Category: For Buyers

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Higher Rates Could Actually Help Housing Supply – Here’s How.

Written by St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on August 19, 2026. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Inventory, St. Augustine Beach Condo Financing, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Rates.

You may have heard the number of homes for sale isn’t growing like it was. And maybe that has you worried you won’t find a home you love when it’s time to make your move.But that may be about to change. Here’s why your pool of options may actually start ticking back up again.Growth Has Slowed, But It Hasn’t StoppedActive listings were up 2.1% year-over-year in July, according to Realtor.com. Back in January, inventory was up 10%. And in May of 2025, it was up 31.5%. So, growth has cooled off a lot over the last year.The past 3 months, though, have all seen inventory growth land in roughly...

Who Has the Upper Hand in Today’s Housing Market?

Written by St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on August 16, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, For Sellers, Selling Tips, St. Augustine Beach Condo Financing, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Rates.

Ask around and almost every homebuyer out there wants to know if there’s a way to get a better deal. And just about every seller wants to know if they’ll still get top dollar.The interesting thing is… both can be right at the exact same time. It just depends on where you live.That’s because today’s housing market isn’t moving in one direction anymore. Some markets clearly favor buyers. Others still favor sellers. But most are sitting somewhere in the middle.And knowing which market you’re actually in can completely change the strategy you use to buy or...

Here’s Why Mortgage Rates Are What They Are Right Now

Written by St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on August 16, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Economy, For Buyers, For Sellers, Mortgage Rates, St. Augustine Beach Condo Financing, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Rates.

If you’re waiting for mortgage rates to fall a lot before you buy, you may be waiting a while. But before you get discouraged, there’s a number working behind the scenes that’s actually good for you right now. It’s called the spread, and once you understand it, you may see today’s rates in a whole new light.The Pattern That’s Held for 50+ YearsFor starters, mortgage rates don’t move on their own. They tend to follow the 10-year treasury yield, a number tied to how investors feel about the economy.It’s not an exact science, since plenty of other factors can move...

The Case for Putting 20% Down on Your Next Home

Written by St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on August 16, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, Downsize, For Buyers, Move-Up, St. Augustine Beach Condo Financing, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Rates.

If you’re planning to buy your next home soon, you’ve probably heard the old rule about saving 20% for your down payment.The truth is, you usually don’t have to. Plenty of loan options let qualified buyers put down much less. But a lot of repeat buyers are choosing to put down 20% anyway.So, why are they if they don’t have to?Two reasons. They know a bigger down payment pays off, and after years in their current house, they’ve built up enough equity that it’s finally possible.Repeat Buyers Put More Money DownAccording to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the typical repeat buyer...

Think You Have To Put 20% Down? Most First-Time Homebuyers Don’t.

Written by St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on April 28, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, St. Augustine Beach Condo Financing, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Rates.

According to Google Trends, online searches for down payment information recently hit an all-time high. And that’s a clear sign more buyers are trying to figure out what they really need to save before making a move (see graph below):If you’re wondering the same thing, you can always turn to the internet for answers. But a lot of the time, it’s better to ask a local expert. Because here’s what a pro would tell you.The 20% Down Payment MythThe idea that you need 20% down to buy a home is one of the biggest misconceptions around the homebuying process. And the data debunks the myth.While...

3 Things That Are Not Going To Happen in Today’s Housing Market

Written by St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on April 24, 2026. Posted in For Buyers, Home Prices, Inventory, Mortgage Rates, St. Augustine Beach Condo Financing, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Rates.

There’s a lot of uncertainty right now and that’s leading to some dramatic headlines. And if you’re thinking about buying a home, that can make you feel a little less sure about your decision.A recent study by CNBC asked homebuyers what they’re most worried about, and three themes kept coming up again and again:Mortgage ratesThe number of homes for saleHome pricesBut a lot of what you may be hearing on those is based more on misconceptions. Not facts. So, let’s break it down and separate fact from fiction.Misconception #1: “I’ll Just Wait, Because Mortgage Rates Are Going To Fall...

More Options Are Popping Up This Spring

Written by St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on April 23, 2026. Posted in For Buyers, Inventory, St. Augustine Beach Condo Financing, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Rates.

Did you try to buy a home last year, but you ended up pressing pause?Maybe you couldn’t find a home that really fit your needs. Or maybe the ones you liked just weren’t affordable. According to a recent survey from NerdWallet, those were the top two reasons buyers gave up on their search in 2025.But this Spring, there’s one trend that could help fix both of those frustration points: more homes are hitting the market.The Number of Fresh Listings Is Almost 2x Higher Than a Few Months AgoData from Realtor.com shows there are nearly 2x as many new listings hitting the market today as...

Rent or Buy? The Real Tradeoff Most People Don’t Talk About

Written by St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on April 17, 2026. Posted in Equity, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Rent vs. Buy, St. Augustine Beach Condo Financing, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Rates.

You’ve probably asked yourself lately: Is it even worth trying to buy a home right now? It’s a question a lot of people are asking.With today’s home prices and mortgage rates, renting can feel like the easier path. In some cases, it might even seem like the only realistic option right now. And if that’s where you are, there’s nothing wrong with that.But if you’re weighing the decision, there’s one part of the conversation that doesn’t get talked about enough.It’s what each choice does for your future.What Renting Really Gets You (And What It Doesn’t)Depending on your situation, renting does...

Getting a Tax Refund? Here’s How It Can Help You Buy a Home

Written by St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on April 16, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, St. Augustine Beach Condo Financing, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Rates.

If you’re getting a tax refund this year, here’s something worth thinking about. That money could actually help you get closer to buying a home.It may not be something you’ve factored into your plan yet, but it can give your savings a nice boost right when you need it most. And whether your refund is a few thousand dollars or more, there are some smart ways to put that money to work as you get ready to buy.Your Refund May Be Even Bigger This YearLet’s start with the good news. People are getting even more money back in their refunds than they did last year. The visual below uses data from...

Wondering If You Should Still Buy a Home Right Now? Here’s What To Keep in Mind.

Written by St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Syndicated User on April 14, 2026. Posted in Affordability, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Rates, St. Augustine Beach Condo Financing, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage, St. Augustine Beach Mortgage Rates.

With economic headlines, global events, and near constant talk about affordability, you may be wondering if this is the right time to move. But here’s what you need to remember.While recent events do have some impact on the housing market, they don’t take buying off the table. You just have to use a different strategy.Mortgage Rates Have Been Up Slightly – Here’s WhyAfter trending down for most of 2025, mortgage rates have been higher again for over roughly a month now. And experts say it’s a result of what’s happening overseas and in the broader economy. As Mark Fleming, Chief...