After falling for nearly four consecutive years, housing inventory has turned a corner, growing on an annual basis in four of the past five months, according to the January Zillow Real Estate Market Report. U.S. for-sale home inventory grew 1.2 percent year-over-year. There were 19,455 more homes for sale nationwide in January compared to a year earlier.
This was the first inventory gain in January since at least 2014. However, the slow pace of growth has thus far done little to reverse the long contraction in inventory that took place from January 2015 to August 2018. In July 2017, inventory was falling at its fastest pace since 2014 of 12.8 percent year-over-year.
Inventory has increased the most in five West Coast markets that were recently among the nation’s hottest, giving home shoppers more options and ever-so-slowly tilting the market toward buyers. On an annual basis, inventory grew 42.9 percent in San Jose, Calif., 36.9 percent in Seattle, 31.9 percent in San Diego, 29.1 percent in Los Angeles and 25 percent in San Francisco.
While the number of homes for sale grew in about three-quarters of the country’s largest housing markets, a few East Coast markets saw big drops. Inventory in Washington D.C., Baltimore and Pittsburgh all fell at least 10 percent. Inventory fell 19.9 percent in Washington D.C. This is the third straight month of annual declines of at least 14 percent following Amazon’s announcement in November that it would site a new headquarters there.
“For four years, it felt like home buyers couldn’t catch a break as for-sale inventory became tighter and tighter with each passing month,” said Zillow senior economist Aaron Terrazas. “But during the second half of 2018, something shifted. Home buyers aren’t out of the woods yet, but there is a glimmer of light on the horizon. The number of homes on the market is hesitantly inching higher – now approaching the highest level in a year and a half.”
The median U.S. home value is $225,300, a 7.5 percent year-over-year increase. Home value growth has remained at a steady pace in the seven percent range over the past two years though the national numbers obscure substantial differences across the country. Indianapolis and Atlanta experienced the biggest jumps over the past year, with home values increasing by more than 12 percent in both metros.
Rents grew on an annual basis for the third straight month following two months of annual declines, up 2.1 percent over a year ago to a median of $1,468. This was the largest increase in annual rents since May 2018. Rent increased or remained flat in all major metros, with Orlando (up 7.4 percent) experiencing the biggest increase. On the other end of the spectrum, rents were flat in Portland over the past year.
Mortgage rates listed on Zillow ended January at 4.14 percent, the lowest rate of the month. Rates started the month on January 1 at their highest point, 4.3 percent. By the end of January, mortgage rates had retreated 61 basis points from their November 2018 peak. Zillow’s real-time mortgage rates are based on thousands of custom mortgage quotes submitted daily to anonymous borrowers on the Zillow Mortgages site and reflect the most recent changes in the market.
Mike Wheatley is the senior editor at Realty Biz News. Got a real estate related news article you wish to share, contact Mike at [email protected].
HousingWire Lead Analyst Logan Mohtashami appeared on CNBC‘s Worldwide Exchange on Wednesday to talk about the health of the housing market, explaining the effect of high mortgage rates and low inventory on existing home sales.
Using data from Altos Research, Mohtashami explained how new listings are trending at the lowest levels ever recorded. He also discussed Fitch‘s downgrade of the U.S. credit rating and its affect on the housing market.
Mohtashami’s latest articles and podcasts on HousingWire include:
Despite a $35 million net loss in the second quarter, Zillow saw a slight annual increase in revenue to $506 million, beating Wall Street’s estimates. As a result, the company’s executives told investors and analysts that they were pleased with the firm’s second quarter performance, especially in touring, financing, and renting.
“Zillow outperformed the broader industry for the fourth consecutive quarter as we navigate a tough real estate market,” said Zillow cofounder and CEO Rich Barton on the firm’s second-quarter earnings call Wednesday evening. “I’m pleased with our steady progress on improving and integrating our customer and partner experiences, especially in touring, financing, and renting. The housing super app is coming into focus, opening up significant transaction TAM for the company and our shareholders.”
With the resilient but still slower housing market conditions of the second quarter of 2023, Zillow reported that traffic to its apps and site was at 226 million average monthly unique users, down from 234 million a year ago.
Zillow executives attribute much of this improvement to a healthy top of funnel relative to the weak housing market, and consistent organic traffic to their apps and sites.
Meanwhile, Premier Agent, Zillow’s residential segment, reported a 3% annual decrease in revenue, outperforming both the 22% drop in U.S. home transactions and the high end of the company’s expectations. It also marked the fourth consecutive quarter of outperformance, noted Barton.
According to the executives, the company was able to deliver a better-than expected number of connections to Premier Agent partners, and had strong performance relative to the macroeconomic tailwinds in housing.
Zillow’s mortgage arm, Home Loans, on the other hand, recorded a 17% year-over-year decline in revenue to $24 million. Purchase loan origination volumes in Q2 2023 grew 30% sequentially from Q1 2023 and 73% year over year from Q2 2022. Finally, rental revenue increased 28% year over year to $91 million as the company continued to see strong traffic and growth in multifamily properties.
Although rival CoStar has made noise in overtaking Realtor.com in web traffic, Barton stressed that Zillow has remained the most-visited rental platform since May 2022, according to Comscore.
Barton also touched on its fabled “housing super app.” He reiterated the five growth pillars of the app, touring, financing, seller solutions, enhancing our partner network, and integrating our services.
“The expected output of this strategy is to grow our share of customer transactions from 3% to 6% by the end of 2025,” he said.
Barton also presented Zillow’s product roadmap, touching on different updates and projects underway. He highlighted the launch of Listing Showcase by ShowingTime+ last June in select markets. The product, an AI-powered “super listing” available exclusively on Zillow, was made to allow listing agents to present their brand and properties in a distinctive manner.
