With all the uncertainty in the economy, the stock market has been bouncing around more than usual. And if you've been watching your 401(k) or investments lately, chances are you've felt that pit in your stomach. One day it's up. The next day, it's not. And that may make you feel a little worried about your finances.
But here's the thing you need to remember if you're a homeowner. According to Investopedia:
"Traditionally, stocks have been far more volatile than real estate. That's not to say that real estate prices aren't ever volatile—the years around the 2007 to 2008 financial crisis are just one memorable example—but stocks are more prone to large value swings."
While your stocks or 401(k) might see a lot of highs and lows, home values are much less volatile.
Take a l...
According to Realtor.com, the best week to list your house this year was April 13–19. And since that week has come and gone, you might be wondering: did I miss my chance? Not at all – and here's why.
That's just one source's take, based on their own research. Other organizations run similar studies. And since different places use different methodologies for their research, sometimes the results vary too – and that's actually good news for you. According to Zillow, the best time to list your house is still ahead.
The latest research from Zillow says sellers who list their homes in late May tend to see higher sale prices based on home sales from last year. The study explains why:
"Search activity typically peaks before Memorial Day, as shoppers get serious about house hunting before their summer vacation and the new school year in the fall. By targeting late spring, sellers...
If you've been frustrated by the lack of homes for sale over the past few years, here's some good news. You have more options, so it may finally be time to kick off your home search again. As Daryl Fairweather, Chief Economist at Redfin, explains:
"Now is the best time to buy in the last two years. Mortgage rates are comparable to what they were two years ago, and prices remain high. However, there is significantly more inventory . . ."
The number of homes for sale has grown compared to last year, and even more options are on the way. While this is typical for the busy spring season, here's why this is so important right now.
Homeowners are listing their houses at the highest pace we've seen in a while.
If selling your house is on your to-do list this year, the time to start prepping is now. That's because experts say the best week to list your house is coming up fast.
A recent Realtor.com study analyzed years of housing market trends (excluding 2020 since it was an outlier) and found that April 13–19 is expected to be the ideal window to put your house on the market this year:
". . . we've identified April 13-19 as the best week to list for sellers . . . a seller listing a well-priced, move-in ready home is li...
If you took your house off the market in late 2024, you're not the only one. Newsweek reports that data from CoreLogic and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) says nearly 73,000 homes were pulled from the market in December alone – that's more than any other December going all the way back to 2017 (see graph below):
Whether it was because offers weren't coming in, the timing around the holidays felt overwhelming, or they wanted to see if the market would improve in the new year – a lot of other homeowners deci...