Buying

The REAL Reasons to Buy a Home

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Real Reasons to Buy

We often talk about the financial reasons why buying a home makes sense. But often, the emotional reasons are the more powerful, or compelling reasons. The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University performs a study every year surveying participants for the reasons that American’s feel are most important in regards to homeownership.

The top 4 reasons to own a home cited by respondents were not financial.

1. It means having a good place to raise children & provide them with a good education

From the best neighborhoods to the best school districts, even those without children at the time of purchasing their home, may have this in the back of their mind as a major reason for choosing the location of the home that they purchase.

2. You have a physical structure where you & your family feel safe

It is no surprise that having a place to call home with all that means in comfort and security is the #2 reason.

3. It allows you to have more space for your family

Whether your family is expanding, or an older family member is moving in, having a home that fits your needs is a close third on the list.

4. It gives you control over what you do with your living space, like renovations and updates

Looking to actually try one of those complicated wall treatments that you saw on Pinterest? Want to finally adopt that puppy or kitten you’ve seen online 100 times? Who’s to say that you can’t in your own home?

The 5th reason on the list, is the #1 financial reason to buy a home as seen by respondents:

5. Owning a home is a good way to build up wealth that can be passed along to my family

Either way you are paying a mortgage. Why not lock in your housing expense now with an investment that will build equity that you can borrow against in the future?

Conclusion 

Whether you are a first time homebuyer or a move-up buyer who wants to start a new chapter in their life, now is a great time to reflect on the intangible factors that make a house a home.  We the ASSAL team are another reason for you to buy a house, while reaching your goal faster, easier and with a smile on your face! Call us today at 786.554.8063 or send us an email at george@georgeassal.com– you can count on our help every step of the way.

Don’t Wait to Move Up to Your Dream Home!

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Dont Wait

Now that the housing market has stabilized, more and more homeowners are considering moving up to their dream home. With interest rates still near 4% and home values on the rise, now may be a great time to make a move.

Sellers should realize that waiting while mortgage rates are increasing probably doesn’t make sense. As rates increase, the price of the house you can afford will decrease if you plan to stay within a certain budget for your monthly housing costs.

Here is a chart detailing this point:

Buyers Purchasing Power

With each quarter percent increase in interest rate, the value of the home you can afford decreases by 2.5%, (in this example, $10,000). Experts predict that mortgage rates will be closer to 5% by this time next year.

Act now give us a call  to help you get your dream home. We at the ASSAL team want to make sure you get the most house for your hard earned money, while reaching your goal faster, easier and with a smile on your face! Call us today at 786.554.8063 or send us an email at george@georgeassal.com– you can count on our help every step of the way.

Where Are Mortgage Rates Headed? This Fall? Next Year?

~ The ASSAL Team ~ 1 Comment

The interest rate you pay on your home mortgage has a direct impact on your monthly payment. The higher the rate the greater the payment will be.

Mortgage Rates

That is why it is important to look at where rates are headed when deciding to buy now or wait until next year.

Below is a chart created using Freddie Mac’s July 2015 U.S. Economic & Housing Marketing Outlook. As you can see interest rates are projected to increase steadily over the course of the next 12 months.

Mortgage Rate

How Will This Impact Your Mortgage Payment?

Depending on the amount of the loan that you secure, a half of a percent (.5%) increase in interest rate can increase your monthly mortgage payment significantly.

Dr. Frank Nothaft, the SVP & Chief Economist for CoreLogic, had this to say in their latest Market Pulse:

“If you are thinking of buying a home and have the financial means to do so, this could be a good time to take a look at the neighborhoods you are interested in. We expect home prices in our national index to be up about 4.3% in the next 12 months, and mortgage rates are also likely to increase over the next year.”

If both the predictions of home price and interest rate increases become reality, families would wind up paying considerably more for their next home.

Bottom Line

Even a small increase in interest rate can impact your family’s wealth. Meet with us to evaluate your ability to purchase your dream home. Remember We at the ASSAL team want to make sure you get the lowest mortgage rate possible, while reaching your goal faster, easier and with a smile on your face! Give us a call today at 786.554.8063 or send us an email at george@georgeassal.com– you can count on our help every step of the way.

What is a Housing Bubble? Is One Forming?

