Saturday,
December 2, 2023

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Top Story

The week in review

•   Fed Governor Christopher Waller said monetary policy was tight enough, even though inflation was still too high. This helped to briefly send the 10-year Treasury yield below 4.4% on Monday, its lowest level since mid-September.

•   U.S. GDP grew at a seasonally adjusted and annualized rate of 5.2% in Q3, faster than initially reported, marking the strongest growth since Q4 of 2021.

•   New home sales fell more than expected in October. The median price of new houses sold was roughly $409,000.

For more economic news, visit On the Money — SoFi’s one-stop-shop for news, trends, and tips!

Is a home on your holiday wishlist?

A home might not be a common item on a holiday wish list… but maybe it should be.

While spring and summer months tend to be the busiest seasons to buy real estate, becoming a homeowner during the off-season has perks.

Motivated Sellers
While inventory is still low in the housing market, real estate agents tend to encourage sellers to put their homes on the market during spring or summer when demand tends to be highest. If a home is listed in the colder months, it could mean there is urgency – like a job relocation or life change. That might mean more room for price negotiations.

Less Competition
Many potential buyers take a break during the winter months, and then start their search again in next year’s home buying season. For off-season home hunters that means less competition.

Look before you leap
With all this said, buying a home shouldn’t be based on the weather.

It’s a major financial decision, and understanding the total cost of monthly payments is important. So before you find your wishlist home, calculate how much you can afford.


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This week's top stories

The U.S. dollar is having a bad month, and the Fed is to blame
Lower interest rates are likely on the horizon, but that’s not good news for every corner of the market. Here’s why lower rates are complicated for the greenback.
Read more >>

It’s an historically bad time to build wealth, because it’s an historically bad time to buy a home
Owning a home is a key ingredient to building wealth – for yourself and the generations to come. So when the housing market is making it hard to get a foot in the literal door, it’s bad news for Americans.
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On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… a record high bill?
The Christmas Price Index is at an all-time high this year. But that hasn’t seemed to stop the spending.
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Deep dives from SoFi Learn

Looking to buy a home? Here’s where your money will go further
America’s housing market is still tough to navigate for a lot of prospective buyers. If you’re looking to get more bang for your buck, these are the 10 most affordable cities by cost per square foot.
Read more >>

Should you rent or buy? Take this quiz and find out
Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you can make. You want to be sure that it’s right for you. Our quiz can help you get some clarity.
Read more >>

How to pay it forward
There are many ways to give back from volunteering to charitable donations. Here are 23 small ways to pay it forward.
Read more >>

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