Zillow on Wednesday also announced the acquisition of Aryeo, a marketing media solution for agents and brokerages. Aryeo will become a part of ShowingTime+.
Barton also spoke of Zillow’s partnership with Opendoor, which allows sellers on Zillow to request a cash offer from Opendoor, stating that it is now present in 25 markets, compared to 2 when they first launched in February.
The company said it’s projecting third-quarter revenue of $458 million to $486 million.
[Note from editor: The “Mastermind Showcase” highlights companies and news from members of the GEM. Today’s showcase: Fyma]
A computer vision platform, FYMA uses video and image feeds to deliver occupancy and human activity analytics to improve asset management and property operations. They work with existing camera hardware to deliver movement trends, occupancy, and marketing insights for a variety of spaces from office buildings to retail to industrial.
For retail: provides real-time analytics, alerts, and historical analysis on customer traffic, movement patterns, and demographics.
For mobility: mobility data solution collects and analyzes data on traffic volume, modal share, movement patterns and congestion enabling real-time updates and comprehensive insights into transportation networks and patterns around a property.
For parking: monitors parking spaces to detect available spaces and guide drivers to reduce congestion.
What we like: By leveraging a real estate assets’ existing cameras, Fyma’s is able to unlock real-time intelligence without the adoption challenges that come with needing to install new hardware.
[Note from editor: The “Mastermind Showcase” highlights companies and news from members of the GEM. Today’s showcase: Fyma]
A computer vision platform, FYMA uses video and image feeds to deliver occupancy and human activity analytics to improve asset management and property operations. They work with existing camera hardware to deliver movement trends, occupancy, and marketing insights for a variety of spaces from office buildings to retail to industrial.
For retail: provides real-time analytics, alerts, and historical analysis on customer traffic, movement patterns, and demographics.
For mobility: mobility data solution collects and analyzes data on traffic volume, modal share, movement patterns and congestion enabling real-time updates and comprehensive insights into transportation networks and patterns around a property.
For parking: monitors parking spaces to detect available spaces and guide drivers to reduce congestion.
What we like: By leveraging a real estate assets’ existing cameras, Fyma’s is able to unlock real-time intelligence without the adoption challenges that come with needing to install new hardware.
Sometimes you need a little guidance — especially when it comes to your money. After all, mistakes can cost you your financial future.
If you happen to live in Chicago, you not only have access to deep-dish pizza and Chicago Cubs games, but you have access to some of the best financial advisors in the country.
Here are eight of the best financial advisors in Chicago to help you forge the path ahead.
What’s Ahead:
Overview of the best financial advisors in Chicago
Asset requirements: Mindful Money Financial Counsel does not have investment minimums.
Typical fees: Initial planning fees start at $600; a written plan of normal complexity is $3,600. You can sign up for a Wealth Builder membership, which is $60 per month and hourly support is $300 per hour.
Whether you’re looking for small tweaks or a complete game plan, Mindful Money Financial Counsel is ready to help you. This Chicago-based firm operates on a fee-only basis, so you know their advice is objective and not based on whether they’ll get a commission by signing you up for something you may not need. Plus, their approach is holistic and there are no investment minimums.
You don’t have to sign over any of your money to them, and you can lean on them as much or as little as you need: hire them for a one-time session, or keep them on year after year to help shape your finances as life progresses.
Asset requirements: Basil Financial does not list an account minimum required.
Typical fees: Basil Financial Group are fiduciaries, meaning they are bound to advise in your best interest — not theirs. They operate on a fee-only basis, so you don’t have to worry that they are trying to sell you something so they can earn a commission.
Basil Financial Group is a Chicago-based firm that offers integrated financial planning services, including planning, investments, and taxes.
Basil Financial Group takes a holistic approach as well, so that all your decisions affecting your finances work seamlessly together.
Typical fees: The Planning Center is a fee-only, fiduciary firm.
At The Planning Center, which has offices in Chicago as well as New Orleans, Tulsa, Fresno, Quad Cities, Twin Cities, and Anchorage, you have access to 232 combined years of experience. The Planning Center’s team gives you a safe place to discuss your finances and figure out your goals.
Asset requirements: Veo Financial doesn’t advertise a minimum investment level, but does say they’re happy to advise clients who want to control their own investments in addition to those who want to turn it all over to an expert.
Typical fees: For a one-off session, expect to pay about $420-$630. Retiree resource planning typically starts at $1,050 and a full portfolio review can be $2,220 and up.
Garrett Investment Advisors connects clients with fee-only, fiduciary financial planners in offices across the country. Leisa Aiken, founder of Veo Financial Counsel, is a member who operates out of Chicago proper. Veo Financial Counsel offers a range of services to fit your budget and your needs.
Lake Life Wealth Advisory Group
Contact: (224) 286-1625 or patti.hughes@lakelifewealthadvisorygroup.
Typical fees: Lake Life is a fee-only, fiduciary advisor, earning no commissions on their recommendations and putting your best interests first. Annual retainer fees range from $3,000 to $20,000, depending on net worth, services needed, and other factors.
Patti Hughes of Lake Life Wealth Advisory Group is a fee-only financial planner who serves clients both Chicago-based and nationwide. She provides comprehensive financial planning services to clients in all financial situations.
Typical fees: Crescendo is a fee-only firm, and they offer no-cost consultations so you can see if their services are a good fit for you.
Actually located in Oak Brook, IL, just outside the city, Crescendo Financial Planners believes your investment portfolio is just part of the picture. They too take a holistic approach to your finances, helping you plan all the different parts of your financial life so they integrate effectively.
