Yvette Belisle's Blog Posts

Should I Move or Refinance?The level of equity homeowners have is at an all-time high. According to the U.S. Census, over 38% of owner-occupied homes are owned free and clear, meaning

Sellers Are Ready To Enter the Housing MarketOne of the biggest questions in real estate today is, “When will sellers return to the housing market?” An ongoing shortage of home supply

Americans See Real Estate as a Better Investment Than Stocks or GoldLast month, in a post on the Liberty Street Economics blog, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York noted that

Don’t Forget to Budget for Closing CostsWhen buying a home, it’s important to have a budget and make sure you plan ahead for certain homebuying expenses. Saving for a down payment

When It Comes To Selling a House, Your Time Is Money [INFOGRAPHIC]Some HighlightsSelling a house is no small task. If you decide to try to do it on your own, keep in mind you’ll be

It’s Not Too Late To Apply For ForbearanceOver the past year, the pandemic made it challenging for some homeowners to make their mortgage payments. Thankfully, the government initiated a 

3 Graphs Showing Why You Should Sell Your House NowThere’s no doubt that 2021 is the year of the seller when it comes to the housing market. If you’re a homeowner thinking of moving

Are Interest Rates Expected to Rise Over the Next Year?So far this year, mortgage rates continue to hover around 3%, encouraging many hopeful homebuyers to enter the housing market. However, there

4 Big Incentives for Homeowners to Sell NowThe housing market keeps sailing along. The only headwind that could take it off course is the lack of inventory for sale. The National Association of

Should I Buy Now or Wait? [INFOGRAPHIC]Some HighlightsIf you’re thinking that waiting a year or two to purchase a home might mean you’ll save some money, think again.Mortgage interest

Patience Is the Key to Buying a Home This YearThe question many homebuyers are facing this year is, “Why is it so hard to find a house?” We’re in the ultimate sellers

Will the Housing Market Maintain Its Momentum?Last week’s Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows sales have dropped by 3.7%

4 Tips to Maximize the Sale of Your HouseHomeowners ready to make a move are definitely in a great position to sell today. Housing inventory is incredibly low, driving up buyer competition. This

This Isn’t a Bubble. It’s Simply Lack of Supply. [INFOGRAPHIC]Some HighlightsIn a recent article, Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of

Planning to Move? You Can Still Secure a Low Mortgage Rate on Your Next HomeThis year, mortgage rates have started to slowly climb above recent record-breaking lows. Many homeowners planning to 

82,338 Great Reasons to Buy a Home TodayThe financial benefits of buying a home as compared to renting one are always up for debate. However, one element of the equation is often ignored – the

How Much Time Do You Need To Save for a Down Payment?One of the biggest hurdles homebuyers face is saving for a down payment. As you’re budgeting and planning for your home purchase, you&rsquo

Homeownership Is Full of Financial BenefitsA Fannie Mae survey recently revealed some of the most highly-rated benefits of homeownership, which continue to be key drivers in today

Don’t Sell on Your Own Just Because It’s a Sellers’ MarketIn a sellers’ market, some homeowners might be tempted to try to sell their house on their own (known

Your Tax Refund and Stimulus Savings May Help You Achieve Homeownership This YearIf you’re planning to buy a home this year, saving for a down payment is one of the most important steps in the

Buyer Competition Is Good News for SellersSome HighlightsWith so many buyers looking for homes to purchase and so few houses available today, there’s a substantial increase in bidding wars,

Is Homeownership Still Considered Part of the American Dream?Since the birth of our nation, homeownership has always been considered a major piece of the American Dream. As Frederick Peters 

How a Change in Mortgage Rate Impacts Your Homebuying BudgetMortgage rates are on the rise this year, but they’re still incredibly low compared to the historic average. However,

What It Means To Be in a Sellers’ MarketIf you’ve given even a casual thought to selling your house in the near future, this is the time to really think seriously about making

Buyer & Seller Perks in Today’s Housing MarketRight now, the housing market is full of outstanding opportunities for both buyers and sellers. Whether you’re thinking of

What Credit Score Do You Need for a Mortgage?According to data from the most recent Origination Insight Report by Ellie Mae, the average FICO® score on closed loans

To Renovate or Not To Renovate Before You SellWhen thinking about selling, homeowners often feel they need to get their house ready with some remodeling to make it more appealing to buyers. However,

What Is the Strongest Tailwind to Today’s Recovering Economy?Last year started off with a bang. Unemployment was under 4%, forecasters were giddy with their projections for the economy,

What Is the #1 Financial Benefit of Homeownership?There are many financial and non-financial benefits of homeownership, and the greatest financial one is wealth creation. Homeownership has

How to Make a Winning Offer on a HomeToday’s homebuyers are faced with a strong sellers’ market, which means there are a lot of active buyers competing for a relatively

How Upset Should You Be about 3% Mortgage Rates?Last Thursday, Freddie Mac announced that their 30-year fixed mortgage rate was over 3% (3.02%) for the first time since last July.

