Get the Max ROI with your Reno

Are you planning to update your current home to sell fast? Maybe you want to do some updates to a homes you are going to stay in for a few more years. The important thing to keep in mind is, at some point you will need to sell and you want to make sure that all of your blood, sweat and tears weren't a waste of time and money. Here is a quick list of areas that will produce the highest return at resale. 

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Whether you are selling your home, just purchased your first home or are a homeowner planning to stay put for a while, there is value in knowing which home improvement projects will net you the most Return On Investment (ROI).

• Minor bathroom renovations can go a long way toward improving the quality of your everyday life and/or impressing potential buyers.
• Upgrading your landscaping or curb appeal helps get buyers in the door. These upgrades rank as the 2nd and 4th renovations for returns on investment.

Moving Up to Your Dream Home? Don’t Wait!

Mortgage interest rates have risen by more than half of a point since the beginning of the year, and many assume that if mortgage rates rise, home values will fall. History, however, has shown this not to be true.

Where are home values today compared to the beginning of the year?
While rates have been rising, so have home values. Here are the most recent monthly price increases reported in the Home Price Insights Report from CoreLogic:

• January: Prices were up 0.5% over the month before.
• February: Prices were up 1% over the month before.
• March: Prices were up 1.4% over the month before.

Not only did prices continue to appreciate, the level of appreciation accelerated over the first quarter. CoreLogic believes that home prices will increase by 5.2% over the next twelve months.

How can prices rise while mortgage rates increase?
Freddie Mac explained in a recent Insight Report:

““In the current housing market, the driving force behind the increase in prices is a low supply of both new and existing homes combined with historically low rates. As mortgage rates increase, the demand for home purchases will likely remain strong relative to the constrained supply and continue to put upward pressure on home prices.””

— Insight Report

Bottom Line
If you are thinking about moving up to your dream home, waiting until later this year and hoping for prices to fall may not be a good strategy.