http://mcameron.seacoastrealty.com/blog/archive_201601/sort_entrydatetime-desc/ Happy Monday!  Hope you had a great weekend and stayed warm!! It's a little chilly around here today!  Going to enjoy the evenings by the fire while I patiently wait for the warmer weather.I watched a video this morning from the National Association of Realtor's (NAR) Chief Economists, Lawrence Yun on his 2016 Housing and Economic Forecast and wanted to share his thoughts.  Dr. Yun is very well respected in the industry and is typically very accurate in his predictions... so people listen!Yun expects that there will be a modest increase in home sales in 2016.  In 2015, we saw 7% growth from 2014.  In 2016, Yun expects a 1-3% growth in home sales.  Yun sites a slower pace of economic expansion and rising mortgage rates as 2 of the main reasons for the conservative growth.  He reiterates that there is still a large demand for buying still there, thus the gain expected.On pricing; nationally, home prices were up 6% from 2014.  A 4-5% increase is expected in 2016. The growth is expected  because of housing shortages in many markets.  For multiple years, because of the economy in part,  home builders have been under producing hence the shortage of homes.The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates in 2016.  Yun expects to see some "bounces" with the interest rates this year, but overall, we should see an increase.  In 2015, the annual average was around 3.8%.  Yun expects for it to go to around 4.5% in 2016...which is still a really good interest rate.  As a "Rule of Thumb," Yun notes that a 1% rise in interest rate equates to a 10% reduction in buying power.  Yun also sees 2016 as the year we see more First Time Homebuyers getting back in the market. Yun was also a bit surprised with the results of NAR's survey of renters showing that over 90% of renters do aspire to be homeowners.In closing, Yun noted that obviously markets around the country that are seeing strong job markets will in turn see stronger housing markets.All in all, 2016 is looking pretty bright.  If you have questions about your homes value or want to explore your buying options, we are ready to help.  Remember to check us out on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter where we keep you up to date on the housing market, local events and US!Have a great week! Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;} http://mcameron.seacoastrealty.com/blog/1829/2016-housing-and-economic-forecast/ Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:00:00 -0500 I love the drive to Fort Fisher. Such beautiful scenery. #fortfisher #kurebeach #northcarolina #civilwar #museum #historic #lovewhereyouliveA photo posted by The Cameron Team (@cameronteam) on Jan 18, 2016 at 11:25am PSTOne of the many gems in our area – the Fort Fisher State Historic Site and Civil War Museum. Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. #fortfisher #kurebeach #northcarolina #civilwar #museum #historic #lovewhereyouliveA photo posted by The Cameron Team (@cameronteam) on Jan 18, 2016 at 11:21am PSTThe beach at Fort Fisher. #fortfisher #kurebeach #northcarolina #civilwar #museum #historic #lovewhereyouliveA photo posted by The Cameron Team (@cameronteam) on Jan 18, 2016 at 11:24am PSTThe trees at Fort Fisher are so unique. #fortfisher #kurebeach #northcarolina #civilwar #museum #historic #lovewhereyouliveA photo posted by The Cameron Team (@cameronteam) on Jan 18, 2016 at 11:23am PSTGorgeous trees at Fort Fisher. #fortfisher #kurebeach #northcarolina #civilwar #museum #historic #lovewhereyouliveA photo posted by The Cameron Team (@cameronteam) on Jan 18, 2016 at 11:22am PSTPictures courtesy of Susan Kolesar ©2016. http://mcameron.seacoastrealty.com/blog/1830/fort-fisher-state-historic-site-and-civil-war-museum/ Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:00:00 -0500 Need some inspiration for a teen bedroom makeover? We've collected 22 of the most spectacular, creative light fixtures for teen bedrooms and have divided them into groups according to room size. There are even some DIY choices for those with a tight budget. Check them out on our main blog - 22 Light Fixtures for Teen Bedrooms! For more posts like this, follow our Google Plus Collection Design Ideas and DIY. We have over 25,000 followers! http://mcameron.seacoastrealty.com/blog/1831/22-light-fixtures-for-teen-bedrooms/ Mon, 18 Jan 2016 12:00:00 -0500