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Things to Know and Consider when Buying a Home (Martini Buyer Guide | Winter 2022)

December 7, 2022 by Kevin Martini

If you are a first-time homebuyer or a repeat homebuyer, there are many things one needs to know and consider when buying a home.  Certified Mortgage Advisor Kevin Martini and Senior Mortgage Strategist Logan Martini curated the Winter 2022 Martini Buyer Guide to simply explain the current real estate and mortgage markets plus vital information about buying a home and the process of getting a mortgage.  The Winter 2022 edition of the Martini Buyer Guide has many informative articles that talk about things one needs to know about the current real estate and mortgage markets. 

winter 2022 martini buyer guide
Winter 2022 Edition of Martini Buyer Guide

If you are buying real estate, if you are selling real estate, if you are refinancing a mortgage or if you work in the real estate arena then the Winter 2022 Martini Buyer Guide would be very helpful since it simply explains the current real estate and mortgage opportunity.

The Winter 2022 Martini Buyer Guide was curated to simply explain what is going on in the real estate and mortgage markets.

Logan Martini, Raleigh Mortgage Broker & Senior Mortgage Strategist

Contents of the Winter 2022 Martini Buyer Guide (things to know and consider when buying a home)

best raleigh mortgage broker logan martini

What is happening in the market?

With everything going on in the housing market right now, you may have a number of questions about what that means for you and your plans to buy a home. Here are three things that are likely top of mind for you.

  • Why did Raleigh mortgage rates rise so much in 2022?
  • What is happening with home prices in Raleigh?
  • Should I buy a home in Raleigh today?
raleigh mortgage lender martini mortgage group what is happening in the housing market page 1 of 2 winter 2022 martini buyer guide
raleigh mortgage lender martini mortgage group what is happening in the housing market page 2 of 2 winter 2022 martini buyer guide

Expert insights for today’s homebuyers

If you want to buy a home today in Raleigh or anywhere for that matter, here are a few things experts say you should know about what to expect and why homeownership is so important.

raleigh mortgage lender martini mortgage group expert insight for todays homebuyers winter 2022 martini buyer guide

Trends that are good news for Raleigh homebuyers

As the Raleigh real estate market has cooled but still remains strong, some of the intensity buyers faced during the peak frenzy of the pandemic has cooled too! Here are four trends that may be beneficial when you go to buy a home today.

  1. More homes to choose from
  2. Bidding wars have eased
  3. More negotiation power
  4. Higher loan limits
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2/1 Buydown

Increasing Raleigh mortgage rates are presenting some challenges and opportunities not just for first-time homebuyers but also to repeat homebuyers too! Leap over the challenges and into the opportunity with a creative mortgage strategy offered by the Martini Mortgage Group called a Seller Paid Buydown.

raleigh mortgage broker kevin martini steer paid buydown winter 2022 martini buyer guide
FREE BUYDOWN CALCULATOR

In most markets in North Carolina, especially in the Triangle, homebuyers will find that sellers are more willing to negotiate on price or other terms more than they have been in recent years.

Logan Martini, Raleigh Mortgage Broker & Senior Mortgage Strategist

5 traps to avoid when buying a home

raleigh mortgage broker logan martini winter 2022 martini buyer guide 5 traps to avoid when buying home 1 of 3
  1. Home shopping before a solid mortgage approval.
  2. Not considering the costs of sale.
  3. Overlooking the costs of improvements, utilities and maintenance.
  4. Using the wrong down payment strategy.
  5. Shopping for a mortgage vs. shopping for the right mortgage professional.
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Top reasons to own your home!

  • Personal Expression
  • Accomplishment
  • Investment
  • Comfort
  • Family
  • Community
  • Privacy
  • Stability

The non-financial benefits of homeownership

While you could see less competition and more room for negotiation, you may be wondering if now’s the best time to buy a home given Raleigh mortgage rates are higher than they were last year. While the financial aspects are important to consider, there are also powerful non-financial reasons it may make sense to become a homeowner. See the full article on page 16 of the Winter 2022 edition of the Martini Buyer Guide.

