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Live, Dine, Shop, Play...in the North Shore’s Premiere Community

Realtor® Margaret Ludemann, Glen Homeowner

mortgage interest rates

Impact of new jobs report on Glen home buyers & sellers

November 9, 2015 by Margaret Ludemann

The Labor Department reported last Friday that the economy created 271,000 new jobs in October which is much better than anticipated; and the unemployment rate dropped to 5%. That’s great news, of course.   In simple terms, people without jobs can’t purchase homes, so more jobs = a larger pool of prospective buyers.

Even entry level jobs can positively impact the market for higher priced homes in places like The Glen and greater Glenview where I focus my real estate practice. Why? Because the sale of an existing entry level home turns the home seller into a buyer of another home, presumably one with a higher price point.

There is a downside to today’s report, though my sense is that it will modest, at least in the short term. With the very positive news on job growth, the Fed is more likely to increase interest rates at its next meeting in December. If so, it will be the first increase since 2006. While the federal funds rate is not directly tied to mortgage interest rates, it increases the borrowing costs of lenders who will pass along their additional costs to their home buyer clients in the form of higher mortgage rates. I’m not an economist and I don’t play one on TV, but I suspect that the Fed’s December increase (if it occurs) and any further increases next year will be modest because the Fed does not want to throw a wrench into a still recovering economy.

So here’s the take away:  A healthier employment climate will increase housing demand, but expect modest increases in mortgage interest rates in 2016.

Margaret Ludemann

Realtor, @properties, Glenview Illinois

847-401-1802   margaretludemann@gmail.com

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: @properties, economy, Glenvew IL, home buyers, home seller, interest rates, job growth, Margaret Ludemann, mortgage, mortgage interest rates, purchase homes, real estate, Realtor, the fed, The Glen, unemployment rate

Positive economic environment for real estate sales

February 9, 2015 by Margaret Ludemann

The economic environment for real estate sales was positive through most of 2014, and that good news should continue in 2015. After a slow start in the first quarter 2014 due to the long winter, the American economy had the strongest 6 month performance in 11 years including a 5% growth rate on an annual basis in the 3rd quarter.

Job growth picked up steam in 2014. Nationally the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.6%, down from 7% a year ago and from its high of 10% in October 2009. Illinois unemployment dropped to 6.4% (through November 30), its lowest point since June 2008.

Interest rates remained low during the year. That was somewhat surprising as they were expected to rise in the 3rd and 4th quarters.

The Dow ended 2014 at 17,823, up 7.52% after a remarkable increase of 29.65% in 2013.

The economy is expected to be favorable for home sales in 2015…with growth picking up, unemployment continuing to fall, and mortgage interest rates remaining low (though moving up modestly later in the year). A week ago, mortgage rates hit their 20 month low. Freddie Mac reported the average 30 year fixed rate mortgage interest rate at 3.59%; and 15 year fixed rate mortgages averaging 2.92%

I see home prices rising again, in line with historical norms of 3% to 4%. The bottom line is that if you want to sell your home in 2015, you’ll probably get it done and at a better price than a few years ago.

Margaret Ludemann, @properties Realtor, homeowner in The Glen, Glenview, Illinois

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: @properties, American economy, Economic environment, fixed rate mortgage, Freddie Mac, Glenview, home prices, home sales, interest rates, job growth, Margaret Ludemann, mortgage interest rates, real estate market, real estate sales, Realtor, sell your home, The Glen, unemployment rate

Margaret Ludemann, Realtor®
Phone: 847-401-1802
Text: 847-401-1802
Email: margaretludemann@gmail.com

at properties logo

@properties
1517 Waukegan
Glenview, IL 60025

@properties and Realtor® Margaret Ludemann are not affiliated with and do not represent any for-profit business or not-for-profit organization associated with the development known as The Glen, in Glenview, Illinois, including but not limited to any retail or commercial or professional enterprise, developers or builders operating in The Glen, or homeowners associations therein. Realtor Margaret Ludemann, Glen Homeowner is affiliated with @properties.
Broker Reciprocity© 2013 Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC (MRED). The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Broker Reciprocity program of Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC (MRED). Real Estate listings held by brokerage firms other than @properties are marked with the Broker Reciprocity logo or the Broker Reciprocity thumbnail logo (a little black house) and detailed information about them includes the names of the listing brokers. Some properties which appear for sale on this website may subsequently have sold and may no longer be available. The information being provided is for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.

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