August 2020 - Issue 34

This lovely image by Mad Paperie

Do you know someone who reacts to every bad thing that happens by predicting that something worse is just around the corner?

Don't they just wear you out?

Yeah - me, too. And heaven knows there is plenty of negativity floating around these days.

So, I'm here to spread a little sunshine!

In the real estate market, right now is the best time.

That's right: if you want to

there is no better time than right now to sell or buy a home - and maybe both.

Carpe diem, as the saying goes. (And, by the way, that phrase goes way, way back before the wonderful 1989 film that popularized it in modern times - the Dead Poets Society.)

xo-

p.p.s. - please share Harmonious Home Adventures with friends and family (everyone deserves to love where they live!). Just hit the "forward" button on your email. They can sign up here:

First, a little review: Why are mortgage rates important?

For pretty much everyone, buying a home means borrowing money. Borrowing money means that you have to pay it back, generally by making regular payments over a period of time.

Since banks and mortgage companies are in business to make money, they charge people for loans. How much they charge is called the "interest" on the loan, and it is expressed as an annual percentage.

You borrow $100,000 at 5% per year for one year; at the end of the year you owe $105,000. If you borrow it for 30 years, at the end of the 30 years you owe $250,000 ($5,000 x 30 = $150,000 plus the original $100,000).

The whole system gets much more complicated when you pay the loan back monthly over time, but you get the idea: the lower the interest rate, the less you have to pay back, overall.

There are LOTS of mortgage calculators available on the internet that can help you figure out what your payments on a home will be, figuring in credit scores, insurance, taxes, and other factors. Suffice it to say that a small increase or decrease in the interest rate can make a significant difference in your monthly payment.

For a whole variety of reasons including the state of the economy, the bond market, action (or inaction) by the Federal Reserve, and activity in the banking industry, the interest rates mortgage companies are charging for real estate related loans are as low as they've been in a long, long time.

Some people are predicting that they will go a bit lower; some are saying that they'll edge back up toward the end of the year. The point is: THEY'RE REALLY LOW RIGHT NOW.

Remember in last month's Harmonious Home Adventures when I talked about market conditions - inventory is tightening, active listings are down?

That means it's a good time to sell.

Interest rates being at historic lows means it's also a good time to buy.

Put those things together and it means that the smart move right now may be - to a new living space. Not only does it make good investment sense, but a new home might also enhance quality of life.

Low interest rates allow you to get a lot more for your money - particularly if the rate you're paying now is on the higher end.

Current conditions present a perhaps once-in-a-generation opportunity to upgrade to a home with features you've always wanted but never thought you could afford.

An extra bedroom? A home office? A pool?

NOW is the time to take stock, crunch the numbers, and begin your new adventure - because you deserve to love where you live.

She helps her clients find harmony in their lives.

You can - and should - love where you live!

Share Harmonious Home Adventures!

Texas law requires all license holders to give the following information about brokerage services to prospective clients:

Click on the above link for the full document