30A Real Estate Blog

3 Ways You Can Use Your Home Equity

If you’re a homeowner, odds are your equity has grown significantly over the last few years as home prices skyrocketed and you made your monthly mortgage payments. Home equity builds over time and can help you achieve certain goals. According to the latest Equity Insights Report from CoreLogic, the average borrower with a home loan has almost $300,000 in equity right now.

As you weigh your options, especially in the face of inflation and talk of a recession, it’s important to understand your assets and how you can leverage them. A real estate professional is the best resource to help you understand how much home equity you have and advise you on some of the ways you can use it.  Here are a few examples.

1. Buy a Home That Fits Your Needs

If…

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Top Questions About Selling Your Home This Winter

There’s no denying the housing market is undergoing a shift this season, and that may leave you with some questions about whether it still makes sense to sell your house. Here are three of the top questions you may be asking – and the data that helps answer them – so you can make a confident decision.

1. Should I Wait To Sell?

Even though the supply of homes for sale has increased in 2022, inventory is still low overall. That means it’s still a sellers’ market. The graph below helps put the inventory growth into perspective. Using data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), it shows just how far off we are from flipping to a buyers’ market:

While buyers have regained some negotiation power as inventory has grown, you haven’t…

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What’s Ahead for Mortgage Rates and Home Prices?

Now that the end of 2022 is within sight, you may be wondering what’s going to happen in the housing market next year and what that may mean if you’re thinking about buying a home. Here’s a look at the latest expert insights on both mortgage rates and home prices so you can make your best move possible.

Mortgage Rates Will Continue To Respond to Inflation

There’s no doubt mortgage rates have skyrocketed this year as the market responded to high inflation. The increases we’ve seen were fast and dramatic, and the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate even surpassed 7% at the end of last month. In fact, it’s the first time they’ve risen this high in over 20 years (see graph below):

In their latest quarterly report, Freddie Mac explains just…

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December Events - Destin

Destin Harbor Lighted Christmas Boat Parade and Fireworks, Sunday, December 11.

https://sowal.com/event/destin-boat-parade?date=2022-12-11

City of Destin Christmas Parade, Saturday, December 10.

https://www.nwfdailynews.com/story/entertainment/events/2022/11/21/destin-christmas-parade-and-boat-parade-2022-what-know/10705934002/

Christmas Parade Grand Marshall hails from one of Destin's 1st families

https://www.thedestinlog.com/story/news/local/2022/11/28/lloyd-taylor-serve-grand-marshal-destin-christmas-parade/10752598002/

Get in the Winter Spirit at Baytowne on Ice, Now through February 4th

https://www.baytownewharf.com/event_details.php?t=1&event=225

Celebrate new beginnings at the Okaloosa Island New Year's…

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December Events - 30A

12 Nights of Lights at Baytowne Wharf:

https://sowal.com/event/12-nights-of-lights-at-baytowne-wharf-2?date=2022-12-03

Get in the Winter Spirit at Baytowne on Ice, Now through February 4th

https://www.baytownewharf.com/event_details.php?t=1&event=225

See more than 10 Million Lights at Christmas Reflections in Defuniak Springs

https://www.defuniaksprings.net/1097/Christmas-Reflections

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park's Annual Santa's Camp Christmas, December 9th & 10th

https://sowal.com/event/topsail-hill-preserve-state-park-santas-camp-christmas-1?date=2022-12-09

The Emerald Coast Theatre Company Presents three Christmas shows: A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and Christmas Cabaret at…

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November Market Snapshot

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The Latest on Supply and Demand in Housing

Over the past two years, the substantial imbalance of low housing supply and high buyer demand pushed home sales and buyer competition to new heights. But this year, things are shifting as supply and demand reach an inflection point.

The graph below helps tell the story of just how different things are today.

This year, buyer demand has eased as higher mortgage rates and mounting economic uncertainty moderated the market. This slowdown in demand is clear when you look at the red bar on the graph. It uses the latest data from ShowingTime to illustrate how showings (an indicator of buyer demand) have softened by just over 12% compared to the same time last year.

Now for a look at how housing supply has changed, turn to the green bar. It…

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November News Stories - Destin

Okaloosa Island to Host First Ever Boardwalk Country Music Beach Festival 

https://weartv.com/news/local/okaloosa-island-to-host-first-ever-boardwalk-country-music-beach-festival

252 Pound Swordfish Joins Destin Fishing Rodeo Leaderboard

https://www.wkrg.com/northwest-florida/okaloosa-county/252-pound-swordfish-joins-destin-fishing-rodeo-leaderboard/

Grand Boulevard's Christmas Holiday Lights Kick Off Nov. 18 

https://www.destinchamber.com/events/details/grand-boulevard-s-christmas-holiday-lights-kick-off-49931

Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival Celebrates its 50th Year - Nov, 4-6

https://www.ggaf.org

Business Man Pledges $1M to Destin High School Athletics Program 

…

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What Are Experts Saying About the Fall Housing Market?

The housing market is rapidly changing from the peak frenzy it saw over the past two years. That means you probably have questions about what your best move is if you’re thinking of buying or selling this fall.

To help you make a confident decision, lean on the professionals for insights. Here are a few things experts are saying about the fall housing market.

Expert Quotes for Fall Homebuyers

A recent article from realtor.com:

“This fall, a more moderate pace of home selling, more listings to choose from, and softening price growth will provide some breathing room for buyers searching for a home during what is typically the best time to buy a home.”

Michael Lane, VP and General Manager, ShowingTime:

“Buyers will continue to see less…

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Should You Still Buy a Home with the Latest News About Inflation?

While the Federal Reserve is working hard to bring down inflation, the latest data shows the inflation rate is still high, remaining around 8%. This news impacted the stock market and added fuel to the fire for conversations about a recession.

You’re likely feeling the impact in your day-to-day life as you watch the cost of goods and services climb. The pinch it’s creating on your wallet and the looming economic uncertainty may leave you wondering: “should I still buy a home right now?” If that question is top of mind for you, here’s what you need to know.

Homeownership Is Historically a Great Hedge Against Inflation

In an inflationary economy, prices rise across the board. Historically, homeownership is a great hedge against those rising…

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