5 Reasons to Sell Your House This SpringWhen selling a house, most homeowners hope for a quick and profitable transaction that puts them in a position to make a great move. If you’re waiting

How Smart Is It to Buy a Home Today?Whether you’re buying your first home or selling your current house, if your needs are changing and you think you need to move, the decision can be

Home Prices: What Happened in 2020? What Will Happen This Year?The real estate market was on fire during the second half of 2020. Buyer demand was way up, and the supply of homes available for sale

What Are the Benefits of a 20% Down Payment?If you’re thinking of buying a home this year, you may be wondering how much money you need to come up with for your down payment. Many

Are There Going to Be More Homes to Buy This Year?If you’re looking for a home to purchase right now and having trouble finding one, you’re not alone. At a time like this when there are

Is It a Good Time to Sell My House?Last year, many homeowners thought twice about selling their houses due to the onset of the health crisis. This year, however, homeowners are beginning to regain

How Much Leverage Do Today’s House Sellers Have?The housing market has been scorching hot over the last twelve months. Buyers and their high demand have far outnumbered sellers and a short

The Reason Mortgage Rates Are Projected to Increase and What It Means for YouWe’re currently experiencing historically low mortgage rates. Over the last fifty years, the average on a 

Where Have All the Houses Gone?In today’s housing market, it seems harder than ever to find a home to buy. Before the health crisis hit us a year ago, there was already a shortage of homes for

Will Low Mortgage Rates Continue through 2021?With mortgage interest rates hitting record lows so many times recently, some are wondering if we’ll see low rates continue throughout

3 Ways You’ll Win When You Buy a Home This YearThere are so many great reasons to purchase a home, and over the past year, we’ve realized more of them than we ever thought possible. If

As more people continue to identify their changing needs this year, some are turning to the upscale housing sector for more space or finer features. In their most recent Luxury Market Report,

Home values appreciated by about ten percent in 2020, and they’re forecast to appreciate by about five percent this year. This has some voicing concern that we may be in another housing bubble

 6 Foundational Benefits of Homeownership TodayOver the past year, our homes have become an integral part of our lives more than ever. They’re much more than the houses we live in. They

What’s the Difference between an Appraisal and a Home Inspection?If you’re planning to buy a home, an appraisal is an important step in the process. It’s a

Buying a home is a big commitment—and if you’re currently renting, there are likely some ideas that make you question whether you’re ready or able to buy a home.But the truth is, a

Most people think that renting a home is a more affordable option than buying. But, as it turns out, in the majority of counties across the US, the opposite is actually true.According to

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live and work—and, in light of the pandemic, many companies have shifted to remote operations, giving their employees the ability to work from home

When you’re selling your home, you’ll typically need to open up your property to real estate agents and potential buyers—but in the midst of COVID, that prospect can be stressful

Because of social distancing, stay-at-home orders, and other COVID-related challenges, buying a home sight unseen has become increasingly common. And when you do it the right way, you can find

When you’re touring a home, it’s important to be on the lookout for any indication that there’s something wrong with the property.But what kind of indicators should you be on the

Fixing up a property can be a fun, fulfilling experience for many homeowners. But fixer-uppers can be challenging in the best of times—and with some of the challenges in today’s market,

There’s no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way homes are sold.But which of those changes are here to stay?A recent article from realtor.com outlined some of the

The pandemic has presented certain challenges in buying and selling real estate—but those challenges have done nothing to slow home sales.According to data from the National Association of

This year will be remembered for many reasons, and optimism is one thing that’s been in short supply since the spring. We’re experiencing a global pandemic, social unrest, an economic

In a normal year, winter tends to be a buyer-friendly season; because fewer people want to buy in the winter, it can be easier for prospective buyers to find the right property at the right price