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☆ One-third of single-family homes for sale are newly built, report finds. Here's what buyers need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

While new builds are still sold for slightly more than existing homes, the price gap has significantly narrowed. Over the last six months, the median price for a new home is only about 4% higher than the median price of an existing house. Reducing the square footage of your home can help reduce construction costs as well as utility and maintenance costs down the line. Keep construction costs down: Major factors like lumber and labor costs significantly impact the cost of a new house. And depending on the kinds of materials you add to the house, builders are "adding up the tab," Veronica Fuentes, a wealth management advisor based in Washington, D.C., previously told CNBC.

Persons: Alistair Berg, Digitalvision, Nicole Bachaud, Dietz, Matthew Walsh, Walsh, homebuilders, Veronica Fuentes Organizations: Getty, Zillow Group, CNBC, U.S . Census, U.S . Department of Housing, Urban, Moody's, Washington , D.C Locations: U.S, Washington ,

☆ Here are some tips for homebuyers to save on costs with newly built homes, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Buyers of newly built homes can come across a number of sticker shocks. In February, the median sale price for new construction sold in the U.S. was $400,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Depending on what you're picking, they're adding up the tab," Fuentes said. To save on costs with a new build, it may be in a potential buyer's best interest to hire a contractor later on to add desired finishes, experts say. "Think about those elements that could be easily added at a later date," said Angie Hicks, home expert and co-founder of Angi, an online marketplace that connects homeowners with professional contractors for home maintenance or renovations.

Persons: Veronica Fuentes, Fuentes, Angie Hicks Organizations: . Census, Department of Housing, Urban, Finance Locations: U.S, Washington ,

☆ Should you refinance your mortgage? Here are three signs it's time, real estate experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Thanks to those high mortgage interest rates, refinance activity in 2023 was at the lowest level in 30 years. In the first and second quarters of 2023 there was only $75 billion and $80 billion, respectively, in mortgage refinance originations nationally, according to Freddie Mac, a government-sponsored entity that buys mortgages from banks. "We're just in a much higher interest rate situation with the economy," she said. "We've been so accustomed to mortgage rates as a baseline being at 2% or 3%," said Veronica Fuentes, a certified financial planner at Northwestern Mutual. Some lenders may require a higher interest rate if you finance closing costs, plus you'll be paying interest on those expenses for the life of the mortgage.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Jeff Ostrowski, Chen Zhao, Zhao, We've, Veronica Fuentes, that's, Ostrowski, CoreLogic's Organizations: Westend61, Getty, Federal Reserve, Northwestern Mutual

☆ Housing 'affordability has just totally collapsed,' economist says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Since the pandemic, affordability has just totally collapsed," said Chen Zhao, a senior economist at Redfin. February 2021 was the last month when the typical household earned more money than they needed to afford the median home. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sets the standard of affordability at 30% of household income. Affordability deficit narrowed in FebruaryThe average household fell short $29,448 to afford a home in February, according to Redfin. The affordability deficit narrowed because rates have been on a consistent decline since the last peak in October, according to Zhao.

Persons: Chen Zhao, They've, Zhao, It's, Jeff Ostrowski, Veronica Fuentes, Fuentes, Ostrowski, Buyers, Redfin, Louis, What's Organizations: Getty, Redfin, Finance, U.S . Department of Housing, Urban Development, Northwestern Mutual, Cleveland Locations: U.S, Detroit, Pittsburgh, St, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Warren, Mich, Cincinnati, Milwaukee , Kansas City , Virginia Beach, Va, Antonio, Columbus , Ohio

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