It's that time of year where people start thinking about vacations and the possibility of buying that second home somewhere tropical. Bill Furlong, Vice President of Americas at HomeAway, joins Your Future Home to give a few tips on how to settle on the perfect second home.
Furlong says that people look for different amenities in a second home and some of them are little more fun than what they would prefer in the main house. Perhaps they want a pool or a hot tub. Some even splurge for an in-home theater or putting green. He says the average person spends around $330,000 on a second home and may rent it out during certain weeks of the year.
Plus, before purchasing a second home you need to consider the costs. Furlong says you'll need to budget for new furniture, upkeep, repairs, taxes and seasonal implications such as weatherproofing and lawn care.
Chair Jerome Powell says the Federal Reserve only expects to cut rates once in 2024. But at least, as one economist says, ‘rate hikes are off the table.’
With the Fed likely set to leave rates unchanged, lower and middle income Americans will continue dealing with higher credit card interest and expenses.
Markets soared in May after Nvidia’s Q1 success, but concerns over slowing consumer spending, especially among middle—and lower-income groups, loom large.