Services offered: Tax planning, employee benefit plans, investment management, saving for education, saving for a home.
Asset requirements: None listed.
Typical fees: Mentor Capital is fee-only. Fees for investment management range from 0.5% for very large portfolios to 1% for smaller portfolios. Financial planning fees depend on the complexity of your situation but will be spelled out at your initial meeting.
Mentor Capital Management offers comprehensive financial planning services and investment advice. Founder and principal John S. Davis is a NAPFA-registered Certified Financial Planner and has been helping people grow their money since 1991.
Asset requirements: DeRose does not require any minimum income or net worth to work with them.
Typical fees: DeRose charges a flat fee, which is quoted at your initial meeting. It may depend on your net worth and the complexity of your financial situation.
DeRose Financial Planning Group is a holistic firm serving the greater Chicagoland area. They were founded by Karen DeRose, CFP, CRPC.
Summary of the best financial advisors in Chicago
Advisor
Help with
Contact info
Mindful Money Financial Counsel
• Student loan pay down • Investing • Retirement • Tax optimization • General financial optimization
8755 West Higgins Road Suite 200 Chicago, IL 60631
(773) 380-8523
How I came up with this list
This list of top Chicago financial planners was created to focus on the needs of young professionals.
Companies focused on only high-net-worth individuals did not make this list, in order to be more inclusive of all incomes and backgrounds. I also wanted to make sure each company abided by the following:
They are Certified Financial Planners
All of the advisors on this list are Certified Financial Planners (CFP), a designation that lets you know that they will be focused on your bottom line — not theirs.
They are fee-only
I excluded brokers that sell by commission to focus on fee-only advisors. With commission-based brokers or advisors, you may be pressured into an investment or other product because they stand to benefit from the commission. With fee-only advisors, you pay a flat rate no matter what their recommendations include.
They accept all income levels
There is no sense in recommending a financial planner that caters only to high-net-worth individuals, because many times people at the start of their careers still need financial advice, even if their income hasn’t caught up to their plans yet.
Although all material has been double-checked against published information, you should take special care to make run your selection through FINRA’s BrokerCheck system for the most up-to-date information. FINRA is the regulatory agency dedicated to protecting investors and can tell you if a broker is legally registered to be able to sell securities or give investment advice. You can also check FINRA’s Barred Individuals list if you are curious about your broker.
What questions should you ask a financial advisor?
No matter who you choose, it’s important to ask a few key questions before you commit to hiring a financial planner.
Are you certified?
Are you a fiduciary?
How do you receive compensation for your services?
What is your fee structure?
Are you a member of any financial planner associations or membership groups?
What is your education or background?
Do you require a minimum income or asset level?
Do you require an ongoing commitment, or can I hire you for a one-time consultation?
What is your investment philosophy?
What are the costs of hiring a financial advisor?
Hiring professional help isn’t free. Understand what the typical costs and expenses are in hiring a financial advisor so you know what to expect when you hire them.
You’ll be able to schedule an initial consultation, which is a time for you to “try out” the advisor and see if you like them as well as get a feel for whether there is a personality fit. Use this time to ask them questions about their philosophy, their methods, their fee structure, and everything else pertinent to your situation.
After that initial consultation, expect the advisor to charge an hourly fee for their advice and assistance, usually at a rate of a couple of hundred dollars. Some may be more, some may be a little less. Ask them for a declaration sheet, which should disclose their rates, fees, and other charges.
A typical, comprehensive financial plan from a certified financial planner should cost about $1,000 or $2,000, but an exceptionally complex financial situation could cost more.
When it comes to managing your investments, an advisor will typically charge a percentage of the assets under their management: usually about 1%. That is an incentive for them to help you grow your wealth, because the more returns you receive, the more they are paid. So if you have $100,000 invested, they would take $1,000 as a fee.
At the beginning of 2020, no one expected the United States would be in the position it is in today, including me. With social distancing the new normal, many people are still hoping to buy a home; now they’re stuck wondering if they should purchase a home right now or wait out the pandemic.
As with most financial questions, the answer depends on many factors. You have control over some of these things. Other aspects are out of your hands. People that consciously examine their current position and the risks can make a somewhat educated decision.
My wife and I started the process of buying our current home and selling our old home in December 2019 before the pandemic was on anyone’s radar. By the time we ended up closing on both homes at the end of February 2020, COVID-19 had just started spooking the United States markets.
I’ve included our experiences and personal thoughts to help you get a feel for what real buyers and sellers are going through.
What’s Ahead:
What are the pros of buying a home during the pandemic?
There is lower competition for homes due to fewer people actively shopping and buying homes right now.
Mortgage interest rates may be near all-time lows resulting in lower monthly mortgage payments.
You have the potential to get a better deal on a home’s price than a few months ago if a seller needs to sell or wants to put a house behind them.
What are the cons of buying a home during the pandemic?
You risk contracting COVID-19 every time you leave your current home.
Housing inventory may be lower as some sellers wait until this passes to list their homes or they don’t want people coming through their house.
You may not be able to move through the home buying and mortgage process smoothly.
Housing prices may decrease in the near future.
Mortgage lenders may have stricter lending guidelines that disqualify you when you may have qualified for a mortgage prior to the pandemic.
You may have a harder time finding top-notch home inspectors, appraisers, and other professionals during the pandemic.
Moving may be more difficult as friends and family probably won’t volunteer to help due to social distancing guidelines.
Mortgage lenders to consider if you do decide to buy a home during the COVID-19 pandemic
For well-prepared individuals with a strong financial position, now may be the perfect time to buy the home of your dreams. You’ll have to hope the right home comes on the market and you can get a good deal on it. If everything comes together, it is still possible to buy a home during the pandemic in most cases.
