Why This Isn’t Your Typical Summer Housing Market In real estate, it’s normal to see ebbs and flows in the market. Typically, the summer months are slower-paced than the traditionally busy spring. But this isn’t a typical summer. As the economy rebounds and life is returning to normal, the real estate market is expected to have an unusually strong summer season. Here’s how this summer is stacking up against the norm and what it means for you. Inventory is increasing. According to the latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), i ..read more

Selling Your House? Make Sure You Price It Right. There’s no denying we’re in a sellers’ market. With low inventory and high buyer demand, homes today are selling above the asking price at a record rate. According to the latest Realtors Confidence Index Survey from the National Association of Realtors (NAR): Homes typically sell within 17 days (compared to 26 days one year ago). The average home sold has five offers to pick from. 54% of offers are over the asking price. Because so many buyers are competing for so few homes, bidding wars are drivin ..read more

The Truths Young Homebuyers Need To Hear For many young or first-time homebuyers, purchasing a home can feel intimidating. A recent survey shows some homebuyers ages 25 to 40 may be unsure about the homebuying process and what they can afford. It found: “1 in 4 underestimated their buying potential by $150k or more” “1 in 4 underestimated the increase in value by $100k or more” “47% don’t know what a good interest rate is” Because they feel uncertain, many young homebuyers have given up on their search, or worse, they’ve decided homebuying isn’t for them and never started on their ..read more

Happy Independence Day, friends!⁣ ⁣ Whether today finds you poolside, lakeside, beachside, or somewhere in between, may your day be joyous and your thoughts be full of gratitude for our one-of-a-kind country and our nation’s long list of heroes.⁣ ⁣ Enjoy the day to the fullest—and don’t forget the sunscreen! Cheers!⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ Design: @studioten25⁣ Photo: @emilyhartphoto ..read more

Tomorrow is July 2, 2021 — and that means we’re halfway DONE with 2021! So how was the real estate market in the first half of the year, and what can we expect for the second half? Here’s where we’ve been and where we *may* be going:⁣ ⁣ Where the market has been:⁣ ⁣ • Inventory = Low⁣ ⁣ • Interest rates = Even lower⁣ ⁣ • Prices = High (up 15.8% on average year-over-year)⁣ ⁣ • Days on market = Measured in hours, not days⁣ ⁣ Where the market *may* be going:⁣ ⁣ • Inventory = Slight uptick, but still a seller’s market⁣ ⁣ • Interest rates = Small hike, but relatively low overall⁣ ⁣ • Prices = Will ..read more

What To Expect as Appraisal Gaps Grow In today’s real estate market, low inventory and high demand are driving up home prices. As many as 54% of homes are getting offers over the listing price, based on the latest Realtors Confidence Index from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Shawn Telford, Chief Appraiser at CoreLogic, elaborates: “The frequency of buyers being willing to pay more than the market data supports is increasing.” While this is great news for today’s sellers, it can be tricky to navigate if the price of your contract ..read more

With Covid-19 and winter storms raging throughout the country, you might consider a stay-at-home date night this Valentine’s Day. After all, “home is where the heart is,” right? Let me help you with these ten date night ideas for celebrating Valentine’s night, or any night, in the comfort of your own home. 1. Don’t skip the sitter. If you have kids, go ahead and hire a sitter, even if you’re aren’t actually leaving home. Set the kids and sitter up in one room with some planned activities and some fun food so that you and your spouse can enjoy alone time in another room. Of course, if your date ..read more

Are you thinking about investing in real estate in 2021? It may be the perfect year to purchase a rental property, a vacation home, or to flip houses. I would be happy to help you find the perfect investment property, and I’ve put together this list of tips to help you get the best return on your investment. First, consider what type of investment property is best for you and your family.  If you are thinking about a rental property, such as a vacation condo or rental home, consider how much time will be needed for things like maintenance, managing a website or rental listings, and vettin ..read more

Many of us could not wait to close the door on 2020 and usher in the new year– and all the positive karma we hope comes with it! As you look forward to 2021 you may have spent some time thinking about your intentions for the coming year, whether for personal or professional growth, health and fitness, or family goals. Let’s face it, 2020 was stressful, and while many people look to each new year to freshen up their lives, this year more than ever people are looking inward to reexamine what is important to them. But one thing that is just as important as setting intentions for your behaviors or ..read more

There has been some discussion recently on home prices in relation to mortgage rates. Some believe if there is a rapid rise of mortgage rates, home prices should decrease. Logically it makes the most sense for the price of the house to drop when interest rates are rising, but this is not always the case. This theory of home prices decreasing is typically discussed by future home buyers. As a buyer you would like to think if you are paying higher rates on your mortgage, you should be able to see a decrease in cost somewhere else. Unfortunately, these rates are rising because the economy is in ..read more