20
Dec
By First Rate Financial Group
Real Estate

How To Choose Between Laminate And Hardwood Flooring

How To Choose Between Laminate And Hardwood FlooringPicking out a new flooring can be exciting. After all, as anyone knows, new flooring in a home or business property can completely change the entire atmosphere. A common question asked by commercial and residential property owners is “Should I go with laminate or hardwood flooring?”

If you have found yourself asking this question, understand that both types of flooring materials each have their own pros and cons. For the most part, hardwood flooring tends to be more expensive than laminate but this isn’t always the case.

Let’s take a quick look at the benefits and disadvantages of laminate and hardwood flooring.

Pros And Cons Of Laminate Flooring

Most times, laminate flooring will be about 50 percent less expensive than hardwood flooring. It has a beautiful finish and can give the appearance of a real hardwood floor. Also, being that it is made of pressed wood, it tends to be a bit more durable than hardwood as well as more scratch resistant.

Although it’s usually easier to clean, if you don’t invest in high-quality laminate, you’ll end up with flooring that looks as if it has fake wood grains. In all actuality, this is what cheap laminate flooring is: cheap wood grains pressed together.

Pros And Cons Of Hardwood Flooring

Although hardwood flooring is more susceptible to scratching, you may like this characteristic because it gives it a more natural look. When it comes to beauty, nothing beats real hardwood flooring, and best of all, it tends to last many years longer than laminate. Because of this, even though such flooring is a bit more expensive than laminate, being that it lasts longer, it’s considered to be a very good investment.

Think About The Lighting In Your Home

One very important aspect to think about when choosing flooring for your home is whether or not your floors see a lot of daylight. The sun and its UV rays will cause real hardwood flooring to fade. Laminate on the other hand is usually made with UV protection. If you like to keep your blinds open and let natural sunlight in, it’s usually best to invest in laminate flooring.

Don’t let choosing the perfect flooring material for your home stress you out. With a bit of research, you’ll be well on your way to deciding whether laminate or hardwood is a better investment for your lifestyle and personal needs.

If you are in the market for a new home or interested in refinancing your current property, be sure to enlist the help of your trusted mortgage professional.

19
Dec
By First Rate Financial Group
Real Estate

How Will Interest Rates Affect the Market in 2019?

How Will Interest Rates Affect the Market in 2019Forbes and other reputable publications have predicted a continued rise in interest rates over 2019. The initial shock of the Fed’s action caused a slowdown in real estate markets over the final part of 2018. As the shock wears off, experts are divided as to whether more expensive money will continue to translate into lower housing starts and occupancy rates for primary markets.

Many experts believe that the rising 2018 interest rates have not yet baked themselves into the real estate market. They point to past instances of relatively high real estate hikes and the slower uptake into the property market the following year. Proponents of fast action uptake point to a much closer relationship between federal interest rates and the consumer real estate market.

The Edge Of The Housing Affordability Curve

Most consumers were hanging on the edge of housing affordability during the time of low interest rates, this set of experts argues. The second that the Fed raised interest rates, a portion of Millennials immediately became unable to buy a first house or even retain occupancy in more expensive real estate markets such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York.

The Fed’s Limited Reach?

The Fed controls short-term rates, but the market controls long-term rates. Over time, these long-term interest rates will be much more influential on how the real estate market will perform over the next five years. Most experts expect commercial banks to try to hold down long-term interest rates to maintain a balance between supply and demand in new housing starts. They stand to lose money over the next few quarters if they cannot accomplish this. However, the banks may struggle to control long term interest rates due to news of the Fed raising interest rates which may scare some people out of the market.

Millennials and Secondary Markets Run The World

For those who want to draw a trend line moving forward, real estate activity in secondary markets may be a good leading indicator of how the rest of the market will behave. Watching cities such as Nashville, San Diego, San Jose and Dallas may provide insights as to just how many displaced Millennials will be able to access the housing market in the United States over the next few years. This is the core group that will control housing prices in America, so they are definitely the ones to watch in terms of movement.

For up to date financial information, be sure to contact your trusted mortgage professional.

18
Dec
By First Rate Financial Group
Real Estate

What is the Multifamily Market in 2019 Looking Like?

What is the Multifamily Market in 2019 Looking LikeA growing supply of housing, volatility in the marketplace and risks in the development process all affected the multifamily market in 2018. In 2019, these three factors will continue to move the needle.

The Housing Supply

Markets like Boston, Seattle and Nashville are growing supply faster than demand. From 2015 to 2017, developers were building like crazy and landlords were enjoying rent increases of 5-7% year over year. They built too much, and the peak has showed itself. Only top markets like Atlanta and Charlotte can justify their cost of living increases. The rest will likely see slower growth and possibly losses in rent values and occupancy rates.

Market Volatility

Secondary markets are experiencing problems in their local economies, which is driving away the multifamily market. Fewer jobs means less security. Most multifamily clients are looking for stability, and they move into and out of markets based on that. Experts are predicting a consolidation of these families into larger markets.

Interest Rates

The volatility in the market has been accompanied by higher interest rates, which makes money harder to borrow. The seller’s market has held out for so long that a turnaround was almost inevitable, and most experts agree that the current trend is more than just a short term hiccup. We are looking at a real market correction.

The Effect

These three variables come together to create a multifamily market that is looking better for buyers than it has in a long time. Entrants into the market who have been waiting for a price dip began to see it in the latter part of 2018. All signs point to this price trend continuing into 2019.

Just as important as price is location. Although multifamily units will probably be in high supply in secondary markets, these units will be more difficult to fill. What you may see is a consolidation towards markets like Atlanta and Charlotte from multifamily buyers as well as renters.

You may also see speculators who choose to purchase in secondary markets and wait for a turnaround. In both cases, you can probably expect a more balanced overall landscape that will eventually stabilize into market values that are anywhere from 10 to 35% off peak.

Talk with your trusted home mortgage professional to discuss the financing opportunities in 2019 for your local market.