When you’re ready to start mortgage shopping, make sure you check out Credible to help figure out if you’re getting a good deal.
Credible helps you shop multiple mortgage rates at once. It only takes three minutes to enter some basic information and get pre-approved for a loan. You’ll then see personalized rate quotes from a variety of lenders.
Credible doesn’t do a hard pull of your credit score to qualify you. That means you won’t have to worry about your score dropping while you’re preparing to buy a house. Credible also doesn’t provide your information to lenders, so the pre-qualification process is between you and Credible.
Credible Operations, Inc. NMLS# 1681276, “Credible.” Not available in all states. www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org.”
Credible Credit Disclosure – Requesting prequalified rates on Credible is free and doesn’t affect your credit score. However, applying for or closing a loan will involve a hard credit pull that impacts your credit score and closing a loan will result in costs to you.
Why some people are concerned about buying a home during the pandemic
People have good reason to be concerned about buying a home during the COVID-19 pandemic. This disease has drastically changed how the United States works.
The buying process increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission
If you fear for your health, buying a home may not be a good idea right now. The process of buying a home typically involves many in-person interactions.
While you may be able to mitigate some of these interactions with social distancing, being careful, and washing your hands, it may not be enough. The more you leave your home and interact with others, the higher your chance of catching the virus is.
In particular, you usually meet with a real estate agent in person. You tour many homes you’re interested in, most of which have people that live in them.
You may want to attend any home or pest inspections in person to understand exactly what you’re buying and to see any potential problems firsthand. Once everything with the sale is wrapped up and ready to sign, you have to go to a closing and sign paperwork with a closing agent.
There are other steps in between that could also expose you to the virus, but these are the most essential. You could take virtual home tours and some states may allow for virtual closings. Even so, very few people would buy a home without setting foot in it first. I don’t blame them.
The mortgage lending process is facing challenging times
Getting a mortgage is usually a predictable process. You apply for a mortgage and give the lender the requested paperwork. This paperwork helps the lender feel confident you can afford the mortgage. Things aren’t as simple today as they once were, though.
Mortgage rates are all over the place
Lenders tend to offer fairly competitive rates in a stable environment. Some lenders may offer better rates than others, but the difference between lenders is normally relatively small.
Our original mortgage process was straightforward without any problems. After we closed on our home, mortgage rates dropped fast. We decided to refinance our mortgage right after closing on our home.
For the refinance, finding a lender with a great rate was a bit harder than we thought it would be. We had to do a lot of shopping around to find the best rates as some lenders had rates that were much higher than others were offering.
Rate quotes were as much as 2% different between lenders over the course of a couple of weeks. This is insane in a stable mortgage market.
Some mortgage processes have become more strict
Underwriters review the information you’ve submitted to see if you qualify for the loan. They look to see if they need any additional information and eventually approve your loan for closing. Usually, this is straightforward and borrowers know what to expect. Today, requirements may be changing.
Mortgage companies have started altering their requirements to take out a mortgage. Chase stated back in April that buyers of certain home loan programs will have to have a credit score of 700 and a 20% down payment to get certain types of mortgages. And many lenders have followed their lead.
We could tell the process was getting stricter when we refinanced in March, as well. To our surprise, one lender would have required us to sign an affidavit saying we hadn’t lost our jobs and our income situation hadn’t changed at closing.
I didn’t have to sign this paperwork when we originally closed on our purchase loan. Lenders seemed like they were taking a more in-depth look at the mortgages they had in process, and this was in mid-March. As this crisis continues to drag on, lenders may get even more stringent.
Slower processes could challenge your closing timeline
Unfortunately, coronavirus has made the mortgage process more difficult. Due to the virus, interest rates on mortgages have generally dropped. This is great news for your monthly payment, but it also means mortgage lenders are much busier than usual processing refinance requests.
This can slow down the mortgage approval process because lenders don’t necessarily have enough staff to handle the higher refinance demand. To make matters worse, COVID-19 has forced many employees to work from home. At home, the employees may be less efficient and not have the tools they need to complete their jobs as quickly.
The lender usually orders an appraisal to make sure the home isn’t worth less than you’re paying for it, too. This requires an appraiser to visit the home and complete an appraisal report. The virus has posed challenges for these appraisers.
Many home sellers may not want to let a stranger enter their home to assess its value. There is no telling if the appraiser has the virus or not. Even if you can get an appraiser, they may have to take extra precautions which could slow down the process.
If a mortgage lender can’t complete the entire mortgage process in time, it could delay your closing on your home. This could result in penalties or your contract falling through altogether.
So, should you buy a home during the pandemic?
Buying a home during the pandemic could work out in your favor. If you have your finances in great shape, you could take advantage of the down market during these tough times.
Get a good deal on houses that must sell
Some people absolutely must sell their homes right now. They may have already bought another home elsewhere and can’t afford to make two mortgage payments for long. Others may have had to relocate for work and don’t want to wait to see if COVID-19 drags their old house’s value down.
In these cases, you can test the willingness of the sellers to wait out the COVID-19 pandemic. Some sellers may not be willing to budge on price. Other sellers may drastically reduce their selling price to sell and avoid future uncertainty. If you’re not picky about getting a particular house, you could get a great deal.
If our prior house didn’t sell before the pandemic took hold, this very well could have been our family. It could have resulted in us getting a much lower price than we ended up selling our home for, or us holding on to our home for a much longer period to get the price we wanted. Either way, it would have cost us money.
Avoid homes you won’t own for long
Be careful about what type of home you buy during the pandemic. Now is not the time for most people to buy starter homes that they plan to move out of in a few quick years. If housing prices drop, you may be stuck in the home.
