Richard Wamsat’s Real Estate News & Views

Local market updates, buyer and seller tips, and homeowner resources for Orange County and Irvine.

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111,285 Reasons You Should Buy a Home This Year

By Richard Wamsat | Oct 8, 2021

The financial benefits of buying a home versus renting one are always up for debate. However, one element of the equation is often ignored – the ability to build wealth as a homeowner. According to the latest research from the National Association of Realtors (NAR): “Homeownership is a key pathway to building wealth and narrowing the racial income and wealth […]

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What’s Causing Today’s Competitive Real Estate Market? [INFOGRAPHIC]

By Richard Wamsat | Oct 7, 2021

Some Highlights Today’s strong sellers’ market is the direct result of high demand and low supply. Low mortgage rates and generational trends have created an increased demand for homes. Meanwhile, the slower pace of new home construction and homeowners staying in their homes longer have both led to today’s low supply. If you’re thinking of selling, let’s connect to talk about our local area and how you can […]

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What Do Supply and Demand Tell Us About Today’s Housing Market?

By Richard Wamsat | Oct 6, 2021

There’s a well-known economic theory – the law of supply and demand – that explains what’s happening with prices in the current real estate market. Put simply, when demand for an item is high, prices rise. When the supply of the item increases, prices fall. Of course, when demand is very high and supply is very low, prices […]

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The Main Key To Understanding the Rise in Mortgage Rates

By Richard Wamsat | Oct 5, 2021

Every Thursday, Freddie Mac releases the results of their Primary Mortgage Market Survey which reveals the most recent movement in the 30-year fixed mortgage rate. Last week, the rate was announced as 3.01%. It was the first time in three months that the mortgage rate surpassed 3%. In a press release accompanying the survey, Sam Khater, Chief Economist at Freddie Mac, explains: […]

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Is a 20% Down Payment Really Necessary To Purchase a Home?

By Richard Wamsat | Sep 22, 2021

There’s a common misconception that, as a homebuyer, you need to come up with 20% of the total sale price for your down payment. In fact, a recent survey by Lending Tree asks what is keeping consumers from purchasing a home. For over half of those surveyed, the ability to afford a down payment is the biggest hurdle. That […]

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Remote Work Is Here To Stay. Can Your Home Deliver the Space You Need?

By Richard Wamsat | Sep 21, 2021

A lot has changed over the past year. For many people, the rise in remote work influenced what they’re looking for in a home and created a greater appetite for a dedicated home office. Some professionals took advantage of the situation and purchased a bigger home. Other people thought working from home would be temporary, so they chose […]

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Is It Time To Move on to a New Home?

By Richard Wamsat | Sep 20, 2021

If you’ve been in your home for longer than five years, you’re not alone. According to recent data from First American, homeowners are staying put much longer than historical averages (see graph below): As the graph shows, before 2008, homeowners sold their houses after an average of just five years. Today, that number has more than doubled to over […]

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Have You Ever Seen a Housing Market Like This? [INFOGRAPHIC]

By Richard Wamsat | Sep 17, 2021

Some Highlights Whether you’re buying or selling – today’s housing market has plenty of good news to go around. Buyers can take advantage of today’s mortgage rates to escape rising rents and keep monthly payments affordable. Sellers can reap the benefits of multiple offers and a fast sale. If this sounds like good news to you, let’s connect today so you can capitalize on the unique opportunity you have […]

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Is the Number of Homes for Sale Finally Growing?

By Richard Wamsat | Sep 16, 2021

An important metric in today’s residential real estate market is the number of homes available for sale. The shortage of available housing inventory is the major reason for the double-digit price appreciation we’ve seen in each of the last two years. It’s the reason many would-be purchasers are frustrated with the bidding wars over the homes that […]

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