Things to avoid after applying for a mortgage!

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Why buying a home makes better sense than renting

If there is a time to rent, that time is not now.

Kevin Martini, Certified Mortgage Advisor and Raleigh Mortgage Broker

The long-term benefit of homeownership

Consider this: if you know people who bought a home 5, 10, or even 30 years ago, you’re probably going to have a hard time finding someone who regrets their decision. Why is that? The reason is tied to how you gain equity and wealth as home values grow with time.

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Things to Know and Consider when Buying a Home (Martini Buyer Guide Winter 2022)Download

Let’s chat…

I’m sure you have questions and thoughts about securing the proper mortgage with the lowest cost of borrowing and real estate process.

We’d love to talk with you about what you’ve read in the Winter 2022 Edition of the Martini Buyer Guide and help you on the path to buying your new home. Our number is (919) 238-4934 and we look forward to working with you.

logan martini raleigh mortgage lender with martini mortgage group 2

Logan Martini

Senior Mortgage Strategist | NMLS 1591485

[email protected]

    kevin martini best raleigh mortgage broker

    Kevin Martini

    Certified Mortgage Advisor | NMLS 143962

    [email protected]

      Filed Under: 2-1 Buydown, Affordability, Agency Loan, Appreciation, Buy a Home, buydown, Buydowns, Conforming Loan, Conforming Loan Limits, Conventional Loan, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Home Loan Rates, Home Loans, Home Values, Housing Market, Inflation, Kevin Martini, Loan Limits, Logan Martini, Martini Buyer Guide, Mortgage, Mortgage Rates, Raleigh, Real Estate, Things to Consider when Buying a Home Tagged With: Buying a Home in North Carolina, Kevin Martini, Logan Martini, Martini Buyer Guide, Martini Mortgage Group, MartiniBuyerGuide.com, North Carolina, Raleigh, Raleigh Mortgage, Raleigh Mortgage Broker, Raleigh Mortgage Lender, Raleigh Real Estate, Real Estate, Real Estate Tips, Things to know and consider when buying a home

      2023 Raleigh Conforming Loan Limits 

      November 30, 2022 by Kevin Martini

      The 2023 conforming loan limits for the Raleigh, North Carolina and the Triangle of North Carolina by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) have been established. 2023 will bring a $79,000 increase in conforming loan limits for a one-unit property in Raleigh, North Carolina and surrounding areas.  The new 2023 conforming loan limit is $726,200.

      Higher conforming loan limits benefit both a homebuyers and homeowners too! For a homebuyers, it opens more price points with lower down payments  For homeowners, they can access more equity.

      kevin martini best raleigh mortgage broker

      Kevin Martini

      Raleigh Mortgage Broker & Certified Mortgage Advisor

      Benefits from the 2023 Loan Limit Increase

      BUY A HOME

      It may make sense for you to consider a new home purchase using the higher loan amounts. This may be the perfect time for you to lock in your interest rate before interest rates move higher.

      REFINANCE

      It may be worth it to consider a home loan refinance if:

      • You currently have a home loan that is near the loan limit
      • You’d like to make some home improvements
      • You’d like to consolidate other debts into your home loan (such as home equity loans or credit cards)
      • You’re paying mortgage insurance and your home has increased in value from the time when you purchased the home
      • You anticipate a change in your cash flow situation in the coming months (college funding, retirement, elder care, etc.)

      Raleigh, NC 2023 Conforming Loan Limits 

      One-Unit

      Two-Unit

      Three-Unit

      Four-Unit

      $726,200

      $929,850

      $1,123,900

      $1,396,800

      All cities and towns in Wake County to include Raleigh and Apex, Garner, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Roseville, Wendell, Zebulon.

      History of Conforming Loan Limits in Raleigh

      conforming loan limits in raleigh kevin martini 507 n blount st raleigh nc 27604 martini mortgage group raleigh mortgage broker

      What are conforming loan limits?

