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There are many non-financial benefits of buying your own home. However, today’s headlines seem to be focusing primarily on the financial aspects of homeownership – specifically affordability. Many articles are making the claim that it’s not affordable to buy a home in today’s market, but that isn’t the case.

Today’s buyers are spending approximately 20% of their income on their monthly mortgage payments. According to The Essential Guide to Creating a Homebuying Budget from Freddie Mac, the 20% of income that purchasers are currently paying is well within the 28% guideline suggested:

“Most lenders agree that you should spend no more than 28% of your gro...

Last week, Fannie Mae released their Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI). Though the survey showed 77% of respondents believe it’s a “good time to sell,” it also confirms what many are sensing: an increasing number of Americans believe it’s a “bad time to buy” a home. The percentage of those surveyed saying it’s a “bad time to buy” hit 64%, up from 56% last month and 38% last July.

The latest HPSI explains:

“Consumers also continued to cite high home prices as the predominant reason for their ongoing and significant divergence in sentiment toward homebuying and home-selling conditions. While all surveyed segments have expressed great...

This year, Americans are moving for a variety of reasons. The health crisis has truly reshaped our lifestyles and our needs. Spending so much more time in our current homes has driven many people to reconsider what homeownership means and what they find most valuable in their living spaces.

According to the 2020 Annual National Movers Study:

“For customers who cited COVID-19 as an influence on their move in 2020, the top reasons associated with COVID-19 were concerns for personal and family health and wellbeing (60%); desires to be closer to family (59%); 57% moved due to changes in employment status or work arrangement (including the ability to work remotely); and 53% desired a lifestyl...

Your kitchen counters need to work for your lifestyle. There are many materials to choose from, so how do you decide? Here are a few ideas that can get you started when you pick out the countertop for your home.

Granite

Granite is a naturally occurring stone used frequently in kitchen countertops. The stone is sourced from quarries and is cut into thin slabs that can be polished and fit as countertops. It has several benefits, including an easy-to-clean surface without cracks or crevices.

Marble

Like granite, marble is a natural stone. It is typically found in shades of white and makes an excellent single-surface countertop. Once polished, marble counters are high-gloss and easy to use. No tw...

The low number of homes on the market, and a high number of realtors, is leading to intense competition in the Triangle as consumers try to take advantage of low interest rates and buy.

In Wake County, there were 1,123 active listings in February 2021, compared to 3,298 in February 2020.
And despite the low numbers, there are plenty of realtors. The Wall Street Journal recently noted that in January,there were 1.04 million U.S. homes for sale, down 26 percent from the previous year. But the National Association of Realtors had a whopping 1.45 million realtors — up 4.8 percent from the previous year.

That’s also true in the Triangle. Andrew Sims, CEO of the Raleigh Regional Associat...