Why You Don’t Need To Be Afraid of Today’s Mortgage Rates

Written by St. George Island Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on October 30, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, Downsize, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage St. George Island, Move-Up, St. George Island Mortgage.

Mortgage rates have been the monster under the bed for a while. Every time they tick up, people flinch and say, “Maybe I’ll wait.” But here’s the twist. Waiting for that perfect 5-point-something rate could end up haunting your wallet later. The Magic Number According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR): “. . . a 30-year fixed rate mortgage of 6% would make the median-priced home affordable for about 5.5 million more households—including 1.6 million renters. If rates were to hit that magic number, it’s likely that about 10%—or 550,000—of those additional households would buy a...

The $280 Shift in Affordability Every Homebuyer Should Know

Written by St. George Island Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on October 17, 2025. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Sellers, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage St. George Island, Move-Up, St. George Island Mortgage.

If you paused your plans to move because of high rates or prices, it may finally be time to take a second look at your numbers. Affordability is improving in 39 of the top 50 markets, according to First American. And that’s the 5th straight month where buying a home has started to get a little bit easier. Let’s break this down into real dollars, so you can see the difference this could make for you (and your move). Monthly Payments Are Coming Down One of the clearest signs of this shift is in monthly payments. The latest data from Redfin shows mortgage payments on a median-priced home are...

Builder Incentives Reach 5-Year High

Written by St. George Island Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 5, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, Mortgage St. George Island, Move-Up, New Construction, St. George Island Mortgage.

Even with more homes on the market right now, some buyers are still having a tough time finding the right one at the right price. Maybe the layout feels off. Maybe it still needs some updating. Or maybe it’s just more of the same. That’s why more buyers are turning to new construction – and finding some of the best deals available today. Why? Today, many builders have more homes that are finished and sitting on the market than normal. And that means they’re motivated to sell. They’re running a business, and they don’t want to sit on their inventory. They want to sell it before they build...

Why a Newly Built Home Might Be the Move Right Now

Written by St. George Island Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on July 18, 2025. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Home Prices, Inventory, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage St. George Island, Move-Up, New Construction, Rent vs. Buy, St. George Island Mortgage.

Are you looking for better home prices, or even a lower mortgage rate? You might find both in one place: a newly built home. While many buyers are overlooking new construction, it could be your best opportunity in today’s market. Here’s why. There are more brand-new homes available right now than there were even just a few months ago. According to the most recent data from the Census and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), roughly 1 in 5 homes for sale right now is new construction. So, if you’re not looking at newly built homes, you’re missing out on a big portion of what’s...

The Sweet Spot for Buying Luxury Homes

Written by St. George Island Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on June 6, 2024. Posted in For Buyers, Inventory, Mortgage St. George Island, Move-Up, St. George Island Mortgage.

If you’ve been looking for a home at the high end of your market, but haven’t found the right one, you may have put your search on hold. But according to recent data, now may be the time to jump back in. Here’s why. There Are More Luxury Homes To Choose From What’s considered the top-end of the market, or a luxury home, will always vary by location. But generally speaking, they’re homes that are valued in the top 5% of any given market. According to a recent report from the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, the selection of luxury homes is increasing (see graph below): As the graph...

Equity Can Make Your Move Possible When Affordability Is Tight [INFOGRAPHIC]

Written by St. George Island Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on April 27, 2024. Posted in Affordability, Equity, Infographics, Mortgage St. George Island, Move-Up, St. George Island Mortgage.

Some Highlights Did you know the equity you have in your current house can help make your move possible? Once you sell, you can use it for a larger down payment on your next home, so you’re borrowing less. Or, you may even have enough to be an all-cash buyer. The typical homeowner has $298,000 in equity. If you want to find out how much you have, connect with a local real estate agent for a Professional Equity Assessment Report.

Category: Move-Up