The 7 Steps to Home Ownership

SOURCES

1 Your Dream Home: Can You Afford It?Zillow Group. “Buying a Home in America.” Consumer Housing Trends 2019. https://www.zillow.com/report/2019/buying-a-home-in-america/home-buyers-key-facts-figures/

Zillow Group. Consumer Housing Trends 2018. https://www.zillow.com/report/2018/

2 If Not Now… Buyer’s Market, Seller’s MarketGascon, Charles S.; J. Haas. “The Impact of Covid-19 on the Residential Real Estate Market.” Regional Economist, Fourth Quarter 2020, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. https://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/regional-economist/fourth-quarter-2020/impact-covid-residential-real-estate-market

Investopedia. “Buyer’s Market.” https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/buyersmarket.asp

Investopedia. “Seller’s Market.” https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sellersmarket.asp

National Association of Realtors Research Group. 2021 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report. https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/2021-home-buyers-and-sellers-generational-trends-03-16-2021.pdf

National Association of Realtors. Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (highlights). 2020.https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports/highlights-from-the-profile-of-home-buyers-and-sellers

3 Realtor RealitiesGorey, Jon. “Should You Negotiate What You Pay in Real Estate Commissions?” Boston Globe, May 20, 2020. 

National Association of Realtors Research Group. 2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. https://cdn.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/2020-profile-of-home-buyers-and-sellers-11-11-2020.pdf

4 Hidden FeesBundrick, Hal M. CFP. “Mortgage Rate Lock: When Do I Lock In My Interest Rate?” nerdwallet.com, May 25, 2018. https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/mortgages/what-is-mortgage-rate-lock

SmartAsset.com. “How to Reduce Closing Costs.” https://smartasset.com/mortgage/how-to-reduce-closing-costs

Zhu, Kenny. “What Mortgage Closing Costs Are Negotiable? Getting the Best Deal.” Lending Tree/ValuePenguin, March 25, 2021. https://www.valuepenguin.com/mortgages/what-mortgage-closing-costs-are-negotiable#negotiable

5 ContingenciesQuicken Loans. “Who Pays Closing Costs: Buyer or Seller?” https://www.quickenloans.com/learn/who-pays-closing-costs

6 Interview with an Underwriter / Loan ApplicationCampisi, Natalie. “Answers to Top Mortgage Rate Lock Questions.” Bankrate.com, March 16, 2020. https://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/regional-economist/fourth-quarter-2020/impact-covid-residential-real-estate-market

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “What Is a Closing Disclosure?” Sept. 12, 2017. https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-closing-disclosure-en-1983/

7 ClosingAraj, Victoria. “90+ Must_Know Home Buying and Mortgage Statistics for 2021.” (The average annual 30-year mortgage rate for 2020 was 3.11%. (Freddie Mac, 2021.)) Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans, March 17, 2021. https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/home-buying-statistics

Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center. Internet Crime Report 2020. https://www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport/2020_IC3Report.pdf

Freddie Mac. Millennials and Housing: Homeownership Demographic Research 2021. https://sf.freddiemac.com/content/_assets/resources/pdf/fact-sheet/millennial-playbook_millennials-and-housing.pdf

Freddie Mac. “Understanding the Homebuying and Closing Documents.” https://myhome.freddiemac.com/buying/understanding-homebuying-and-closing-documents.html

Porter, Kim. “Complete Checklist of Documents Needed for a Mortgage.” US News & World Report, Sept. 6, 2019. https://loans.usnews.com/articles/complete-checklist-of-documents-needed-for-a-mortgage