![Americans Rank Real Estate Best Investment for 5 Years Running! [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/18142501/20180727-Share-STM.jpg)
![Americans Rank Real Estate Best Investment for 5 Years Running! [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/18142438/20180727-STM-ENG.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- Real estate has outranked stocks/mutual funds, gold, savings accounts/CDs, and bonds as the best long-term investment among Americans for the last 5 years!
- The generations agree! Real estate is the best investment!
- Generation X leads the way with 37% believing in real estate as the top investment.
![What You Need to Know About the Mortgage Process [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/17145720/20180720-Share-STM.jpg)
![What You Need to Know About the Mortgage Process [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/17145659/Mortgage-Process-ENG-STM.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- Many buyers are purchasing a home with a down payment as little as 3%.
- You may already qualify for a loan, even if you don’t have perfect credit.
- Take advantage of the knowledge of your local professionals who are there to help you determine how much you can afford.
![Want to Sell Your House Faster? Don’t Forget to Stage! [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/11165628/20180713-STM-ENG.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- The National Association of Realtors surveyed their members & released the findings of their Profile of Home Staging.
- 62% of seller’s agents say that staging a home decreases the amount of time a home spends on the market.
- 50% of staged homes saw a 1-10% increase in dollar-value offers from buyers.
- 77% of buyer’s agents said staging made it easier for buyers to visualize the home as their own.
- The top rooms to stage in order to attract more buyers are the living room, master bedroom, kitchen, and dining room.
![Cost Across Time [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/03135850/20180706-Share-STM.jpg)
![Cost Across Time [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/03135755/20180706-STM-ENG.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- With interest rates still around 4.5%, now is a great time to look back at where rates have been over the last 40 years.
- Rates are projected to climb to 5.1% by this time next year according to Freddie Mac.
- The impact your interest rate makes on your monthly mortgage cost is significant!
- Lock in a low rate now while you can!
![5 Reasons Millennials Choose to Buy a Home [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/26162117/20180629-STM-ENG.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- “The majority of millennials said they consider owning a home more sensible than renting for both financial and lifestyle reasons — including control of living space, flexibility in future decisions, privacy and security, and living in a nice home.”
- The top reason millennials choose to buy is to have control over their living space, at 93%.
- Many millennials who rent a home or apartment prior to buying their own homes dream of the day when they will be able to paint the walls whatever color they’d like or renovate an outdated part of their living space.
![4 Reasons to Sell This Summer [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/21133003/4-Reasons-To-Sell-Summer-ENG-STM.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- Buyer demand continues to outpace the supply of homes for sale which means that buyers are often competing with one another for the few listings that are available!
- Housing inventory is still under the 6-month supply needed to sustain a normal housing market.
- Perhaps the time has come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire.
![Top 4 Home Renovations for Max ROI [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/04152652/20180615-Share-STM.jpg)
![Top 4 Home Renovations for Max ROI [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/04152632/20180615-Renovations-STM.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- Whether you are selling your home, just purchased your first home or are a homeowner planning to stay put for a while, there is value in knowing which home improvement projects will net you the most Return On Investment (ROI).
- Minor bathroom renovations can go a long way toward improving the quality of your everyday life and/or impressing potential buyers.
- Upgrading your landscaping or curb appeal helps get buyers in the door. These upgrades rank as the 2nd and 4th renovations for returns on investment.
![The Cost of Renting vs. Buying [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/06102703/20180608-Share-STM.jpg)
![The Cost of Renting vs. Buying [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/06102642/Rent-vs.-Buy-STM.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- Historically, the choice between renting or buying a home has been a tough decision.
- Looking at the percentage of income needed to rent a median-priced home today (28.8%) vs. the percentage needed to buy a median-priced home (17.1%), the choice becomes obvious.
- Every market is different. Before you renew your lease again, find out if you can put your housing costs to work by buying this year!
![Top Reasons to Own Your Home [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/23110635/20180601-Share-STM.jpg)
![Top Reasons to Own Your Home [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/23110615/Homeownership-Month-STM-ENG.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- June is National Homeownership Month!
- Now is a great time to reflect on the many benefits of homeownership that go way beyond the financial.
- What reasons do you have to own your own home?
![Drop in Inventory Fuels Sales Slowdown [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/24164608/20180525-Share-STM.jpg)
![Drop in Inventory Fuels Sales Slowdown [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/24164546/EHS-APR-STM-ENG.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- Existing Home Sales are now at an annual pace of 5.46 million.
- Inventory of existing homes for sale dropped to a 4-month supply, marking the 35th month in a row of declines.
- The median price of homes sold in April was $257,900. This is the 74th consecutive month of year-over-year price gains.