      Fannie Mae (a.k.a. Federal National Mortgage Association or FNMA) and Freddie Mac (a.k.a. Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation or FMCC) were created by Congress to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the mortgage markets.  Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are government-sponsored entities not lenders instead, they offer access to funds and guarantees.

      Loans guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Fredie Mac are commonly referred to as conforming loans since they conform to the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines. Conforming loans are also referred to as agency or conventional loans.

      Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA)

      In response to events of 2008, HERA was a piece of legislation that requires a baseline conforming loan limit to be adjusted annually to properly reflect the changes in average home prices using data from the last four quarters from the FHFA House Price Index (a.k.a.FHFA HPI).

      According to the most recent FHFA HPI, home price rose on average 12.4% from the third quarter of 2021 to the third quarter of 2022. In North Carolina, home prices rose 17.4%. The Raleigh – Cary metro area had a 16.7% year-over-year change and is ranked #18 of 100 top metros.

      Be ready to make you move

      Let’s connect so you can understand how higher conforming loan limits can help you and your family.

      Filed Under: Agency Loan, Conforming Loan, Conforming Loan Limits, Conventional Loan, Fannie Mae, FHFA, Freddie Mac, Kevin Martini, Loan Limits, Logan Martini Tagged With: 2023 Conforming Loan Limits, 2023 Fannie Mae Loan Limits, 2023 Freddie Mac Loan Limits, Kevin Martini, Logan Martini, North Carolina, Raleigh, Raleigh Mortgage Broker, Raleigh Mortgage Lender

      Freeze it and opt-out!

      November 18, 2022 by Kevin Martini

      One of the most important assets often overlooked and not properly protected by many is their credit score.  The single most important thing you can do to protect your credit and not fall victim to identity theft is a credit freeze …the second most important thing to do is to opt-out of pre-screening. 

      …there is no guarantees that a freeze will protect you 100% of the time.  One may still steal your non public private information or maybe one may hack into one of your existing open accounts  however it is my opinion, the credit freeze combined with opting out of unwanted credit solicitation is the most reliable defense you have in your arsenal to prevent identity fraud.

      kevin martini best raleigh mortgage broker

      Kevin Martini

      Certified Mortgage Advisor & Raleigh Mortgage Broker

      Martini Mortgage Podcast | Episode 167 | Freeze it and opt-out

      Resources discussed in episode 167 of the Martini Mortgage Podcast

      OptOutPreScreen.com

      A free a centralized service which is a joint venture between Equifax Information Services, LLC, Experian Information Solutions, Inc., Innovis Data Solutions, Inc., and TransUnion, LLC  (a.k.a. Consumer Credit Reporting Companies) to accept and process requests from consumers to “Opt-Out” of firm offers of credit.

      WEBSITE: www.OptOutPreScreen.com

      PHONE: 888-5-OPT-OUT (888-567-8688)

      How to Freeze YOUR Credit

      The process to freeze your credit is free but the benefits are priceless. The fastest way is online however you can also request a credit freeze by phone or mail. Below is the contact information of each of the credit repositories.

      Experian 

      Experian Credit Freeze Pagehttps://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html
      Experian Phone Number 888.397.3742
      Experian Mailing Address Experian Security Freeze
      P.O. Box 9554
      Allen, TX 75013

      Equifax

      Equifax Credit Freeze Pagehttps://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/
      Equifax Phone Number 888.298.0045
      Equifax Mailing Address Equifax Information Services 
      P.O. Box 105788
      Atlanta, GA 30348

      TransUnion

      TransUnion Credit Freeze Pagehttps://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze
      TransUnion Phone Number 888.909.8872
      TransUnion Mailing Address TransUnion
      P.O. Box 160
      Woodlyn, PA 19094

      Filed Under: Credit, Credit Freeze, Kevin Martini, Logan Martini, Opt-Put Pre-Screen, Raleigh Tagged With: Credit, Kevin Martini, Mortgage Podcast, North Carolina, Opt-Out Pre-Screen, Raleigh, Raleigh Mortgage Broker, Raleigh Mortgage Lender

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