Gallup: Real Estate is Best Long-Term Investment

Every year, Gallup surveys Americans to determine their choice for the best long-term investment. Respondents are given a choice between real estate, stocks/mutual funds, gold, savings accounts/CDs, or bonds.

For the fourth year in a row, Real Estate has come out on top as the best long-term investment! This year’s results showed that 34% of Americans chose real estate, followed by stocks at 26%. The full results are shown in the chart below.

The study makes it a point to draw attention to the contrast of the sentiment over the last four years compared to that of 2011-2012, when gold took the top slot with 34% of the votes. Real estate and stocks took second and third place, respectively, while still in recovery from the Great Recession.

Bottom Line

As the real estate market has recovered, so has the belief of the American people in the stability of housing as a long-term investment.

Starter homes still lag in housing market

CNBC’s Diana Olick report the latest on the housing market including disappointing construction numbers.

Do You Know the Cost of Waiting?

20170505-Cost-of-Waiting

  • The “Cost of Waiting to Buy” is defined as the additional funds it would take to buy a home if prices and interest rates were to increase over a period of time.
  • Freddie Mac predicts that interest rates will increase to 4.8% by this time next year, while home prices are predicted to appreciate by 4.9% according to CoreLogic.
  • Waiting until next year to buy could cost you thousands of dollars a year for the life of your mortgage.

NWMLS Market Snapshot Infographic

Check out the NWMLS’s April Market Snapshot:

2017_04MarketSnapshot_tall

Is Your First Home Within Your Grasp?

FTHB-Demographics

  • ‘Millennials’ are defined as 18-36 year olds according to the US Census Bureau.
  • According to NAR’s latest Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, the median age of all first-time home buyers is 31 years old.
  • More and more ‘Old Millennials’ (25-36 year olds) are realizing that homeownership is within their reach now!

Where Americans Moved in 2016

Where Americans Moved

  • For the 5th year in a row, the Northeast saw a concentration of “High Outbound” activity.
  • For the first time ever, South Dakota held the top spot for “High Inbound” states.
  • Much of America’s outbound activity can be attributed to Boomers relocating to warmer climates after retiring.

Millennials Want To Buy Homes

Despite dwindling savings and the challenges of the housing market, millennials still want to buy homes. Learn more about millennial home buyers from this infographic!

millennials-want-to-buy-homes

Existing Home Sales Reach Highest Mark Since 2007 [INFOGRAPHIC]

EHS-Report

  • Sales of existing homes reached the highest pace in a decade at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.69 million.
  • January marked the 59th consecutive month of year-over-year price gains as the median home price rose 7.1% to $228,900.
  • NAR’s Chief Economist, Lawrence Yun had this to say, “Much of the country saw robust sales activity last month as strong hiring and improved consumer confidence at the end of last year appear to have sparked considerable interest in buying a home.” 

The Real Cost of Renting vs. Buying [INFOGRAPHIC]

rent-vs-buy-2017

  • Historically, the choice between renting or buying a home has been a close decision.
  • Looking at the percentage of income needed to rent a median-priced home today (30%), vs. the percentage needed to buy a median-priced home (15%), the choice becomes obvious.
  • Every market is different. Before you renew your lease again, find out if you could use your housing costs to own a home of your own!