![Is Your First Home Within Your Grasp Now? [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying the Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/17112402/Within-Your-Grasp-STM.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- According to the US Census Bureau, ‘millennials’ are defined as 18-36-year-olds.
- According to NAR’s latest Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, the median age of all first-time home buyers is 32.
- More and more ‘old millennials’ (25-36) are realizing that homeownership is within their grasp now!
![3 Tips for Making Your Dream of Owning a Home a Reality [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/08163059/3-Tips-STM.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- Setting up an automatic savings plan that saves a small amount of every check is one of the best ways to save without thinking much about it.
- Living within a budget right now will help you save money for down payments while also paying down other debts that might be holding you back.
- What are you willing to cut back on to make your dreams of homeownership a reality?
Some Highlights:
- Setting up an automatic savings plan that saves a small amount of every check is one of the best ways to save without thinking much about it.
- Living within a budget right now will help you save money for down payments while also paying down other debts that might be holding you back.
- What are you willing to cut back on to make your dreams of homeownership a reality?
![50% of Homes Sold in 30 days in March [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/01161211/20180504-Days-on-the-Market-STM.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- The National Association of REALTORS® recently surveyed their members for their Confidence Index.
- The REALTORS® Confidence Index is a key indicator of housing market strength based on a monthly survey sent to over 50,000 real estate practitioners. Practitioners are asked about their expectations for home sales, prices and market conditions.
- Homes sold in less than 60 days in 35 out of 50 states and Washington D.C.
- Homes typically went under contract in 30 days in March!
![Existing Home Sales Grow Despite Low Inventory [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying the Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/24163655/20180427-Share-STM.jpg)
![Existing Home Sales Grow Despite Low Inventory [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying the Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/24163629/20180427-EHS-Report-STM-ENG.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- According to the latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors, sales grew 1.1% in March to an annual pace of 5.60 million.
- This is the strongest pace since November of 2017.
- Inventory levels dropped year-over-year for the 34th consecutive month and are now 7.2% lower than March 2017 levels, representing a 3.6-month supply.
Some Highlights:
- According to the latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors, sales grew 1.1% in March to an annual pace of 5.60 million.
- This is the strongest pace since November of 2017.
- Inventory levels dropped year-over-year for the 34th consecutive month and are now 7.2% lower than March 2017 levels, representing a 3.6-month supply.
![Home Buying Myths Slayed [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying the Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/19123027/20180420-Share-STM.jpg)
![Home Buying Myths Slayed [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying the Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/19122954/20180420-STM-ENG.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- The average down payment for first-time homebuyers is only 6%!
- Despite mortgage interest rates being over 4%, rates are still below historic numbers.
- 88% of property managers raised their rents in the last 12 months!
- The credit score requirements for mortgage approval continue to fall.
![A Tale of Two Markets [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/12175652/Two-Markets-STM-ENG.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- A trend that has been emerging for some time now is the contrast between inventory & demand in the Premium & Luxury Markets vs. the Starter & Trade-Up Home Markets and what that’s, in turn, doing to prices!
- Inventory continues to rise in the luxury & premium home markets which is causing prices to cool.
- Demand continues to rise with low inventory in the starter & trade-up home markets, causing prices to rise!
![VA Loans by the Numbers [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/05165336/20180506-STM-ENG.jpg)
Some Highlights:
- Since the creation of the VA Home Loans Program, 22 million veterans have been able to achieve the American Dream of homeownership.
- In 2017, $188 billion was loaned to veterans and their families through the program.
- VA Purchase Loans are on the rise in 46 out of 50 states and Washington, DC.
![The Cost of Renting vs. Buying Today [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market](http://files.simplifyingthemarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/27150933/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 (28.9%) vs. the percentage needed to buy a median-priced home (15.7%), 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!
