Is Buying a Home Today a Good Financial Move?
Dan May • November 25, 2020
Is Buying a Home Today a Good Financial Move?
There’s no doubt 2020 has been a challenging year. A global pandemic coupled with an economic recession has caused heartache for many. However, it has also prompted more Americans to reconsider the meaning of “home.” This quest for a place better equipped to fulfill our needs, along with record-low mortgage rates, has skyrocketed the demand for home purchases.
This increase in demand, on top of the severe shortage of homes for sale, has also caused more bidding wars and thus has home prices appreciating rather dramatically. Some, therefore, have become cautious about buying a home right now.
The truth of the matter is, even though homes have appreciated by a whopping 6.7% over the last twelve months, the cost to buy a home has actually dropped. This is largely due to mortgage rates falling by a full percentage point.
Let’s take a look at the monthly mortgage payment on a $300,000 house one year ago, and then compare it with that same home today, after it has appreciated by 6.7% to $320,100:
Compared to this time last year, you’ll actually save $87 dollars a month by purchasing that home today, which equates to over one thousand dollars a year.
But isn’t the economy still in a recession?
Yes, it is. That, however, may make it the perfect time to buy your first home or move up to a larger one. Tom Gil, a Harvard trained negotiator and real estate investor, recently explained:
“When volatile assets are facing recessions, hard assets, such as gold and real estate, thrive. Historically speaking, residential real estate has done better compared to other markets during and after recessions.”
That thought is substantiated by the fact that homeowners have 40 times the net worth of renters. Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist for First American Financial Corporation, recently said:
“Despite the risk of volatility in the housing market, numerous studies have demonstrated that homeownership leads to greater wealth accumulation when compared with renting. Renters don’t capture the wealth generated by house price appreciation, nor do they benefit from the equity gains generated by monthly mortgage payments, which become a form of forced savings for homeowners.”
Bottom Line
With home prices still increasing and mortgage rates perhaps poised to begin rising as well, buying your first home, or moving up to a home that better fits your current needs, likely makes a ton of sense.
Here are the latest housing market statistics for 90034! If you'd like more detail on the market, what's available or how much your home might be worth, let's set up a meeting to discuss! #houseexpert #housingmarketexpert #house #home #listreports #localhousingdata #areaexpert #realestate #realestateagent #househunting #homeowner #hometrends #housingtrends
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Happy 2025! Wishing everyone new year filled with joy and healthiness! It’s time for my annual Market Roundup which analyzes the sales activity for the entire Beverlywood area then drills down on Beverlywood Homeowners, Castle Heights (west of Robertson Bl. south of the HOA) and Reynier Village (east of Robertson west of La Cienega from Cadillac to Kramerwood Pl) using the boundaries outlined on the SORO website. Note : All data used for this analysis is supplied by Combined L.A./Westside MLS and is deemed accurate and reliable. It has not been independently verified and may not constitute all sales, just those reported in the MLS. Single family homes sales only.
This Red Day, KW will be honoring our Veterans. Your generous donation will help us provide a nutritious meal to 500 deserving men and women. These brave vets have served our country, and now it's our turn to serve them. Any amount of donation can make a big difference. Please use QR code to donate here . Thursday May 9th 11am-1pm Main parking lot at The VA Wilshire Federal Building 11000 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
An area homeowner contacted me recently requesting advice on which paid service I recommend for identifying potential real estate fraud activity on their Beverlywood area single family residence.. My response was, “NONE! IT’S A SCAM. Your tax dollars enable you receive this important information for FREE.” Here is an explanation of how the service works. Below you will find a link to the website to register. The Los Angeles County Assessor’s e-Notification service gives homeowners the opportunity to register their e-mail to be alerted whenever a foreclosure, transfer of title, or mortgage is recorded on their property with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. This notification allows property owners a means to identify potential real estate fraud activity, such as a fraudulently recorded lien or deed. What is the Property Owner e-Notification Alert? Currently, the Registrar-Recorder will, within 30-days, mail a copy of a Grant Deed, Quit Claim Deed, Deed of Trust, or, within 5-days, mail a copy of a Notice of Default, or Notice of Sale to the property owner upon its recording. Now, homeowners can also opt-in for e-mail notifications. Once a homeowner registers, they will be sent an e-mail of any activity on their property within 48-hours. How does a homeowner enroll in the Property Owner e-Notification? To enroll in Property Owner e-Notification Alert, the homeowner simply creates a profile on the Los Angeles County Assessor’s portal website at https://assessor.lacounty.gov/news-information/enotification , click on Register Today, fill in the information, check the box for Opt-In for AIN/Recorded Document e-mail notification and click submit. Once they have created an account, log in to the portal and select “Property Owner e-Notification Alerts” on the landing page. Enter the AIN (Assessor Identification Number) on the “Property Owner e-Notification Registration” page and select “Add.” Once added, they will begin to receive electronic notifications when a document is recorded with their linked AIN. A homeowner may repeat this step to register any other LA County properties on their account. There is no limit and there are no fees. Why does the LA County Assessor offer E-Notification? The service allows property owners the opportunity to seek free, legitimate assistance and helps them avoid falling victim to real estate scams. Also, if a property owner suspects erroneous or fraudulent activity, they can report it to the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs at (800) 593-8222 , online at dcba.lacounty.gov , or by e-mail at homehelp@dcba.lacounty.gov . Dan May is among the leading real estate professionals in Los Angeles County. He can be reached at (310)739-8647 and dan@danmayrealestateteam.com Give Dan a call to confidentially discuss your options, your home’s value and/or for a list of local vendors.
Market Snapshot: 16 Single Family homes sold within the Beverlywood HOA and Adjacent boundaries (area 9 in the MLS) during the entire month of April 2024 compared to 15 in March and 9 in February. The 16 single family homes that sold in April were on the market for an average of 23 days and sold for an average of $1026.61 per sq. ft. of living space and 97.45% of the OLP (Original List Price). As of May 1st there are currently 22 Single Family homes for sale within the entire Beverlywood HOA and adjacent boundaries, down from 23 the prior month and 27 in February. The 22 single family homes currently For Sale have been on the market for an average of 59 days at a average price of $2,310,272 and $1122.87 per sq. ft. There are currently 15 Single Family homes “under contract” which means in escrow, likely closing soon. I study the market every day. Call Dan May today for local knowledge, flexible commission and proven results at (310)739-8647 .
Market Snapshot: 15 Single Family homes sold within the Beverlywood HOA and Adjacent boundaries (area 9 in the MLS) during the entire month of March 2024 compared to 9 in February, a 67% increase. The 15 single family homes that sold in March were on the market for an average of 36 days and sold for an average of $950.34 per sq. ft. of living space and 98.81% of the OLP (Original List Price). As of April 1st there are currently 23 Single Family homes for sale within the entire Beverlywood HOA and adjacent boundaries, down from 27 the prior month. The 23 single family homes currently For Sale have been on the market for a median of 39 days at a median price of $1,995,000 and $1024 per sq. ft. There are currently 21 Single Family homes “under contract” which means in escrow, likely closing soon. Analysis: With just 23 homes for sale and 15 sold last month alone, that calculates to less than 2 months supply of homes. Fewer than 6 months supply is considered a SELLER’s market. The unofficial start of the Residential Selling Season is the day after the April 15th Income Tax Deadline, April 16th. Contact area specialist Dan May today for a confidential, no obligation consultation at (310)739-8647 , you will be glad you did!
