The Surprising Amount of Home Equity You’ve Gained over the Years
There are a number of reasons you may be thinking about selling your house in Oklahoma. And as you weigh your options, you may find you’re unsure how you’re going to deal with one thing about today’s Oklahoma housing market – and that’s affordability. If that’s your biggest concern, understanding how much equity you have in your house could help make your decision that much easier. Here are two key factors that have a big impact on your equity. How Long You’ve Been in Your Home First up is homeowner tenure. That’s how long homeowners live in a house, on average, before selling or choosing to move. From 1985 to 2009, the average length of time homeowners stayed put was roughly six years. But according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), that number has been climbing. Now, the average tenure is 10 years (see graph below): Here’s why that’s such a big deal. You gain equity as you pay down your Oklahoma home loan and as home prices climb. And when you combine all of your mortgage payments with how much prices have gone up over the span of 10 years, that adds up. So, if you’ve lived in your house for a while now, you may be sitting on a pile of equity. How Home Prices Appreciate over Time To help show how much the price appreciation piece adds up, take a look at this data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) (see graph below): Here’s what this means for you. While home prices vary by area, the typical homeowner who’s been in their house for five years saw it increase in value by nearly 60%. And the average homeowner who’s owned their home for 30 years saw it more than triple in value in that time. Whether you’re looking to downsize, relocate to a dream destination, or move so you can live closer to friends or loved ones, your equity can be a game changer. Bottom Line Connect with a local real estate agent if you want to find out how much equity you’ve built up over the years and how you can use it to buy your next home.
What Every Homeowner Should Know About Their Equity
Curious about selling your home in Oklahoma? Understanding how much equity you have is the first step to unlocking what you can afford when you move. And since home prices rose so much over the past few years, most people have much more equity than they may realize. Here’s a deeper look at what you need to know if you’re ready to cash in on your investment and put your equity toward your next home. Home Equity: What Is It and How Much Do You Have? Home equity is the difference between how much your house is worth and how much you still owe on your mortgage. For example, if your house is worth $400,000 and you only owe $200,000 on your mortgage, your equity would be $200,000. Recent data from the Census and ATTOM shows Americans have significant equity right now. In fact, more than two out of three homeowners have either completely paid off their mortgages (shown in green in the chart below) or have at least 50% equity in their homes (shown in blue in the chart below): Today, more Oklahoma homeowners are getting a larger return on their homeownership investments when they sell. And if you have that much equity, it can be a powerful force to fuel your next move. What You Should Do Next If you’re thinking about selling your Oklahoma house, it’s important to know how much equity you have, as well as what that means for your home sale and your potential earnings. The best way to get a clear picture is to work with your agent, while also talking to a tax professional or financial advisor. A team of experts can help you understand your specific situation and guide you forward. Bottom Line Home prices have gone up, which means your equity probably has too. Connect with a local real estate agent so you can find out how much equity you have in your home and move forward confidently when you sell.
Unlocking the Benefits of Your Home's Equity
Some Highlights Equity is the difference between what your house is worth and what you still owe on your mortgage. A typical Oklahoma homeowner gained $28,000 over the past year and has a grand total of $305,000 in equity. And there are a lot of great ways you can use that equity. To find out how much equity you have, connect with a real estate agent who can give you a Professional Equity Assessment Report (PEAR).
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