Hope Leitner, Realtor®, CRS

  The sun has come out!!! Thank goodness!    Below I have this month's Market Report for San Diego County, and below that previous month's reports, so you can make your own comparison. I believe that Summer has arrived! The hotter it gets the hotter the real estate market will get!  So, whether you're considering buying or selling, give me a call so we can talk about your realistic options in our unique housing market.    If you know anyone who might be interested in receiving this market update every month, please have them sign up at this  link.   June - Ponder this -  “Green was the silence, wet was the light, the month of June trembled like a butterfly.” — Pablo Neruda - I think I agree, the Earth is still damp from Spring, all the flowers are blooming and there’s a feeling of “trembling” romance is in the air. Take some time to romance your life. Marvel at the clouds, tell your loved ones they are loved.     I am always he...

Purchasing a home can feel like an overwhelming project, but the long-term advantages of homeownership make it a smart investment to secure your future where the benefits extend beyond simply having a place to live. Building equity is one of the most significant advantages of owning a home. As you make mortgage payments, your equity increases, and over time, your home can become a valuable asset to use the equity to finance home improvements, pay for college tuition, or even as a down payment on a second home. Two factors determine equity; the home going up in value and the unpaid balance of the mortgage being paid down.   Appreciation is the increase in value expressed in an annual amount.   Homes have averaged 4% nationally for the past 50 years.   Amortization is the systematic principal reduction that occurs with each house payment made. Another advantage of buying a house is the stability of housing costs. With a fixed-rate mortgage, your monthly princi...

  Your Needs Matter More Than Today’s Mortgage Rates June 19, 2023 If you’re thinking about  selling your house  right now, chances are it’s because something in your life has changed. And, while things like  mortgage rates  are a key part of your decision on what you’ll buy next, it’s important to not lose sight of the reason you want to make a change in the first place. It’s true  mortgage rates  have climbed from the record lows we saw in recent years, and that has an impact on  affordability . With rates where they are right now, some homeowners are deciding they’ll wait to sell because they don’t want to move and have a higher mortgage rate on their next home. As Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at  Realtor.com ,  explains : “. . . homeowners who locked in a 30-year fixed rate in the 2-3% range don't necessarily want to give that up in exchange for a rate in the 6-7% range.” But your lifestyle and your changing needs should matter mor...