers have worried about the same thing. How do you compete with big investors who can swoop in, pay cash, and snap up the houses you want? Well, worry a little less. Because right now, those big investors aren’t buying up the market. They’re backing out of it. Investors Are Buying Fewer Homes Than They Have in Years According to Redfin, investor home purchases just fell to their lowest level since 2020 – when the start of the pandemic temporarily caused pretty much all homebuying to pull way back. Before that, you’d have to go all the...

Buying a Home? Here’s What You Should Know About Home Insurance Costs.

Written by Marco Island Mortgage Syndicated User on August 6, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, For Buyers, Marco Island Mortgage, Mortgage Marco Island.

If buying a home is on your radar, you’ve probably been keeping an eye on mortgage rates and home prices. But don’t forget about homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance has always been part of owning a home. But over the past few years, it’s become a larger expense for many homeowners – something that’s especially frustrating when affordability already feels tight. The good news? While premiums are still rising, the latest data shows those increases are beginning to slow. Here’s what buyers should know. Home Insurance Costs Have Gone Up You’ve probably...

Home Price Growth Slowed Down. That May Be Changing.

Written by Marco Island Mortgage Syndicated User on August 6, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Prices, Marco Island Mortgage, Mortgage Marco Island, Selling Tips.

After more than a year of headlines talking about how home prices are going to crash, the latest data shows that price growth may be starting to pick back up again. And depending on whether you’re buying or selling, that shift means something different for you. The Numbers May Be Starting To Turn For the past couple of years, home price growth has been moderating – cooling from around 7% in mid-2024, according to Redfin (see graph below). But look at the right side of that graph. The pace of that growth appears to have hit its low point and started to turn. While a couple months of data...

Priced Out? A Condo or Townhome Could Be Your Way In.

Written by Marco Island Mortgage Syndicated User on August 6, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, Downsize, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Marco Island Mortgage, Mortgage Marco Island.

Today’s home prices have a lot of buyers – especially first-time buyers – wondering if there’s even anything out there that’s in their budget. But owning a home may be more within reach than you think. Sometimes, it just means considering a different type of home. Condos and townhomes can be a great way to buy without stretching every last dollar. And right now, two things make them worth a serious look. There Are More Condos and Townhomes To Choose From Maybe you feel like there’s just nothing out there for you, and you’ve exhausted all your options. But have you considered condos...

More Homes, Better Prices: A Buyer’s Summer

Written by Marco Island Mortgage Syndicated User on August 6, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Home Prices, Inventory, Marco Island Mortgage, Mortgage Marco Island.

If you’ve thought about buying a home in the past few years, you may have run into two frustrations: asking prices that kept climbing and too few homes to choose from. In many places, both sticking points are letting up this summer, with lower asking prices and more homes for sale. Let’s look at the trends, and what they mean for your search. Sellers Are Pricing To Attract Buyers According to Realtor.com, the national median asking price was $430,000 in June, nearly $11,000 under what it was the year before (see graph below): That’s the eighth month in a row that the typical asking price...

14 Years Running: Why Real Estate Is Still America’s Favorite Investment

Written by Marco Island Mortgage Syndicated User on August 6, 2026. Posted in First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Marco Island Mortgage, Mortgage Marco Island, Rent vs. Buy.

Quick gut reaction. Which investment do Americans trust more than stocks, gold, savings accounts, and bonds? The answer hasn’t changed in 14 years. It’s real estate. And this year, that answer comes with even more conviction behind it. New data shows people aren’t just saying homeownership is a smart move, they’re feeling better about it than they have in years. Let’s dig into why. Real Estate Takes the Top Spot – Again Every year, Gallup asks Americans to name the best long-term investment. And for the 14th year in a row, real estate came out on top (see...