Real Estate Market Update The Benefits of Using Your Equity To Make a Bigger Down Payment Did you know? Homeowners are often able to put more money down when they buy their next home. That’s because, once they sell, they can use the equity they have in their current house toward their next down payment. And it’s why as home equity reaches a new height, the median down payment has too.   According to the […]
Real Estate Market Update This Is the Sweet Spot Homebuyers Have Been Waiting For After months of sitting on the sidelines, many homebuyers who were priced out by high mortgage rates and affordability challenges finally have an opportunity to make their move. With rates trending down, today’s market is a sweet spot for buyers—and it’s one that may not last long.   So, if you’ve put your own move on the back […]
Real Estate Market Update Buying Beats Renting in 22 Major U.S. Cities That’s right—according to a recent study from Zillow, in 22 of the 50 largest metro areas, monthly mortgage payments are now lower than rent payments (see chart below):     As mortgage rates have eased off their recent peak, home prices have moderated, and inventory has ticked up, affordability has improved significantly. When you add all of that up, it’s getting less expensive to […]
Real Estate Market Update The Latest Builder Trend: Smaller, Less Expensive Homes Even though affordability is improving, buying a home can still feel tough right now. But here’s some good news: builders are focusing their efforts on building smaller homes, and they’re offering key incentives to buyers. And both of these things can be a big help if you’re worried about finding a home that’s right for your budget. […]
Real Estate Market Update Mortgage Rates Drop to Lowest Level in over a Year and a Half Mortgage rates have hit their lowest point in over a year and a half. And that’s big news if you’ve been sitting on the homebuying sidelines waiting for this moment.   Even a small decline in rates could help you get a better monthly payment than you would expect on your next home. And the drop […]
Real Estate Market Update The Number One Mistake Sellers Are Making: Overpricing Their House In today’s housing market, many sellers are making a critical mistake: overpricing their houses. This common error can lead to a home sitting on the market for a long time without any offers. And when that happens, the homeowner may have to drop their asking price to try to re-ignite buyer interest.   Data from Realtor.com shows the number of homeowners realizing […]
Real Estate Market Update How the Federal Reserve’s Next Move Could Impact the Housing Market Now that it’s September, all eyes are on the Federal Reserve (the Fed). The overwhelming expectation is that they’ll cut the Federal Funds Rate at their upcoming meeting, driven primarily by recent signs that inflation is cooling, and the job market is slowing down. Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s Analytics, said: “They’re ready to cut, just as long as we […]
Real Estate Market Update Could a 55+ Community Be Right for You? If you’re thinking about downsizing, you may be hearing about 55+ communities and wondering if they’d be a good fit for you. Here’s some information that could help you make your decision. What Is a 55+ Community? It’s important to note that these communities aren’t just for people who need extra support – they can be […]
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Real Estate Market Update Are Home Prices Going To Come Down? Today’s headlines and news stories about home prices are confusing and make it tough to know what’s really happening. Some say home prices are heading for a correction, but what do the facts say? Well, it helps to start by looking at what a correction means. Here’s what Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com, says:  “In stock […]
Real Estate Market Update What Mortgage Rate Are You Waiting For? You won’t find anyone who’s going to argue that mortgage rates have had a big impact on housing affordability over the past couple of years. But there is hope on the horizon. Rates have actually started to come down. And, recently they hit the lowest point we’ve seen in 2024, according to Freddie Mac (see graph below):     And if you’re thinking about buying a […]
Real Estate Market Update How Mortgage Rate Changes Impact Your Homebuying Power If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, you’ve probably got mortgage rates on your mind. That’s because you’ve likely heard that mortgage rates impact how much you can afford in your monthly mortgage payment, and you want to factor that into your planning. Here’s what you need to know.   What’s Happening with Mortgage Rates? Mortgage rates have […]
Real Estate Market Update 3 Reasons Why We’re Not Headed for a Housing Crash Inventory of Homes for Sale Still Below Norm Months’ Supply of Existing Homes Even though the supply of existing (previously owned) homes is growing, it’s still low.   Builders Aren’t Overbuilding, They’re Catching Up Single-Family Housing Units Completed, in Thousands Builders aren’t overbuilding like in the lead-up to the crash – they’re just catching up […]
Real Estate Market Update The Biggest Mistakes Sellers Are Making Right Now The housing market is going through a transition. Higher mortgage rates are causing more moderate buyer activity at the same time the supply of homes for sale is growing.   And if you aren’t working with an agent, you may not realize that. Here’s the downside. If you’re not informed, you can’t adjust your strategy or expectations to today’s market. […]
Real Estate Market Update Why Fixing Up Your House Can Help It Sell Faster  If you’re thinking about selling your house, you should know there are buyers who are ready and able to pay today’s high prices. But they want a home that’s move-in ready. A recent press release from Redfin explains: “Buyers are still out there and they’re willing to pay today’s high prices, but only if the house is in […]
Real Estate Market Update Why Working with a Real Estate Professional Is Crucial Right Now Navigating the housing market can be tricky, especially these days. That’s why having an experienced guide when buying or selling a home is so important. The market isn’t exactly straightforward right now, and working with a real estate expert can offer insights and advice that make all the difference.   While today’s market conditions might seem confusing or overwhelming, you don’t […]
Real Estate Market Update What To Do When Your House Didn’t Sell If your listing expired and your house didn’t sell, it’s totally natural to feel a mix of frustration and disappointment. And as you’re working through that, you’re probably also wondering what went wrong and what you should do next.   If you still need to move and want to get it back on the market, here […]
Real Estate Market Update How Long Will It Take To Sell My House? You want your house to sell fast. And you may be wondering how long the whole process is going to take. One way to get your answer? Work with a local real estate agent.   They have the expertise to tell you how quickly homes are selling in your area and what’s impacting timelines for other sellers. That way you […]
Real Estate Market Update The Downsides of Selling Your House Without an Agent Lack of Market Expertise Without the hands-on experience and in-depth understanding of market trends an agent brings to the table, you’ll have to operate with blind spots.   Over or Underpricing Your House Without an agent’s pricing expertise, you may set the asking price too high or too low. This can make it harder to […]
Real Estate Market Update Selling Smart: Why a Real Estate Agent Makes All the Difference If you’re considering selling your house on your own as a “For Sale by Owner” (FSBO), you want to think about if it’s really worth the extra stress. Going this route means shouldering a lot of responsibilities by yourself – and, if you’re not an expert, that opens the door for mistakes to happen and can quickly […]
Real Estate Market Update Savings Strategies Every First-Time Homebuyer Needs To Know If homeownership is on your goal sheet for your future, you’re probably working on your savings. And a big priority is making sure you’ve got a plan in place for things like your closing costs, down payment, and more.   Here are a few strategies that can help speed up that process.   Budget and Track Your Expenses: To start, […]