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All Blog Entries by Marjorie Dick Stuart

Found 677 blog entries published by Marjorie Dick Stuart.

US Housing Market Swings in Favor of Homeownership | Simplifying The Market

According to the latest Beracha, Hardin & Johnson Buy vs. Rent (BH&J) Index, homeownership is a better way to produce greater wealth, on average, than renting. The results from the first quarter index showed that “16 of the 23 metropolitan markets investigated moved in the direction of buy territory.”

The BH&J Index is a quarterly report that attempts to answer the question: 

Is it better to rent or buy a home in today’s housing market?

“The U.S. housing market, when considered as a whole, has swung marginally more in favor of home ownership over renting a comparable property and investing monthly rent savings in a portfolio of stocks and bonds.”

The latest results were released shortly after the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index,

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Harvard: 5 Reasons Why Owning A Home Makes Sense Financially| Simplifying The Market

We have reported many times that the American Dream of homeownership is alive and well. The personal reasons to own a home differ for each buyer, but there are many basic similarities.

Eric Belsky is the Managing Director of the Joint Center of Housing Studies (JCHS) at Harvard University. He authored a paper on homeownership titled - The Dream Lives On: The Future of Homeownership in America. In his paper, Belsky reveals five financial reasons why people should consider buying a home.

Here are the five reasons, each followed by an excerpt from the study: 

1) Housing is typically the one leveraged investment available.

“Few households are interested in borrowing money to buy stocks and bonds and few lenders are willing to lend them the

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Looking for your next home? SEARCH HERE!

How much is your house worth? FIND OUT HERE!

Today I am going to talk about "Under the Radar" real estate. It helped my buyers do the almost impossible, in this market. Buy a house contingent on the sale of their condo.

Ed and Jen wanted to buy a house, but they needed to sell their condo. The chances of getting a seller, especially one with a house in Cleveland Park, to even consider an offer contingent on the sale of a condo are slim to none. Fortunately, I knew how to increase the odds. 

A homeowner in Cleveland Park had contacted me to advise her on the sale of her house. She wanted me to represent her, but her situation was complicated. She owned the property with her ex-husband and there

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OPEN 1-4pm Sunday, June 12th

2730 Ordway Street NW, #2

Stunning , updated two level condo in pet friendly Ordway Gardens. Three bedrooms, two full baths, laundry room, storage, office nook and central air. Quiet tree lined street, steps to Metro, movies, restaurants, post office, library,shops, and a short walk to the National Zoo.

Monthly condo fee: $544 includes maintenance of buildings & grounds, professional management, trash removal, snow removal, water, sewer, reserve fund & condo liability insurance.

FEATURES & UPDATES
Custom elfa shelving in all 3 bedrooms
Laundry room with built-in shelves
New oven & microwave: 2016
New HVAC system: 2015
New carpet downstairs: 2015
Remodeled bathrooms: 2015
Updated kitchen

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Please stop by...OPEN 1-4pm Saturday, June 10th

3901 Langley Court Washington, DC 20016

Gorgeous, updated 2 level, 3 bedroom with 2 full baths and 2 separate entrances. Fabulous eat-in kitchen, windows on three sides, wood floors & central air. Parking included, conveniently located across from Langley Court. Pool, BBQ areas, tot lot, public tennis, dog park, garden & playground. Around the corner from the new Cathedral Commons Shopping Center. Grocery, pharmacy, restaurants and more. 1 dog plus 1 cat or 2 cats permitted.

Monthly condo fee: $826 includes management, general maintenance of common areas, landscaping, trash & snow removal, security, master insurance policy, reserves, gas, water & sewer.

Virtual tour

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Serious About Home Buying? Get Pre-Approved | Simplifying The Market

from "Keeping Current Matters"

In many markets across the country, the amount of buyers searching for their dream home greatly outnumbers the amount of homes for sale. This has led to a competitive marketplace where buyers often need to stand out. One way to show you are serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage before starting your search.

But even if you are in a market that is not as competitive, knowing your budget will give you the confidence to know if your dream home is within your reach.

Freddie Mac lays out the advantages of pre-approval in the My Home section of their website:

“It’s highly recommended that you work with your lender to get pre-approved before you begin house

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5 Reasons To Hire A Real Estate Pro | Simplifying The Market

from "Keeping Current Matters" 

Whether you are buying or selling a home, it can be quite an adventurous journey. You need an experienced Real Estate Professional to lead you to your ultimate goal. In this world of instant gratification and internet searches, many sellers think that they can For Sale by Owner or FSBO.

The 5 Reasons You NEED a Real Estate Professional in your corner haven’t changed, but have rather been strengthened due to the projections of higher mortgage interest rates & home prices as the market continues to recover.

1. What do you do with all this paperwork?

Each state has different regulations regarding the contracts required for a successful sale, and these regulations are constantly changing. A true Real Estate

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Please stop by...OPEN 1-4pm Sunday, June 5th

 

3901 Langley Court Washington, DC 20016

Gorgeous, updated 2 level, 3 bedroom with 2 full baths and 2 separate entrances. Fabulous eat-in kitchen, windows on three sides, wood floors & central air. Parking included, conveniently located across from Langley Court. Pool, BBQ areas, tot lot, public tennis, dog park, garden & playground. Around the corner from the new Cathedral Commons Shopping Center. Grocery, pharmacy, restaurants and more. 1 dog plus 1 cat or 2 cats permitted.

Monthly condo fee: $826 includes management, general maintenance of common areas, landscaping, trash & snow removal, security, master insurance policy, reserves, gas, water & sewer.

Virtual tour

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from Keeping Current Matters

  June is National Homeownership Month! | Simplifying The Market    

Some Highlights:

  • Paying rent is not a good investment, but owning is a great way to start building family wealth.
  • Not only does homeownership allow you to provide your children with great education, but you can also decide whether or not your child grows up with a pet.
  • Owning a home provides you with tax benefits while also providing you with more living space to move around in.
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Wall Street Journal: Housing Recovery Picks Up Steam | Simplifying The Market

Yesterday, we ran a post quoting major housing experts on the increasing strength of the U.S. housing market. We were pleasantly surprised that, on the same day, the Wall Street Journal decided to run a front page story titled, “Housing Recovery Picks Up Steam” (article available to WSJ subscribers).

Wall Street Journal: Housing Recovery Picks Up Steam | Simplifying The Market

The first paragraph of the article says it best:

“Home prices are back to near-record highs across the U.S. amid rising demand and supply constraints, a sign that the lopsided housing-market recovery of the past five years is gaining some strength.” (emphasis added).

What about the struggles in the economy?

Some openly question how the real estate market can be gaining ground if the overall economy is still struggling. According to

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