Buying long-term or forever homes may work out fine
Buyers purchasing a home they plan to spend a significant amount of time in, such as a decade or more, should hopefully be able to weather any negative short term impacts the housing market faces. Nothing is guaranteed, though.
Why shouldn’t you buy a home during the pandemic?
Buying a home during the pandemic isn’t a good move for everyone. In fact, you may be better off waiting to buy.
Limited housing supply
As a home seller, we’re delighted we sold when we did. If we still had our home on the market after the COVID-19 pandemic took hold and we still lived there, we would not have been comfortable with others coming through our home to view it.
If we hadn’t put our house on the market already, chances are we would have waited until after the pandemic was over to list our home. It would have put our mind at ease that we wouldn’t have to find another place to live while the world is in lockdown should we be lucky enough to sell.
Other potential sellers are facing similar dilemmas. This could result in fewer houses being put on the market, resulting in a tighter home supply during a typically busy spring market.
Housing prices could decline
No one knows how the housing market will end up on the other side of this pandemic. It could result in lower housing prices in the future. This result could be temporary or it could last for years.
Even if you think you’re getting a deal today, prices may decrease even more before the pandemic is over. Without a sizable down payment and equity in your home, you may end up underwater and be unable to sell it or move.
As a home buyer, we’re happy with our purchase. Even so, part of me wonders if we’ve now bought at a peak in prices. We are very aware we might see housing prices decrease in the future.
This doesn’t worry us as much as it may bother others. We plan to live in this house for at least 10 years. It has plenty of space and is in a great neighborhood with good schools. If this was a starter home, we would be very concerned about our ability to resell it for a profit in a few years.
You could lose the income you use to pay your mortgage
Another reason to avoid buying a home right now is uncertainty about your job. Those that need a paycheck every two weeks to make their mortgage payment could end up getting foreclosed on if they get furloughed or laid off.
Unless you have substantial financial reserves that could help make mortgage payments until you find a new job, buying a home right now probably isn’t a good idea. Instead, you may be better off focusing on building reserves.
Buying a home would exhaust your cash reserves
Most people save for years to be able to afford a down payment for a home. When they close on their home, some people use almost all of their available cash to do so. This leaves them with no emergency fund to speak of.
If this is you, don’t buy a home right now. If anything bad happens after you purchase your home, it could put you in financial ruin. Losing a job could result in foreclosure. A large home maintenance item that suddenly needs to be taken care of, such as a damaged sewer line, could put you into debt.
Instead, wait until you have enough money for a down payment while still keeping a cash reserve after you close on your home. Something unexpected always pops up.
When we bought our first home, we quickly found out our air conditioner needed to be replaced. That was an unexpected $3,000 expense on a $79,000 home, but it could have been much more if we needed a new roof.
You may not be able to sell your current home
If you would have to sell your current home to afford your next home, now isn’t a great time to buy. Whether you want to move to a different area or move up to a nicer home, there is no guarantee your current home will sell in time.
If it doesn’t sell and your contract to buy falls apart, you may lose your earnest money and any other fees you paid throughout the process. The other potential issue could be selling your home for much less than you’d otherwise get if you weren’t crunched for time. Either way, you could lose out substantially if things don’t work out as anticipated.
Summary
Buying a home could be a good move for you if your finances are in order, you’re buying a home for the long haul and the right house comes along.
However, those with an uncertain future or just enough funds to barely make a down payment on a house would likely be better off waiting until there is more certainty before buying. You may not get as good of a deal, though.
What movies do you respect but did not enjoy watching? For example, they had artistic values, a powerful story, or were generally well-made, but for whatever reason, didn’t float your boat? After polling the internet, here are the top twenty-five film responses.
1. Uncut Gem (2019)
“This! I completely agree with you. Uncut Gemswith Adam Sandler is a great movie I will never see again. I felt like I had a panic attack the entire way through,” shared one.
Another admitted, “I thought Adam Sandler did a phenomenal job, and it was a great movie; I hated every second of it. I was too nervous, anxious, and annoyed at everyone’s decisions.” Finally, a third said, “Agree. Uncut Gems was supposed to put the audience on edge most of the time, and it did. Very Well. It made me feel super anxious.”
2. The Joker (2019)
“I cast my vote for the Joker movie. I get why people like it, but man, what an utterly unpleasant yet respectable movie,” someone suggested. “That whole routine at the comedy club made me cringe so hard it hurt, even if it was completely the point,” confessed a second.
“Yeah. It’s well made, and it’s an interesting idea. But I hate the movie. As both just a film and an exploration of a comic book villain that didn’t need one.” Joker 2 will be a musical starring Lady Gaga.
3. Schindler’s List (1993)
“Schindler’s List. It’s a brilliant movie, and everyone should see it once, but I will never watch it again,” one expressed. “It was such a powerful, horrifying movie about a reality we were lucky not to have been a part of,” another shared.
“Came here for this. The entire movie – which is incredible and necessary to watch – felt like my stomach dropped, like when you’ve reached the peak of a roller coaster and are about to go down.”
“Except there was no relief. No thrilling rushes down or satisfaction of catching your breath as it hits another incline—just a lasting gut punch followed by the realization that it wasn’t just a movie. I’ll never watch it again,” a third user stated.
4. American History X (1998)
One person admitted, “I discussed American History X with a dear friend, and we agreed that 1.) The dental scene on the curb had scarred our minds for life, and 2.) Once was PLENTY.”
Another suggested, “Everyone needs to watch American History X, but it’s a movie I don’t want to watch again.” A third shared, “I own the movie and have watched it two times. Steven Spielberg did an outstanding job.”
