Have you noticed that your insurance premiums are shockingly high for your home, rent, and/or car? I became quite aware after receiving renewal pricing for some of our investment properties in North Carolina. A few renewals nearly doubled from what they were last year. That's not helpful with the bottom line at all. After talking to more people, it's clear that like inflation this is a nationwide problem. In fact, on the Newsnation website they reference just how significant the insurance pricing is to the nation's economy ..read more

  No surprise here, the inflation numbers went up in March, and now it looks like we won't see a rate decrease in June. This may upset some people when I say this, but I do think they have to wait on lowering interest rates right now. Home prices are escalating at such a rapid level that infusing the market with new shoppers revved up by even more buying power will drive demand even higher and prices will swell even more in turn. That's a mouthful, but it's true.:) I won't lie, it's been a draining week. I deeply care f ..read more

This week was filled with emotion for me and my clients. There are highs and there are lows happening all the time in the real estate world, and everyone in the game is on this roller coaster.   Happiness comes with "victory," which is reserved right now for sellers who are getting "Holy ***" prices for their homes. That same emotion is bestowed upon the winners of bidding wars or the really bold buyers who step up early going way over the listing price to snap up a property before anyone else can. Happiness is a ..read more

  Wow! It is truly amazing just how revved up the real estate market seems. We are back to witnessing houses flying off the market, and in some cases, landing in a different stratosphere from where they started. Five-ten-fifteen offers per property are stacked up for most listings. I used to be able to gauge how much over asking a house will sell based on the number of bids, but even with two offers on a property the winner is paying at least ten percent over asking. It is hard to pin down pricing within this climate.    All this said, I am not dis ..read more

The agreement between the National Association of Realtors and the Department of Justice is something I am following closely. The main takeaways are that the Multiple Listing Service can no longer have a column that outlines what the Realtor fees will be during a transaction. As it has always been, sellers can decide if they want to offer payment to a buyer agent. I believe that most will continue to do so, but it remains to be seen. This adjustment forces an honest and open conversation on commissions and who pays the broker. Buyer agreements ..read more

Last week Forbes Magazine published its list of the most expensive zip codes to buy a house in the US, and Boston is ranked as the number TWO city in the country. As you can imagine swelling prices just down the pike have a rippling effect out here. Nationally all of the top ten cities are near coasts and are the usual nominees, but isn't it interesting how San Francisco is no longer on the list?    Forbes Magazine List of Most Expensive Zip Codes Source: https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/features ..read more

Expect prices to go up! It's that simple. Most new listings are receiving stunning offers, sometimes before they even hit the market. Redfin reports that year over year in January, prices were up nearly 7% nationally.   Does it feel like more of the same? In a way, it is, and I don't think this year will be dramatically different from what we have been seeing. There won't be a huge correction coming, that mantra needs to go away. Rates went up so quickly, and people adjusted to them. While they are flat since January (hard to believe we are al ..read more

Each week, I write about all the great towns just west of Boston. Do you know the details that make up these areas? You do now!   Tax rates in many towns have decreased in recent years, BUT of course the sales price and in turn the assessments have gone up dramatically. Credit to: Massachusetts Census Data and MLS The towns above continue to be incredibly appealing to buyers from all over. The number of houses under contract is still stunning ..read more

This week, I thought it would be interesting to outline some of the tax benefits that come with owning real estate. Investing in real estate, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to build wealth. Not only are you saving on taxes, but you are also generating income and building equity the longer you hold onto a property. Here are really simple explanations of important tax-saving tools. This will get you started in understanding these options, but check in with your accountant for more details. Simply put, a 1031 exchange al ..read more

We need a new name for the "spring real estate market." The party really begins in January when we are navigating snow storms and bundled in our winter coats, there's nothing springlike about it! How about calling the 2024 selling season, "The Great Race"? Not very original, I know.    It is safe to say that no matter what you call it our main selling season has begun, and it's off to a good start. Not very different from the last few years—the number of homes going under contract is greater than the new listings, leaving buyers to scramb ..read more