By Jillian Pretzel | REALTOR.COM
Something about the word “tax” makes even the most ardent financial wizard’s eyes glaze over. We get it: It’s no fun to think about the money you have to hand over to Uncle Sam.
Yet, when it comes to real estate, understanding your tax basis is like knowing the rules of the game. Your tax basis is a fundamental factor that can significantly affect your finances when it comes time to sell your property.
However, tax basis is more important to some homeowners than others. Read on to find out everything you need to know.
What is a tax basis?
Tax basis, also known as cost basis,...
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By Margaret Heidenry | REALTOR.COM
Homebuyers have a lot to be joyful for right now as mortgage rates have dipped below 7%—the first time they’ve done so since August.
For the week ending Dec. 14, rates for a 30-year fixed-rate home loan averaged 6.95%, according to Freddie Mac.
And odds are, mortgage rates will continue their long-awaited downward trend, providing some much-needed relief on the affordability front to homebuyers.
“Given inflation continues to decelerate and the Federal Reserve Board’s current expectations that they will lower the target rate next year, we likely will see a gradual thawing of the housing market in the new year,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.
In...
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By Melissa Dittman Tracey | Realtor Magazine
Home sellers reveal why they decided to bypass professional representation—and the mistakes they made without a trusted adviser.
Homeowners who decline to use a real estate agent to sell their property are twice as likely to say they weren’t satisfied with the selling experience, according to a new survey from Clever Real Estate(link is external) of 1,000 home sellers in 2022 and 2023. Survey respondents say they realize they likely made less money on their home sale and faced more stress by not having a professional representative.
Those who didn’t use a real estate agent said before their transaction that they think pros are overpaid...
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By our friends in KCM
If you’re looking to buy a home, your down payment doesn’t have to be a big hurdle. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 38% of first-time homebuyers find saving for a down payment the most challenging step. But the reality is, you probably don’t need to put down as much as you think:
Data from NAR shows the median down payment hasn’t been over 20% since 2005. In fact, the median down payment for all homebuyers today is only 15%. And it’s even lower for first-time homebuyers at 8%. But just because that’s the median, it doesn’t mean you have to put that much down. Some qualified buyers...
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By Clare Trapasso | REALTOR.COM
As 2023 comes to an end, fewer homeowners are facing foreclosure than they were earlier this year.
The number of homeowners with a foreclosure filing fell 7% in November from the previous month, according to a recent report from real estate data firm ATTOM. But real estate experts warned that foreclosures will likely rise in 2024.
“While we’ve observed a modest decrease in U.S. foreclosure activity most likely due to seasonal factors, it’s essential to note that these fluctuations are a part of the cyclical nature of the market,” ATTOM CEO Rob Barber said in a statement.
There were still more than 3,200 properties facing foreclosure in November, up 5% from...
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From our friends in KCM
If you’ve recently decided you’re ready to become a homeowner, chances are you’re trying to figure out what to do first. It can feel a bit overwhelming to know where to start, but the good news is you don’t have to navigate all of that alone.
When it comes to buying a home, there are a lot of moving pieces. And that’s especially true in today’s housing market. The number of homes for sale is still low, and home prices and mortgage rates are still high. That combination can be tricky if you don’t have reliable expertise and a trusted advisor on your side. That’s why the best place to start is...
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From our friends in KCM
If you’re feeling a bit muddy on what’s happening with home prices, that’s no surprise. Some people are still saying prices are falling, even though data proves otherwise. Part of that misconception is because people are getting their information from unreliable sources. But it’s also coming from some media coverage misrepresenting what the data really shows.
So, to keep things simple, here’s what you really need to know using real data you can trust.
Normal Home Price Seasonality Explained
In the housing market, there are predictable ebbs and flows that happen each year. It’s called seasonality. Spring is the peak homebuying season when the market is most active. That...
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City and nonprofit scramble to thwart the deal, which works out to $150K per unit
By: The Real Deal
A landlord convicted of arson-for-hire is buying an affordable apartment building in San Francisco’s Mission District — unless a local nonprofit can raise enough cash to kill the deal. Richard Earl Singer and his SF Hotel 447 firm have bought the 18-unit complex containing the nearly 50-year-old Eddie’s Cafe at 800-812 Divisadero Street, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, citing Supervisor Dean Preston and an unidentified broker behind the sale.Singer is under contract to buy the three-story building for $2.7 million, or less than $150,000 per unit when including the ground-floor cafe.
The...
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By Clare Trapasso | REALTOR.COM
Is the housing market overvalued?
It’s an increasingly fraught question, and the answer might depend on who’s being asked.
Some real estate experts believe home prices are well above what they should be and expect them to begin coming down. Others think the high prices make sense given how many people are still in the market looking for properties, despite mortgage rates nearing 8%.
“If you look at how much income homebuyers are putting toward their housing payment, if the number is not the highest ever, it’s really darn close,” says Realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale.
No one wants to buy a home at the peak of the market—and...
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From our friends in KCM
If you’re looking to make a move, you want to be sure you have the latest information on the housing market. To help make that possible, here’s an update on the supply of homes for sale today. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell, the number of homes available in your local market matters to you. Take a look below.
What’s the Truth About Today’s Housing Inventory?
While the story for the past few years has been how few homes are on the market, recent national data may leave you feeling a bit confused. That’s because Realtor.com shows inventory is actually growing a bit month-over-month in many parts of the country...
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