“The musical score is hauntingly beautiful. The production was a Super Bowl, World Series, and Stanely Cup. All wrapped up in one. Must watch this historic and horrific movie.”
5. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
“I vote A Clockwork Orange,” one replied. “I’m shocked this was only mentioned once on this list so far. This film is thoroughly unenjoyable to me.”
“I’ve only seen the film once, about a decade ago, so I don’t have the best insight. However, if I remember correctly, the film shows that while criminals can be ruthless, the justice system they’re placed in can be similarly horrific,” a second added.
“It was tough and not a first date movie. The strength of your disgust is the entire point. Alex is a monster, and that must be made clear. With that being said, I did not enjoy this movie, but I respect it,” a third user expressed.
6. Dunkirk (2017)
“This was my answer. It did an amazing job capturing the feeling of being in that war; the only problem was that feeling was miserable. I would not willingly experience that again,” shared one.
“One thing I liked about Dunkirk, which made it hard to watch, was the age of the soldiers. The kids on the beach looked so young, too young to be in such danger, but that’s how it was,” another admitted.
“And yet, despite almost feeling shell-shocked while viewing Dunkirk, it continues to be one of my most respected movies. Don’t get me wrong; I would never watch it again, but yeah.”
7. 1917 (2019)
“I respond strongest in films to the feeling of unfair power imbalances. So scenes where bullies pick on the small kid etc., get to me. This film felt like that to a million, but there wasn’t an end to it. But it was a terrific piece of cinematic artwork,” one expressed.
“When the credits rolled, I had a panic attack in the cinema. Unfortunately, I’ve not yet had it in me to rewatch it, but good lord, what a fantastic film to never watch again,” stated another.
“I saw it in theaters, and the sound was physically jarring. Which I suppose is what they were going for, trying to give the audience that feeling of tension and fear that the character was experiencing, but as a moviegoer, that was unpleasant.”
8. The Revenant (2015)
“Powerful performances by Leonardo Dicaprio and Tom Hardy, beautiful cinematography and soundtrack, and a brutal tale of survival and revenge, what’s not to love? I would never watch it again, though,” admitted one.
“I said immediately after seeing this movie; I enjoyed it. Leo is great. I will never see it again. Everyone needs to see this movie at least once in their lifetime. It provokes the thought of who Hugh Glass was in REAL LIFE,” a second shared.
“I’m going to go on a limb and say The Revenant was enjoyable, but I won’t sit through that again. Still weird to me that that’s the movie Leo won an Oscar. Not several other better performances and movies. A good, bad film overall.”
9. The Lighthouse (2019)
One person noted, “The Lighthouse was a stunning film with wonderful performances by Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe. Hear me clearly when I say this, I WILL NEVER WATCH THIS AGAIN.”
“This, the cinematography was some of the best and most interesting I’ve seen, and the performances are incredible. But it’s such an uncomfortable movie to watch,” said another.
“This is exactly it,” a third agreed. “It’s a visually stunning film. Parts of it still get me, particularly where Dafoe is giving this excellent monologue while dirt is flying into his face and mouth. I can’t, at my own will, sit through this movie for a second viewing.”
10. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
“2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s a remarkable technical achievement. But as a movie, I can’t do it again,” said one. “I love this sci-fi classic. It’s stunning, and the slow-burn nature of the pacing helps make it feel more human if that makes sense.”
“But I’m also not too fond of it. It’s also prolonged and weird,” another replied. “Yeah, same here. I get that this beloved and respected film is a technical masterpiece. But it is so dull. So mindboggling dull,” a third added.
11. Citizen Kane (1941)
“Citizen Kane deserves the accolades. It broke a lot of ground visually and technically. It’s based on the lives of egomaniacal newspaper barons, which a modern audience has mostly forgotten. But you don’t want to watch it repeatedly,” one expressed.
“I only watched it to watch Mank, and it took me three tries to finish it… I know this film was innovative regarding cinematography, editing, and script, but it was just not for everyone,” replied another.
“For me, it’s about something other than not liking it in total but not liking the story itself. The film is gorgeous, but I see it as the story of the rise and fall of a detestable person and all the despicable people who surrounded him,” a third person shared.
12. Hotel Rwanda (2004)
“Yeah, that movie is emotionally exhausting. You become so invested in the story that you can feel the dread of these terrified citizens scrambling to survive. I had to watch this in high school for a class discussion in French Class. I will never watch this again,” admitted one.
A second noted, “It’s interesting how little violence they choose to show. Using your imagination puts you in the hotel occupants’ shoes, and the unknown can be more frightening. It is surely a story that needs telling, but I would not recommend it for anything other than research.”
“We watched this in high school for a History through Film course. It took a couple of days to watch and discuss, but it became one of those movies I watched once. Too emotional and upsetting for me,” a third user noted.
13. Amistad (1997)
“Amistad with Matthew McConaughey has no-frills, matter-of-fact scenes of brutality towards enslaved people. I respect it as probably close to accurate. But they are hard to watch. My wife cannot watch Amistad again, and I won’t let her. She broke down sobbing the one time she saw Amistad,” one confessed.
“This movie was so hard to watch, but that means it is making its intended point,” another said. “To this day, scenes of abject brutality don’t sit well. I know that it happens, it’s historically accurate, but nothing is entertaining there. It’s instructive, of course. I still haven’t watched The Passion.”
14. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
“The one time my partner asked how bad 12 Years a Slave I told her she would not want to watch it. However, that movie made a lasting impression, enough for the both of us,” reported one.
“She saw the look on my face and has never asked to watch it. I understand its message so much that I need never see it again.” A second agreed, “12 Years a Slave, for sure. It’s upsetting and unsettling, but well done and accurate.”