~ The ASSAL Team ~ 1 Comment

Bubble

The recent talk of Greece and its financial challenges has some questioning whether the U.S. could also return to the crisis we experienced in 2008. Some are looking at the rise in real estate values and wondering whether we are in the middle of another housing price bubble.

What actually is a price bubble?

Here is the definition according to Jack M. Guttentag, Professor of Finance Emeritus at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania:

“A price bubble is a rise in price based on the expectation that the price will rise. Sooner or later something happens to erode confidence in continued price increases, at which point the bubble bursts and prices drop. What makes it a price bubble is that the cause of the price increase is an expectation that the price will increase, which sooner or later must reverse itself.”

Does Professor Guttentag believe we are in another housing bubble?

In a recent article, he explained:

“My view is that we are a long way from another house price bubble. Home buyers, lenders, investors and regulators now understand that a nationwide decline in house prices is possible — because we recently lived through one.”

What are home prices doing?

Though home values are continuing to appreciate, the acceleration of the increases has slowed to year-over-year numbers which reflect a healthy housing market. Here is a chart showing year-over-year appreciation since January of last year:

Case-Shiller

We can see that appreciation rates have dropped from double digit numbers to more normal rates of 5% or lower.

Bottom Line

We think Nick Timiraos of the Wall Street Journal put it best in a recent tweet:

“Predictions of a new national home price bubble look unfounded for now, according to data.”

Interested in selling your home or looking to buy one, give us a call today at 786.554.8063 or send us an email at george@georgeassal.com. We will look forward to hearing from you!

DORAL – Market Insight

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Doral THE ASSAL TEAM

Doral is a city located in north-central Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. An industrial and suburban mixed neighborhood of Miami, it lies North-West of Miami International Airport. It takes its name from the Doral Golf Resort & Spa located within its municipal boundaries. Originally built by Doris and Alfred Kaskel, who coined “Doral” by combining their first names, who dredged the swamp to build, in 1962, the Doral Hotel and Country Club, (now Donald Trump’s Trump National Doral) a wildly popular wealthy golfer retreat and sibling hotel to the Doral Beach Resort in Miami Beach. The city of Doral is also known as Doralzuela due to the city’s large and affluent Venezuelan community. Doral has a large number of shops, financial institutions and businesses, especially importers and exporters, primarily because of its proximity to the Miami International Airport. In 2008, Fortune Small Business and CNN Money ranked Doral as 51 on a list of 100 cities with the best mix of business advantages and lifestyle appeal.

Doral SOLD in the past 30 days
Doral SOLD in the past 30 days

By the early 1980s, Doral started to experience the first spurts of growth when Alfred’s and Doris’ grandson Bill developed Doral Estates that was followed by a joint venture with Lennar Homes to build Doral Park. Both communities were named after the Hotel, a trend that was to be repeated many more times. Younger families started flooding the area but had to travel to purchase even the most basic essentials, because there were no stores, schools, or parks. Although the majority of the original homes were investment properties or second homes, the early fulltime residents believed that the quality of life and the low housing costs far exceeded the lack of amenities and started coming together as a community.

Doral SOLD by the ASSAL team
Doral SOLD by the ASSAL team

In 2002, the Governor appointed Cancio to fill the remainder of Commissioner Miriam Alonso’s term of office. Doral residents hoped that his appointment would be the impetus to bring the community closer to incorporation, and Cancio did not let his community down. In the meantime, Cancio named Juan Carlos Bermudez, the City of Doral’s first elected Mayor, as his replacement to the Community Council. Bermudez declined the offer and ran for the seat and was elected. At the time, Bermudez was president of One Doral, a civic organization formed to counteract the perceived influence of the West Dade Federation on the Council. One Doral and the West Dade Federation were instrumental in the incorporation process.

Services offered by the ASSAL team
Services offered by the ASSAL team

In January 2003, following a seven-year battle, 85% of the voters in Doral voted in favor of incorporation. At long last, they had their own new city with a local government and more service for their tax dollars. In June of the same year, 92% voted to accept the City Charter and elected their first Mayor and City Council.

The City of Doral has come a very long way in a very short time and is attracting positive attention from Fortune 100 corporations, mom-and-pop businesses, young families and retirees.

Interested in Selling, Buying, Renting a home/townhouse in Doral? Call me 786.554.8063; I can help, because working with someone who knows the numbers and area is crucial.

Contact me for more info
Contact me for more info