After over a year of moderating home prices, it appears home value appreciation is about to reaccelerate. Skylar Olsen, Director of Economic Research at Zillow, explained in a recent article:

 “A year ago, a combination of a government shutdown, stock market slump and mortgage rate spike caused a long-anticipated inventory rise. That supposed boom turned out to be a short-lived mirage as buyers came back into the market and more than erased the inventory gains. As a natural reaction, the recent slowdown in home values looks like it’s set to reverse back.”

CoreLogic, in their January 2020 Market Pulse Report, agrees with Olsen, projecting home value appreciation in all fifty states this year. Here’s the breakdown:

• 21 states appreciating 5% or more
• 26 states appreciating between 3-5%
• Only 3 states appreciating less than 3%

The Misconception

Many believe when real estate values are increasing, owning a home becomes less affordable. That misconception is not necessarily true.

In most cases, homes are purchased with a mortgage. The current mortgage rate is a major component of the affordability equation. Mortgage rates have fallen by almost a full percentage point since this time last year.

Another major piece of the equation is a buyer’s income. The median family income has risen by 5% over the last year, contributing to the affordability factor.

Black Knight, in their latest Mortgage Monitor, addressed this exact issue:

 “Despite the average home price increasing by nearly $13,000 from just over a year ago, the monthly mortgage payment required to buy that same home has actually dropped by 10% over that same span due to falling interest rates…

Put another way, prospective homebuyers can now purchase a $48K more expensive home than a year ago while still paying the same in principal and interest, a 16% increase in buying power.”

So, if you’re thinking about purchasing a home, realize that homes are still affordable even though prices are increasing. As the Black Knight report concluded:

“Even with home price growth accelerating, today’s low-interest-rate environment has made home affordability the best it’s been since early 2018.”

Are You Ready to Start the Homebuying Process in Naples Florida?

If you’re ready to begin your search for your own Naples Luxury home or condo, explore our website to find information about communities in the area.  If golf is your game, we specialize in golf community real estate and we’ll help you navigate more than 150 different golf communities in our area.  If you prefer a more direct approach, we will provide a list of properties and communities that meet your needs.

Also, if you are considering new construction, remember the contractor’s real estate agent represents the builder’s best interest, not yours.  There is no cost for you to have an agent represent you. In fact, we may be able to help you save money and negotiate for extras which the builder may not let you know about.

Lastly, we will handle all contract negotiations for your property from offer to close!

February 20th, 2020 Posted by NaplesGolfGuy