Invest in the Real Estate Market
For potential new home buyers, 2016 is the year to invest in the real estate market. The housing market is still on the rise and there are still great deals to be found on new homes and resale homes. What is making real estate a hot ticket item for 2016? There are many influences that are contributing factors to this year’s housing market. 
Since the economic downturn’s departure, housing prices have been on the rise. Zillow predicts home prices are going to rise a little slower in 2016. According to Zillow’s Chief Economist Svenja Gudell prices are anticipated to rise 3.5%. This will give buyers who might not have had a chance in the competitive 2015 market an opportunity to purchase a home.
Jonathan Smoke, with Realtor.com believes this could lead to a succession of home buyers. He states, “We have the potential for about six million home sales just through the months of April through September; that is basically impossible to do.”
Inventory will increase giving home buyers more options. “Because of the price appreciation they have experienced, you will have more sellers put homes on the market next year,” Smoke said. Also the new home market will see growth in 2016 because builders are concentrating on the construction of starter and middle-range 
homes. This boost in both existing home and new home inventory will make it easier for potential home buyers. More homes on the market will also contribute to a slower price increase and less bidding wars.
This year we might be kissing cheap mortgages goodbye. The Federal Reserve is slated to increase interest rates making this one of the last opportunities to benefit from record low mortgage rates. Home buyers will have to cut back on their new home budget because the borrowing cost and monthly mortgage payments will be higher.
“You are likely to get the best rate you will possibly see, perhaps in your lifetimes through the majority of next year, but certainly, the earlier the better,” said Smoke.
The last influence to affect the 2016 housing market is rent vs. buy. Renters beware; rent prices will still increase this year making it cheaper to buy a home. The increase in mortgage rates will still outweigh rental pricing. According to Ralph McLaughlin with Trulia, “Interest rates would need to rise to around 6.5% for the cost of buying to equal that of renting on a national level.” For those who want to purchase a new starter home, upgrade to a new home or larger home, and for those who want to downsize to a smaller new home, now is the time.
