Buying a house in 2021 is hard. Is building more homes the answer? We spoke with leading real estate industry economists and observers about why it is so difficult to buy a house this year, and whether rising mortgage interest rates or building more homes will solve the new housing shortage. This week, the National [...]
Update: June 16. 2021. According to the National Association of Realtors, the U.S. is now short between 5 million and 6.8 million housing units. A new study has called for a "once in a generation" governmental response to push builders to add more single family homes, townhomes, condos, multi-family and rental properties. "We're four [...]
Real estate market recap for 2020 and housing outlook for 2021. An overview of how COVID-19 impacted real estate in 2020 and what to expect in 2021. Safe to say that 2020 will go down in history as a year like no other. Even, or perhaps especially, in real estate. Real Estate Market Recap for [...]
Buying vs renting a home in 2021. Home prices are rising across the country but it might still be more affordable to buy a home than rent one in 2021. Buying vs Renting a Home in 2021 Home prices are rising faster than rents in 83 percent of the 915 U.S. counties ATTOM Data Solutions [...]
Buying a duplex with friends: primary residence or investment property? This reader wants to know how taxes work if all four of them are on the financing and title. Q: My partner and I plan to purchase a duplex with friends. We would live on one side, and our friends (who already own their forever [...]
What to do about unpermitted work when buying a house. How to look up work done on a home and who you can ask to help you make an informed decision. Q: I saw your recent column about buying a home that might not have all of the required permits for work done. You left [...]
Is it better to rent or own your home in retirement? This reader wants to know if they should continue renting or use their savings to buy a home. Q: I'm 66 years old, with $5,100 dollars in monthly income from the government. I have no living dependents. I currently pay $1,600 a month in [...]
Is the housing market going to crash in 2021? After a whirlwind year in 2020, real estate experts expect another record breaking year in 2021. Is the Housing Market Going to Crash in 2021? The housing market has shown some signs of slowing down after a record-shattering year in 2020, prompting headline writers to start [...]
Do I really need a home inspection before buying a home? This building inspector explains why it’s so important to hire a professional, qualified home inspector. Last October, we answered a question from a reader asking when it is okay to buy a house that was updated without pulling necessary permits. (In some areas of [...]
Real estate market 2021: where homes are selling fast. Housing market predictions highlight the metros that’ll have the greatest sales growth in 2021. New housing market predictions from Realtor.com anticipate a strong year for buyers and sellers in 2021. This goes hand-in-hand with the strong mortgage market expected in 2021 due to continuing, historically-low interest [...]
