5 Reasons to Buy a Home TODAY!

"5 Reasons to Buy a Home TODAY!" Below are the top 5 reasons any renter should look at the opportunity of home ownership today in the Jonesboro, AR area:

1. Real Estate is a Great Long Term Investment.

Mike Mandel, former Chief Economist at BusinessWeek said "We've just had the biggest boom and bust in recent history. Nevertheless, real estate has still greatly outperformed the stock market over the past 10 years."



2. A Home is a Better Place to Raise a Family.

When Fannie Mae asked current renters for the major reason to buy a house in their National Housing Survey 2010, these were the answers renters gave (they could pick multiple answers):

•78% said it was a good place to raise children

•75% said because they would feel safe

•70% said because you have control of your own space

3. A Home Creates a Sense of Community

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York just published a paper The Homeownership Gap. The paper explained:
"Because owners have a financial interest in their property, they have incentives to take measures that will maintain or increase the value of that property. Some of these measures-such as fixing a leaky roof-are closely related to the house itself. Others, such as investing resources in the betterment of the neighborhood and the community, have broader beneficial effects on the local area, creating what economists call 'positive externalities'."

4. It is Cheaper to Own Than Rent in Many Parts of the Country (It is in Jonesboro, AR)

Housing Wire just reported on a Credit Suisse study:
"While a segment of the renting population continues to rent, many are looking to dip their toes in the homeownership waters. Credit Suisse said the percentage of median household income needed to pay the mortgage on a median priced home is at a 30-year low... Low mortgage rates and property values makes homeownership more attractive than renting for many. In many markets - including Washington DC, California's Inland Empire, Las Vegas and Phoenix - paying for a mortgage is less expensive than renting."

5. The People Who Do Buy a Home Don't Regret It

Probably the best people to ask if buying a home makes sense are the people who currently own homes. A recent national poll commissioned by Bankrate.com found:
"Ninety percent of homeowners say they don't regret buying their home despite a nationwide tsunami of foreclosures, short sales and loan modifications."

Sheila