National Association of REALTORS President, Moe Veissi, said “Homeownership is an investment in our future, but it’s also a gateway to our past. The homes of our country’s founders offer insights into their characters and values and reflect the spirits of their owners, just as our homes do for us today”.  As the Fourth of July steadily approaches we turn our thoughts to fireworks, parades and other traditions that are carried out each year in celebration of Independence Day. Today we would like to reflect on how homeownership has played a part in the history of our nation and the phrase “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.

The American Dream is a set of ideals which allows everyone the opportunity for prosperity and success according to their abilities and hard work. From early settlements in America forward to today, owning a home has been seen as a building block in achieving the height of these ideals. Certainly owning your own home creates freedom and independence simply by having a place to call your own. Along with pride of ownership you gain the freedom to choose the elements that go in to making your house a home. Economic changes have delayed this dream for many but surveys show most Americans still wish to own their own home. In a recent National Housing Survey from Fannie Mae we see that Americans still view owning a home as a positive thing. 64% of those surveyed said that if they were going to move they would be more likely to rent rather than buy. Why? Although modern day America is much different than it was in the 1800’s our ideals have remained fairly constant. A large number of those surveyed cited control over what you do with your living space, freedom to choose a community where people share your values and motivation to become a better citizen as top reasons they aspire to owning their own home.

Owning a home has numerous benefits not only to the owner but to the entire nation. Many have quoted Abraham Lincoln as saying, “The strength of a nation lies in the homes of its people”. This simple truth is still valid today. Owning a home provides security and stability as well as enhances communities. It encourages participation in schools, government and community because owners have a vested interest in improving their homes and neighborhoods. All of these things work to strengthen the social fabric of the nation. The overall value to the nation’s economy from increased homeownership is priceless.

The dream of homeownership has not changed in America. With the low interest rates that are currently available housing affordability is at an all time high making the American Dream obtainable for more and more citizens. We wish everyone a happy Fourth of July and as you are celebrating our nation’s independence we hope that you will take a moment to consider how much owning your own home could add to your own pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. There are numerous available and we are here to help through every step of your journey towards being a homeowner.

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