Our homes are so much more than the houses we live in. For many, they’ve also become our workplaces, schools for our children, and safe harbors in which we’ve weathered the toughest moments of a global pandemic. Today, 65.6% of Americans call their homes their own, a rate that has risen to its highest point in 8 years.
As National Homeownership Month kicks off this June, homeowners have every reason to celebrate. A survey by Gallup just ranked real estate as the best investment you can make for the eighth year in a row. However, unlike other investment options, the benefits of owning a home aren’t purely financial. Here are the top ways Americans are winning by owning a home.
1. Civic Participation: Owning a home is owning a part of your neighborhood. Homeowners have a stronger connection to their neighborhoods and are more committed to volunteer work and other ways to get involved.
2. Pride of Ownership: Owning a home is having a space that is uniquely yours. You can customize it to your personal liking and make it reflect your personality and values.
3. A Safe Space: Owning a home gives you a sense of security and privacy – two things that have become even more valuable as we’ve tackled the challenges of the recent health crisis.
1. Forced Savings: Owning a home builds equity. Your equity grows with each payment you make toward your mortgage. This form of forced savings can be used down the road to help you accomplish your biggest financial goals.
2. Appreciation: Owning a home is making an investment that steadily gains value, and experts project home values will continue to rise in the years to come.
3. Stability: Owning a home means having better control over your future housing payments. Over the years, a mortgage stays relatively steady, but rent costs continue to rise.
If you own your home, take time this June to celebrate the ways homeownership has added value to your life. If you hope to become a homeowner this year, let’s connect today to take the first steps toward achieving your goal.
Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends.
Single-family homes continue to be a hot commodity, while condos continue to sit on the market.
Inventory levels are increasing drastically throughout the entire East Bay, with the area seeing over 40% more active listings than this time last year.
If selling your house is on your to-do list this year, the time to start prepping is now. That’s because experts say the best week to list your house is coming up fast.
Homeowner’s insurance is a must to protect your home and your investment. But with costs rising, you’ll want to do your homework to balance the best coverage you can g… Read more
A growing number of companies are requiring employees to return to the office. And that’s leading some people to make decisions about where they live and if they need … Read more
Mortgage rates have ticked back up to roughly the same levels, as they were at prior to the Fed issuing its first rate cut in September.
Inventories are one of the most important leading indicators of price trends, and we’re seeing quite the increase in inventories in the East Bay in terms of both singl… Read more
If you’re willing to roll up your sleeves (or hire someone who will), buying a house that needs some work could open the door to homeownership.
You might even be thinking, “Should I just wait until spring when more homes hit the market and rates might be lower?” But here’s the thing, no one knows for sure whe… Read more
You’ve got questions and we can’t wait to answer them.