The results of the latest Rent vs. Buy Report from Trulia show that homeownership remains cheaper than renting, with a traditional 30-year fixed rate mortgage, in 98 of the 100 largest metro areas in the United States.
In the six years that Trulia has conducted this study, this is the first time that it was cheaper to rent than buy in any of the metropolitan areas.
Whether you are a rookie homebuyer or have gone through the process many times, having a local real estate expert who is well versed in the neighborhood you are looking to move to, as well as the trends of that area, should be your goal while home shopping.
Q: I will soon make our final mortgage payment. My wife will retire in two years and I will work to age 67. We are both 60 today. Because I don’t get a pension I really have been looking forward to this final payment. We bought the house 25 years ago, but I shortened the term of the loan by refinancing to a 15-year loan in 2003. Are we doing well to have the mortgage paid off by age 60?
A new trend has begun to emerge. With home prices skyrocketing in the starter home category, many first-time homebuyers are skipping the traditional starter homes and moving right into their dream homes.
Recently, our WingHaven office challenged the Northwest, Troy, and St. Charles branches to a battle for the ages. Our offices visited Wacky Warriors Paintball West in peaceful Millstadt, Illinois and duked it out, all for one of our favorite charities, The Sunshine Kids.