In the beginning of 2020, the Dallas-Fort Worth marker was headed to a neutral market. Buyers were able to find homes and sellers were able to sell. No problem, right?
Then COVID hit in March 2020 and shut the country down. This left real estate to be in the unknown territory. If we are being truthful, the absolute best time to have bought a house would have been March-June 2020. I won’t say people were giving away their houses but the unknown was so unknown, you could have gotten things that you cannot think to ask of now.
As far as homes are now, today’s market is reflective of supply and demand. Due to a lot of sellers not listing within the last year, builders not being able to keep up with the demand, and buyers looking to get out of rentals, we were hit with a high demand and a shortage of homes.
If you go back to your college Economics class OR high school Civics class, when demand is high and supply is low, the prices go UP! That is what has happened to the real estate market. Still confused? Let’s use the Jordan brand of shoes for example. They only release so many each round. Soooo many people want them, once they sell out, they sell out. However, resellers know they are the most wanted shoe. They KNOW they can resell and get a higher price because the availability is limited. Welp, that’s the housing market and supply and demand.
Are the prices higher, yes? However, it is relative to the market that you see. Is it favorable? Maybe not to some but the market reacts to what it has.
Prior to 2020, the $250K and below market was vanishing from the DFW market. Now, to find homes in that range, you will have to move out in rural areas of the metroplex. The only places that have a little bit of $250K and below left is the Forney-Heartland-Crandall market and the Princeton area market. In 2021, most homes are starting the $350s. In my honest opinion, today’s $300K is yesterday’s $250K with a low interest rate. You can get a higher priced home but that doesn’t mean the higher priced home will be a larger home.
For potential homebuyers, make a list of what you feel is important to have in the first home, determine howlong you plan to live there, and what amenities do you need in and around the neighborhood. Remember, it is the first home. In order to get bells and whistles, you’ll have to pay for it. If that is not an option, reconfigure what you can spend and realistically do for the first home. Build and grow your equity to make the next home your dream home.
Your first home is typically the first step to getting to the dream home.
If you need to discuss more, book a virtual appointment with us at calendly.com/newaverealty.
Finding the right home to purchase today is one of the biggest challenges for potential buyers. With so few homes for sale and construction of newly built homes ramping up, you may be wondering if you should consider new construction in your search process. It’s a great question to ask, and one to look at from the pros and cons of what it means to buy a new home versus an existing one. Here are a few things to consider when making the best decision for your family.
New Construction
When buying a new home, you can often choose more energy-efficient options. New appliances, new windows, a new roof, etc. These can all help lower your energy costs, which can add up to significant savings over time. With programs like ENERGY STAR, your home also helps protect the environment and reduces your carbon footprint.
Lower maintenance that comes with a newer home is another great benefit. When you have a new home, you likely won’t have as many little repairs to tackle, like leaky faucets, shutters to paint, and other odd jobs around the house. With new construction, you’ll also have warranty options that may cover portions of your investment for the first few years.
Another solid benefit to new construction is customization. Do you want a mudroom, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, hardwood floors, an office, or a multipurpose room to homeschool your children? These items can be customized to your specific needs during the design phase. With an existing home, you’re buying something that’s already completed, so if you want to make changes, you may need to hire a contractor to help get your home ready for your family.
Existing Home
When buying an existing home, you can negotiate with the current homeowner on price, which is something you generally don’t get to do with a builder. Builders know their material and construction costs, and they have a price set for the model you’re buying. So, if you want to negotiate, then maybe an existing home will be best.
For many families, having an established neighborhood is also important. Some buyers like to know the neighbors, if it’s family-friendly, and traffic patterns before making a commitment. When you buy new construction, you won’t have a full view of some of those details until the lots around you are sold.
Finally, timing comes into play. With an existing home, you can move in based on the timeline you agree to with the sellers. With new construction, you need to wait for the house to be built. Depending on the time of the year you’re buying and the region you’re in, the weather can also be a factor in the timeframe. This is something really important to keep in mind, especially if you need to move sooner rather than later. Over the past few months with COVID-19 and social distancing regulations, some areas for new construction have been delayed.
Bottom Line
Whether you want to buy a newly built home or one that’s already established, both are great options. They each have their pros and cons, and every family will have different circumstances driving their decision. If you have questions and want to know more about the options in your area, contact New Avenue Realty Group today so you can feel confident making a decision about your next home.
The time is here and you want to buy a home. There are so many people who are excited from moving from renter to homeowner throughout every year. However, with the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex growing each and everyday, how do you decide on where to live?
