Posts from February 2016

There are many reasons, both financial and non-financial, that homeownership remains an important part of the American Dream. One of the biggest reasons is the fact that it helps build family wealth. Recently, Freddie Mac wrote about the power of home equity. They explained:

"In the simplest terms, equity is the difference between how much your home is worth and how much you owe on your mortgage. You build equity by paying down your mortgage over time and through your home's appreciation. In a nutshell, your money is working for you and contributing toward your financial future."

They went on to show an example wher...

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Montague Miller's website, www.montaguemiller.com, earned the certification after receiving high marks in a number of critical areas relating to website performance, including usability, design and content, interactivity, customer service and mobile responsiveness. The evaluation was conducted by Virtual Results, LLC, a real estate internet and social marketing firm selected by LeadingRE to review the websites of participating members.

Available only to firms affiliated with LeadingRE, the WQC is awarded based on specific measurements that are updated each year based on the latest i...

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In a recent study conducted by Builder.com, researchers determined that nationwide it would take "nearly eight years" for a first-time buyer to save enough for a down payment on their dream home.

Depending on where you live, median rents, incomes and home prices all vary. By determining the percentage a renter spends on housing in each state and the amount needed for a 10% down payment, they were able to establish how long (in years) it would take for an average resident to save.

According to the study, residents in South Dakota are able to save for a down payment the quickest in just under 3.5 years. Below is a map created using the...

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