15. The Road (2009)
“The Road did an excellent job of capturing a sense of hopelessness, but I couldn’t make it through the whole movie a second time. Finally, I got about halfway through and realized that I didn’t need or enjoy how it made me feel. But by that point, I was too far in to turn back,” someone explained.
“The relationship between the two main characters was very well done,” shared another. “I enjoyed seeing it done well. But, on the flip side, I had an overwhelming sense of dread once the film was over. Won’t be doing that again.”
“I was the same way with this movie. I had to finish it, will never view it again. I don’t have the emotional resilience to repeat the experience. But, the book is just as much, if not bleaker, so it’s a faithful book-to-film adaptation,” a third informed.
16. Eraserhead (1977)
“I feel this way about most of David Lynch’s work. Utterly enthralling and wildly unique, but generally, just not for me. I do find David Lynch, the person, to be delightful, though,” someone stated.
“I watched it once and found this film super interesting and stylistically incredible, but would I watch Eraserhead again? Not really. I also wanted to love Twin Peaks, but it fizzled out for me,” confirmed another. “I just watched this for the first time yesterday. What an absolute slow burn of a masterpiece. I’ll never watch it again.”
17. Mother! (2017)
“OH, MY WORD! I had to go way too far down the list for this one. I respect the movie for what it did, but I will never watch this again. It also didn’t help it was advertised all wrong,” suggested one.
“The end of this film I had in my head for over a month. Sweet Christmas, the anxiety and panic the ending induced was horrifying and amazing simultaneously,” a second confessed.
Finally, a third admitted, “One of the most anxiety-inducing movies I’ve ever seen. That scene with the baby sent me into a full-on panic attack. I can respect this as a form of art, but I could never watch this a second time around.”
18. The Tree of Life (2011)
“In a theater, I saw this, The Tree of Life with Terrence Malick, and many people clapped at the end. My sister and I thought it was the most boring thing we’d ever seen. We had no idea why everyone was clapping. I would not sit through that again,” one informed.
“I was furious after seeing this movie. Forty-five minutes of off-screen whispering, 45 minutes of the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey and dinosaurs. Then 45 minutes of other random things. I didn’t get any of it. Call me insane, but I respect his work of art; I would never participate in watching it again.
19. Solaris (1972)
“Tarkovsky’s films, specifically Solaris. It is a profound work in its own right. But Solaris is much too slow for me. I recently attempted to watch Stalker but couldn’t make it through. Hope to finish Stalker soon” noted one.
A second shared, “Recently watched Solaris in the last two years. You must be in an exceptional mood to watch this Tarkovsky movie. Solaris is heavy, mentally, and thematically dense,” reported another.
“And not only that, but the things he wants you to examine are so gosh darn lofty. He’s the film equivalent of reading War and Peace or Ulysses. I understand his premise, but I could never watch this movie again.”
20. Dancer in The Dark (2000)
“Dancer in the Dark. One day I was thinking: It’s been long enough that I’ve been tempted to watch it again recently, but then I remember a few key scenes, and I know I can’t,” someone informed.
“Yes. Holy smokes, the ending is so freaking bleak. It’s an absolute triumph, but catch me never watching that movie again as long as I live. I also didn’t enjoy it, but I respected it,” a second added. “I came here to say this. I watched it 20 years ago and loved it, but I’m not putting myself through it again. It’s peak bleak,” a third agreed.
21. Black Panther (2018)
“I understand and appreciate what the film achieved for the black community, but overall it was pretty dull. I get it, Marvel Cinematic Universe and all, but I couldn’t bare to watch this again,” reported one.
“It’s a badly paced movie. It has a good cast, but most have nothing substantial to do other than Michael B. Jordan, a great villain. It is let down by the climax being a battle between two almost-identical CGI models against a CGI background,” another concurred.
22. Grave of The Fireflies (1988)
“Grave of the Fireflies. Excellent movie, but it was emotionally exhausting, and I can’t watch it again. Talk about full-on ugly crying,” one confessed. “Easily the greatest movie I’ve ever seen that I will never watch again. That’s my formal review. This animated film was soul-crushing,” a second replied.
“I WISH sometimes I had the fortitude to watch it again, but after my experiences with the language and history/culture and time spent there (esp in Hiroshima)……every time I think I can revisit the film, I just feel utterly haunted,” a third user admitted.
23. The Irishman (2019)
One user shared, “The special effects were incredibly distracting for me in The Irishman. I was stoked to see the heavy hitters from the mob movies’ glory days, but walked away scratching my head.”
“Same here, I love the old mob movies, so I was stoked to hear about Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci in a movie together. So it felt weird wanting the movie to end already. Would not recommend,” another noted.
“Perfect answer,” a third replied. “I was so excited about The Irishman, and I tried to assure myself that I liked it even while watching it. Yet I’ve never even considered rewatching it or recommending it to anyone.”
24. Mulholland Drive (2001)
“I love him, but can you blame someone for saying I respect Mulholland Drive but did not enjoy watching it? I feel that way about many of David Lynch’s works,” someone confessed.
“I don’t even get why it’s so good. I enjoyed Twin Peaks, but all of his stuff is weird for the sake of being weird. Can someone explain why Mulholland Drive is so good?” asked another.
“It’s a beautiful take on the spectacle of Hollywood. I can appreciate that was the message, and it was aesthetically pleasing at any one moment. It just never captured my interest like I wanted it to. And I don’t mind the freaky. I liked Eraserhead,” replied a third user.
25. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
“The Killing of a Sacred Deer is one of the best and most disturbing films I’ve seen in a long time. It has stuck with me, but I’m in no hurry to rewatch it anytime soon or ever!” one exclaimed. “I like The Killing of a Sacred Deer. But it was alarming, both about how monstrous “regular” people can be and how scary the aftermath is. So I am in no rush to subject myself to that again,” another reported.
Source: Reddit.
Image Credit: Shutterstock – Denis Makarenko
Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role? After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.
10 Actresses People Despise Watching Regardless of Their Role
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble?
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.
These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth
Image Credit: Troma Entertainment
We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.
These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites
Warren Buffett is one of my heroes. He’s the second-richest man in the world, yet he lives more frugally than I do. CNBC recently broadcast an interview with Buffett. Naturally, it’s been posted to YouTube. Here’s the show in its entirety (with notes and excerpts I made while watching). [Update March 7, 2018: The show is no longer available online]
As a kid, Buffett would go door-to-door selling chewing gum and Coke. He’d buy six bottles for a quarter, and then sell them for a nickel each. He bought his first stock at the age of eleven. He bought a 40-acre farm at the age of fourteen using money he had saved from a paper route.
Some of his fundamental tenets for investing are:
Patience pays: buy ’em and hold ’em.
Invest in businesses you understand.
Look for businesses with “durable competitive advantage”.
Look for honest, able management.
Buy at a reasonable price.
Buffett notes that students today have a better standard of living than John D. Rockefeller once did. “Really getting to do what you love to do everyday — that’s really the ultimate luxury… Your standard of living is not equal to your cost of living.“
Buffett is happy if he can have a big-screen television, a bucket of popcorn, and sit in his sweats watching Nebraska football games. “The second-richest man on the planet lives the way he invests: simply and without much fuss.” He eats burgers, fries, and cherry cokes. His doctor gave him a choice: eat better or exercise. He chose to exercise.
CNBC: “You’re not one to accumulate a lot of things.” Buffett: “No. Most toys are a pain in the neck.“
Aswath Damodaran, a professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business says: “I think what Warren Buffet embodies is the importance of thinking for yourself, not letting other advisors, other experts, tell you what the right stock to invest in, because they’re coming from a very different place than you are.” In other words: do what works for you!
Buffett hasn’t made a penny off all the products that are pitched using his name. His favorite book about himself is by Lawrence Cunningham, The Essays of Warren Buffet: Lessons for Corporate America. (The same author wrote How to Think Like Benjamin Graham and Invest Like Warren Buffett, which also looks interesting.)
CNBC: “What is the one thing that young people should be doing about money?” Buffett: “I tell them two things, generally. One is stay away from credit cards… The second thing I tell them is to invest in themselves.”
CNBC: “What’s the number one thing you’ve learned from doing business with Warren Buffett?” Business Owner: “Ethics.”
CNBC: “What is the Warren Buffett secret to success?” Buffett: “If people get to my age and they have the people love them that they want to have love them, they’re successful. It doesn’t make any difference if they’ve got a thousand dollars in the bank or a billion dollars in the bank… Success is really doing what you love and doing it well. It’s as simple as that. I’ve never met anyone doing that who doesn’t feel like a success. And I’ve met plenty of people who have not achieved that and whose lives are miserable.”
You can find more information on Warren Buffett at The Warren Buffett fan center.
Your credit score is like a pet monster under the bed. Feed it and care for it, and it will do your bidding. But if you neglect it, it will turn against you. But beware! Taking good care of it can bring you dangerously close to its sharp teeth.
Your credit score determines the types of credit you can obtain, and how much you will be charged in interest. Last year I described the anatomy of a credit score, explaining that it’s a single number derived from various pieces of information contained in your credit report.
CNNMoney has a presentation that describes six situations that can to turn your credit score from a friendly monster into a raging beast. If you want to keep the beast happy, avoid:
Using too much credit — One expert estimates that your credit score declines one point for each percentage of your total credit that you utilize. (In other words, if you have $2,000 debt on $10,000 total credit, your credit score is docked 20 points.) Don’t carry debt!
Making late payments — The same expert estimates that an average late payment can subtract 60 points from your score. Even residual delinquencies can hurt your score. Pay on time!
Limiting your credit — In order to have a credit score, you have to use credit. If you avoid certain types of credit, your score will be lower. Real-life example: I do not have a personal credit card. My credit score is docked because of this, and I know it.
Getting too much credit too soon — The afore-mentioned expert believes that each time you apply for credit, your score gets dinged five points. The credit monster gets a belly-ache when you feed it too much at once; it prefers small portions.
Closing unused accounts — Because of the way credit scores are calculated, closing unused credit accounts actually hurts your rating. The longer you’ve had an account, the more weight it carries. It soothes the credit monster when you leave accounts open, unused. Real-life example: Before I knew this, I closed a bunch of unused credit card accounts. My credit score dropped.
Failing to keep tabs on your credit report — Even if you do everything right, you can take a credit hit from identity theft and other forms of fraud. Even simple errors can hurt your score. It is imperative that you check your credit report regularly.
As with caring for any monster, keeping your credit score happy requires some choices that may seem a little dangerous. Limiting your credit might make the most sense from a rational standpoint, especially if you’re trying to get out of debt, but it makes your credit monster cranky. It’s hungry for more. You should do what works for you. In my case, I opt not to carry a personal credit card despite the ding to my score. This is best for my situation.
Remember to obtain your free credit report regularly. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months.
The easiest way to check your credit is through AnnualCreditReport.com, an official, government-approved site. If you’d like, you can obtain reports from all three credit reporting agencies at once. Or, you can stagger your requests, possibly requesting one report every four months from a different agency.
Be good to your credit and it will be good to you!