For some people, the close proximity to work is important. For others, the close proximity to things outside of work is more important. I’ve actually had clients that had to live near Target. As a Target fanatic myself, I couldn’t blame them. After searching any and everywhere, they gave up the dream to buy a home near a Target. However, guess what? We found them a home in their price range ACROSS from a Target. LOOK AT GOD!
Now let’s talk a little more in depth on where to go. Many times we love where we rent or we hate it. Do you know the cost of homes where you live? Here is the chance to see where you can buy. One rule of thumb I tend to tell people is that you can either afford 2 times your monthly salary or four times your monthly salary. Why so? Well, when you purchase a home, a lender qualifies you based on your debt to income ratio.
Debt to Income Ratio
A debt-to-income, or DTI, ratio is derived by dividing your monthlydebt payments by your monthly gross income. The ratio is expressed as a percentage, and lenders use it to determine how well you manage monthly debts — and if you can afford to repay a loan.
Here’s a simple two-step formula for calculating your DTI ratio.
Add up all of your monthly debts. These payments may include:
Monthly mortgage or rent payment
Minimum credit card payments
Auto, student or personal loan payments
Monthly alimony or child support payments
Any other debt payments that show on your credit report
Divide the sum of your monthly debts by your monthly gross income (your take-home pay before taxes and other monthly deductions).
Convert the figure into a percentage and that is your DTI ratio.
Keep in mind that other monthly bills and financial obligations — utilities, groceries, insurance premiums, healthcare expenses, daycare, etc. — are not part of this calculation. Your lender isn’t going to factor these budget items into their decision on how much money to lend you. Keep in mind that just because you qualify for a $300,000 mortgage, that doesn’t mean you can actually afford the monthly payment that comes with it when considering your entire budget. – Excerpted from Bankrate.com
Your debt to income ratio (DTI) will determine which loan program makes sense for you as well. If you have a higher DTI, you may work best with a FHA loan as they have higher DTI qualifications up to 56.9%. If you are at 50% or below, you may qualify to do a conventional loan. If your DTI, exceeds any of these numbers, you may be asked to pay off some things to get where you need to be to get qualified.
Mortgages are NOT like rental qualifications. Rental qualifications are based on your monthly gross income being 3 times the monthly rent. A mortgage lender looks at ALL of your debt reported on your credit report. Let’s use an example for DTI qualifications.
EXAMPLE:
Gross Income – $48,000 salary = $4000 per month
Debt: Car Note – $350; Student Loans – $200, Credit Card 1 – $55; Credit Card 2 – $75; Personal Loan – $100. These are all based on monhtly payments NOT the overall payment. The total debt in this situation is $780/month. Now let’s say that the mortgage payment on said home would be $1800. That would bring your total monthly debt up to $2580. Would the lender qualify you for that home? Well, let’s see. Divide $2580/4000. That equals 65% of debt to income. Now, the lender may not qualify you for a home that would cost $1800/month. However, you may can get qualified for a home that cost $1450/month. Want to spend a little more? Your next option would be to eliminate some of the debt. In this example, to get the home that cost $1800, you’d need to eliminate $350 of debt. Where would that be from?
I tell clients that the way they could afford more house would be to either eliminate some debt, increase income, put down more money on the home, or all of the above.
Cost of Homes in DFW
As you can see, the average price of homes in DFW have increased 2.9% from May 2018 to May 2019 to $330,766. This isn’t to say that all homes in DFW are $330,766 but on average the home sales are.
How do you find which areas fit more of your budget? Consider the average sales prices of area. Let’s break it down within counties.
Some of the top places that my clients are moving to are the following: Aubrey, Forney/Heartland, Celina, and McKinney. Check out the prices of those areas below:
Buyer’s Market or Seller’s Market
The month’s of inventory determine whether we are in a buyer’s market or a seller’s market. If there is 6 months of more of inventory, we are in a buyer’s market. That means there is a home out there for at least two buyers. Homes aren’t scarce and the options are there. If we have less than 6 months of inventory, we are in a seller’s market. That means inventory is tight and you are more than likely to see multiple offers.
If we go back and compare those cities that we just looked at (Aubrey, Celina, McKinney, and Forney), you will see what type of market these areas are in. Each city will have different stats which is why it is best to get very specific on 3-4 areas.
If we look at DFW as a whole, you will see that the overall metroplex is still in a seller’s market with 3.4 months of inventory which is up 17.2% from May 2018.
This is just the basics of a buyer’s consultation with New Avenue Realty Group. We help clients get from curiosity to possibility. Let’s get you into your new avenue in the metroplex. Book an appointment with me at atfowlerrealtor.appointy.com.
