As hurricane Idalia approaches, it's essential to ensure your home is well-prepared to withstand the potential challenges posed by these powerful storms. By taking proactive measures, you can minimize damage and protect your loved ones. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to fortify your home against hurricanes. **1. Create an Emergency Kit:** Assemble a well-stocked emergency kit containing non-perishable food, water, first aid supplies, flashlights, batteries, important documents, and any necessary medications. Make sure the kit is easily accessible. **2. Reinforce Windows and Do ..read more

The Benefits of Selling Now, According to Experts If you’re trying to decide if now’s the time to sell your house, here’s what you should know. The limited number of homes available right now gives you a big advantage. That’s because there are more buyers out there than there are homes for sale. And, with so few homes on the market, buyers will have fewer options, so you set yourself up to get the most eyes possible on your house. Here’s what industry experts are saying about why selling now has its benefits: Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR): “Inven ..read more

Tampa: The #5 City to Start a Career Are you looking for a new city to start your career? If so, you may want to consider Tampa. WalletHub recently ranked Tampa as the fifth best city to start a career in the United States.  There are a number of factors that contribute to Tampa's ranking, including its strong economy, diverse job market, and high quality of life. Tampa's economy is strong, with a low unemployment rate and a variety of entry-level jobs available. The average starting salary in Tampa is higher than the national average. This makes it a great place to start a career. In add ..read more

Buyer Activity Is Up Despite Higher Mortgage Rates If you’re a homeowner thinking about making a move, you may wonder if it’s still a good time to sell your house. Here’s the good news. Even with higher mortgage rates, buyer traffic is actually picking up speed. Data from the latest ShowingTime Showing Index, which is a measure of buyers actively touring homes, helps paint the picture of how much buyer demand has increased in recent months (see graph below): As the graph shows, the first two months of 2023 saw a noticeable increase in buyer traffic. That’s likely because the limited nu ..read more

Home Mortgage Rates by Decade Some Highlights Mortgage interest rates have dropped considerably over the past year, and compared to what we’ve seen in recent decades, it’s a great time to buy a home. Locking in a low rate today could save you thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your home loan, but these low rates may not last forever. If you’re in a position to buy a home, let’s connect to determine your best move in today’s housing market while interest rates are still in your favor ..read more

Will Forbearance Plans Lead to a Tsunami of Foreclosures? At the onset of the economic disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic, the government quickly put into place forbearance plans to allow homeowners to remain in their homes without making their monthly mortgage payments. Today, almost three million households are actively in a forbearance plan. Though 29.4% of those in forbearance have continued to stay current on their payments, many have not. Yanling Mayer, Principal Economist at CoreLogic, recently revealed: “A distributional analysis of forborne loans ..read more

Don’t Tackle Selling Your Home on Your Own – an Agent Can Help If you’re looking to maximize your sale and minimize your effort, you need to work with a real estate professional. In a sellers’ market like today’s, it can be tempting to list your house on your own – known as For Sale By Owner (FSBO). But the truth is, a real estate professional can save you time and money by managing every step of the process, from pricing your home to reviewing documents and handling negotiations. Before you decide to sell your house on your own, here are five reasons why workin ..read more

Remote Work Has Changed Our Home Needs. Is It Time for Your Home To Change, Too? Over the past year, many homeowners realized what they need in a home is changing, especially with the rise in remote work. If you’re longing for a dedicated home office or a change in scenery, now may be the time to find the home that addresses your evolving needs. Working from Home Isn’t a Passing Fad Before the pandemic, only 21% of individuals worked from home. However, if you’ve recently discovered remote work is your new normal, you’re not alone. A survey of hiring managers conduct ..read more

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