With rental costs and home prices both increasing, it's become more challenging for renters to save for a down payment. How much so? Well, according to one recent analysis, the typical renter will have to save for nearly six and a half years to come up with a 20 percent down payment on a median-priced home. And, since the median home value is currently $216,000, depending on your prospective neighborhood, it could take even longer to save up for a house. Renters who aspire to homeownership shouldn't get discouraged, though. Despite the fact that a 20 percent down payment is the standard amount recommended by financial experts, it is not a requirement in order to buy a house. In fact, depending on the particular terms of your mortgage, you can put down as…

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The challenge of finding an affordable entry-level home in today's housing market gets a lot of coverage. First-time buyers facing higher rent, difficulty saving for a down payment, and low inventory are an important demographic and their habits have implications for the overall health of the market. But, at the same time as the starter-home market has been hot, demand for luxury homes has also ramped up. In fact, new research shows sales of homes $1 million and higher are up 25 percent over last year – which represents the largest jump since January 2014. In short, the improved economy and job market has also led to an increase in demand for luxury homes, the same way it has elevated demand across all segments of the housing market. Among specific…

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There are two reasons home buyers typically have to pay more for a house on the water. The first is that people want to live on the water. It's a desirable location. Secondly, there are a limited number of houses with water access. And when you combine high demand and low supply, you usually have a recipe for higher prices. But new research shows that waterfront property isn't selling at as high a premium this year. In fact, waterfront homes in the first quarter sold for a 36 percent premium, which is the lowest level since 2002. By comparison, the average premium since 1996 is 41 percent and in 2012 the premium was as high as 54 percent. In other words, the difference in price between homes on the water and those further inland is lower than normal. But…

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Available homes continue to sell quickly with the typical property going under contract in less than a month, according to new numbers from the National Association of Realtors. The newly released data shows the average property sold in 26 days, which was unchanged from the month before. Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist, says there are not enough homes to meet buyer demand and it's causing available homes to sell quickly. “Inventory coming onto the market during this year's spring buying season – as evidenced again by last month's weak reading – was not even close to being enough to satisfy demand,” Yun said. “That is why home prices keep outpacing incomes and listings are going under contract in less than a month – and much faster – in many parts of…

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One of the main arguments in favor of buying a home is equity. When you rent, you're sending your monthly payment to a landlord. As a buyer, your monthly mortgage payment is helping to build equity. Of course, many homeowners wait and then, following the sale of their house, use their accumulated equity to help buy their next home. But you can also use a home equity loan to access the value your home has accrued. So what do homeowners who take home equity loans do with the money? Well, a recent survey asked borrowers and came up with an answer. Not surprisingly, the top reason homeowners took out loans was to fund home improvement or remodeling projects. This is a common strategy since taking out a loan to improve your house means you may be able to…

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 When shopping for a house to buy, it's hard not to fantasize about the homes just out of your price range. Regardless of what you plan to spend, it's fun to imagine buying a house even bigger, nicer, and more feature filled than the ones within your reach. And, with the Internet, it's easier than ever to steal a glance inside the nicest homes in the area. In fact, you can shop real estate in any area. But, while we're all familiar with famous luxury markets such as Beverly Hills or Aspen, Colo., what are the nation's lesser-known, up-and-coming luxury markets? Well, according to a new index from the National Association of Realtors' consumer website, East Coast house hunters looking for a warm weather getaway have propelled Sarasota and Collier counties…

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There are a lot of things you need to set money aside for when you're getting ready to buy a house. You have to have money for a down payment, closing costs, and moving expenses but you also need to consider how much you'll need for any future home maintenance. Buying a home means you're on the hook for any repairs and renovations you need along the way – and you will inevitably run into issues at some point, whether it's a clogged toilet or a leaky faucet. When it happens, you can pay someone else to fix it or try doing it yourself. Naturally, though, these costs can add up, if you call in a contractor for every loose hinge or minor leak. So it's a good idea for homeowners to do as much of their own work as possible. And, these days, it's easier than…

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When you buy a house, you're also buying the surrounding neighborhood. And, depending on your lifestyle and wishlist, the neighborhood may be even more important to you than the actual home you're buying. After all, most of your life happens outside your home. So your proximity to schools, shopping, healthcare, recreation, and nature will have a large effect on how much you enjoy living in a particular house. In short, finding your dream house in the wrong neighborhood could make it a nightmare. Unconvinced? Well, a recent survey of Americans found large majorities who said the feel of a neighborhood was important when deciding where to live. In fact, 80 percent said the surrounding neighborhood had to fit their personality and an almost equal amount said…

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Home prices are a top concern for both home buyers and sellers. After all, a lot of the calculus that goes into determining whether or not it's a good time to sell or buy a house is based on where home values are and where they are expected to be in the future. For that reason, it's good to follow the S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, as they are considered the leading measure of U.S. home prices. According to the latest data, prices have continued to rise at around the same pace they've been increasing, with both month-over-month and year-over-year data showing little change. In short, prices are going up but no faster than they have been. David M. Blitzer, managing director and chairman of the index committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices, says things…

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If you aren't in the market for a new home, why should you care about the new home market? Well, for starters, it plays a very important role in the health of the housing market. And that affects all buyers, not just new home buyers. How? Simply put, new home construction is the quickest way to add homes for sale to the market. And, when more homes are added, buyers can be more choosy, which results in less competition and fewer home price spikes. In other words, when new homes are being built and sold, the overall real estate market benefits, including buyers looking for an existing home in a more affordable price range. So, if that's true, how's the new home market doing? According to the latest numbers from the Commerce Department, new home sales were…

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