Should You Rent or Buy in this Market?
Families are trying to determine whether or not now is the time to buy a home. Some are advising these families to sit out the current real estate market and instead rent for the next year or two. We do not agree with this advice. Homeownership means a lot to a family. We also realize that the financial aspects of purchasing a home today can be a concern. The challenge is any advice given by someone in the real estate community is immediately dismissed as self-serving.
For this reason, we want to give you the advice of three entities not involved in real estate sales: (more…)
Even the Naysayers Are Saying To Buy Now!
Business School professors Eli Beracha of East Carolina University and Ken H. Johnson of Florida International University have done extensive research on which makes more sense financially: to rent or own a home. They published, Lessons from Over 30 Years of Buy versus Rent Decisions: Is the American Dream Always Wise?In their paper, the professors do not dispute the social benefits of homeownership:
“Home ownership is touted as the “American Dream”. It is credited with enhancing wealth, increasing civic pride, improving self-esteem, crime prevention, child development, and better educational outcomes, among other benefits. This paper does not dispute any of these claims.”
What the professors were proposing is that homeownership is not a better investment strategy than renting. The first of the two major findings was:
Impact of Rising Rates When Buying a Home
There has been much volatility in the 30 year mortgage rate over the last few weeks. According to Freddie Mac, rates have soared almost a half of a percent in just the last four weeks and now are as high as they have been in the last six months.
Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist of Freddie Mac, explained:
After Europe made strides in its debt situation, investors left the security of U.S. Treasury debt causing bond yields to rise and mortgage rates along with them. Interest rates for 30-year fixed mortgages are now almost a half percentage point higher than the record low set in mid-November.
No one knows exactly what will happen as we move forward. The only thing we know for sure is that rising rates have a tremendous impact on a buyer’s payment. There are home buyers standing on the sidelines waiting for the prices of real estate to bottom out. If you are one of these buyers, be careful. You should be as concerned about the monthly COST as much as you are concerned about the PRICE.
Below is a table showing the impact rising rates have on the monthly payment – even if prices continue to soften:
Bottom Line
You want the best value possible whenever you purchase anything. When buying real estate, the best value is not determined by price alone. Value is determined by price and financing costs. Take both into consideration when timing your purchase
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