Real Estate

The spike in home sales during the middle of the pandemic took nearly everyone by surprise. Previous housing predictions had been dire. The March 19, 2020, headline from CNBC recapped the initial universal sentiment among industry experts: "Home sales could fall 35%, as coronavirus stalls spring housing market, new analysis says."

Buyers and sellers may feel a bit confused by how fast the housing market changes. First, there was a pause at the beginning of the pandemic, then a buying frenzy that gave sellers additional power, followed by a slower pace as mortgage rates quickly rose throughout 2022.

Whether you’re buying your first home or you’re a repeat buyer, you’ll be happy to know you have plenty of choices when it comes to financing your purchase. Shopping around with a few lenders is the best way to learn about loan programs that are only available from some financial institutions and to get advice about which loan programs might be best for your individual circumstances.

The rapid rise of mortgage rates in the spring of 2022 sent a shock wave through the housing market. While buyers and sellers are beginning to adjust and accept that mortgage rates aren’t likely to dip back to 3% or less anytime soon, rates that hover around 5% to 6% reduce affordability for buyers compared to those historically low rates.

Modern house flipping can be traced back to the autumn of 1960, when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) into law. Believe it or not, the legislation creating REITs was tucked into the Cigar Excise Tax Extension Act. For the first time ever, a broad base of investors could now pool resources for real estate projects, specifically commercial real estate development. In effect, REITS gave birth to the democratization of real estate investment.

Whether you’re new to homeownership or are a repeat buyer, you may not be aware of all the financing options available to help you purchase a home. While meeting with a lender to discuss your individual circumstances is highly recommended, you probably want to know a little about loan programs in advance, so you know what questions to ask.

If you’ve been in the market for a home in the past year you know that mortgage rates have climbed quickly in recent months. Average mortgage rates for 30-year fixed-rate loans were under 3% for much of 2021, according to data from Freddie Mac. By mid-April 2022 rates climbed above 5%.

If you feel a bit of whiplash trying to keep up with housing market shifts over the past few years, you’re not alone. Real estate agents, buyers and sellers have been buffeted by rising home prices, low inventory, heated competition, new migration trends and, more recently, a quick increase in mortgage rates. As an agent, you can put national housing market trends into context for your local market and provide individualized insight and advice for your clients.

Marketing your house for sale is both an art and a science. By knowing what not to do, you can attract more buyers.

Do you plan on selling your house? With millennial buyers entering the market, turnkey homes are becoming increasingly more popular. Understanding these characteristics will set you up for success.

Staying ahead of the competition is crucial for long term success as a realtor. These tools will keep you on the cutting edge and differentiate yourself in the market.

Home concierge has emerged as an asset to realtors looking to win listings. Leveraging home concierge enables realtors to maximize home value for their clients. Let’s learn how.