Happy 500th Episode! Special thanks to everyone in my Real Estate Insider family for tuning in and checking out my weekly podcast and video blog over the last 9 years! It has been a long, challenging but rewarding journey. It was an accident that I got involved in real estate in the first place (you can check out my bio if you’re interested in that back story). Today for my 500th podcast episode, we’re going to go through 7 things you can and cannot control in real estate. We’ll start by talking about 7 things you cannot control in real estate, which unfortunately but predictably are the real estate topics that you hear about most in the news. The […]
continue reading Q: Gerald, I’m a realtor. I’m losing deals now, some already under contract because buyers are pulling out because of higher mortgage rates. Is there anything I can do? Madelyn, Mountainside, NJ A: Mortgage interest rates have almost tripled in recent history. Higher mortgage rates reduce the price a home buyer can afford to pay for a home. In addition, higher mortgage rates have reduced the number of homes for sale because many trade up buyers who want to sell their home and buy a bigger home are staying put because they don’t want to trade the lower mortgage interest rate they have on their current home for a more expensive home with a much higher mortgage interest rate. One […]
continue reading Q: Interest rates keep going up. When do you think rates will go back down? Bill, Kenilworth, NJ A: Many Fed watchers expect the Fed to lower interest rates in mid 2023 under the assumption that inflation falls back to the Fed’s 2% target. The direction interest rates will move depends on 2 things: 1) how persistent inflation is over the next 6-9 months and 2) if we are in a full blown recession by mid 2023. If inflation is lower, rates are likely to go down and if we are in a full blown recession in mid 2023, the Fed will likely lower rates. Thanks for your question, Bill. For more real estate tips and information visit my blog […]
continue reading Q: Mortgage rates have been going up recently. Do you think that makes now a bad time to buy real estate? Eric, Livingston, NJ A: When you borrow money to buy a home, higher interest rates reduce the amount of home you can buy. For every 1% increase in mortgage interest rates, your purchasing power as a homeowner declines by 9%. However, higher mortgage rates may present a silver lining in today’s US housing markets. Home prices in most of the US in the last few years have increased at unsustainable levels and low mortgage interest rates have probably exacerbated those home price increases. Higher mortgage rates will make it more difficult for many home buyers to purchase a home, […]
continue reading Q: How will the fed’s new rate cut affect housing? Haley, Montauk, NY A: The Federal Reserve announced that it would cut interest rates for the first time since the last recession. Economists are split on the immediate impact it will have on the housing market—what else is new?! Borrowers with adjustable-rate mortgages and commercial real estate loans will benefit from the rate cut. The important issue is how and if the fed’s rate cut will affect mortgage rates. The chief economist at realtor.com doesn’t believe the Fed’s rate cut will lead to a drop in longer-term mortgage rates because the rate cut announcement was anticipated. However, a rise in mortgage rates could further weaken already slowing housing markets, as […]
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When interest rates are low always borrow for the longest term you can negotiate.
continue reading Q: We’re planning for college for our little ones comparing investments including real estate. I’m looking for something that will double in value over the next decade–any suggestions? Doug, Manasquan, NJ A: The Rule Of 72 Shortcut to estimate the number of years required to double your money at an annual rate of return. Divide an interest rate into 72 to get the number of years required to double your money or divide the number of years to double your money into 72 to get the annual interest rate required to double your money. Examples: 9*8, 6*12, 24*3, 36*2 (8 years@9%, 9 years@8%, 6 years@12%, 12 years@6%, 3 years@24%, 24 years@3%, 2 years@36%, 36 years@2%) Thanks for your question, Doug. […]
continue reading When interest rates are low always borrow (at a fixed rate) for the longest term you can negotiate.
continue reading Q: Gerald, I just got started investing in real estate. People say the Fed is going to raise interest rates. Is that going to happen and if it does should I be worried? Kendrick, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio A: Hi Kendrick, I’m always reluctant to make predictions because unlike a lot of pundits you see on TV, I can’t predict the future however all signs point to another interest rate increase and Janet Yellen has intimated that a rate increase is likely to happen. The bigger and more important issue for you as a new investor is to understand where you have the most leverage and to then focus on those areas. Interest rates are one of 7 things you cannot […]
continue readingQ: Gerald, how can I make the most of today’s low interest rates? Nirav, Somerville, MA A: That’s a great question, Nirav. One obvious way to take advantage of historically low rates is by purchasing real estate with a fixed rate mortgage. Nobody knows how interest rates will change in the future, but locking in a long-term mortgage at a low fixed rate is normally a smart move if you can afford the payments particularly if mortgage rates go up in the future. A less obvious effect of a low interest rate environment that truly savvy real estate investors recognize is that low interest rates often result in there being a lot of unemployed capital sitting on the sidelines looking […]
continue readingQ: What interest rate should you pay for a hard money rehab loan? Victor, Dix Hills, NY A: That’s a great question, Victor and it’s one I hear all the time. The interest rates on hard money rehab loans vary a little from lender to lender, but generally speaking, the interest rate charged falls within the same range (12-15%). However, there’s a lot more to consider than just the interest rate you pay when you borrow money to renovate a property. The more important question is regarding the terms of the hard money loan itself, specifically, whether you have to make monthly or quarterly payments on the loan before you sell the property, whether the loan requires a personal guarantee […]
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