Should I Buy a Home Now? Experts Say Prices Are Going Up-At one point or another, you’ve probably heard someone say, “Yesterday was the best time to buy a home, but the next best time is today.” That’s because nationally, home values continue to rise. And with mortgage rates still stubbornly high and home prices going up, you may be holding out for prices to fall or trying to time the market for that perfect rate. But here’s the truth: waiting for the right moment could cost you in the long run. Home Prices Are Still Rising – Just at a More Normal Pace The idea that prices will drop dramatically is wishful thinking in most markets. According to the Home Price Expectations Survey from Fannie Mae, industry analysts are saying prices are projected to keep rising through at least 2029. While we’re no longer seeing the steep spikes of previous years, experts project a steady and sustainable increase of around 3-4% per year, nationally. And the good news is, this is a much more normal pace – a welcome sign for hopeful buyers (see graph below): What This Means for You While it’s tempting to wait it out for prices or mortgage rates to decline before you buy, here’s what you’ll need to consider if you do. Tomorrow’s home prices will be higher than today’s. The longer you wait, the more that purchase price will go up. Waiting for the perfect mortgage rate or a price drop may backfire. Even if rates dip slightly, rising home prices could still make waiting more expensive overall. Buying now… Continue Reading
Do You Think the Housing Market is About To Crash?-Lately, it feels like a lot of people have been asking the same question: “Is the housing market about to crash?” If you’ve been scrolling through social media or watching the news, you might have seen some pretty scary headlines yourself. That’s why it’s no surprise that, according to data from Clever Real Estate, 70% of Americans are worried about a housing crash in 2025. But before you hit pause on your plans to buy or sell a home, take a deep breath. The truth is: the housing market isn’t about to crash – it’s just shifting. And that shift actually works in your favor. Today’s Inventory Keeps the Housing Market from Crashing Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, says: “There’s just generally not enough supply. There are more people than housing inventory. It’s Econ 101.” Think about it. If there’s a shortage of something – like tickets to a popular concert – prices go up. That’s what’s been happening with homes. We still have a shortage of supply. Too many buyers and not enough homes push prices higher. Check out the white line for 2025 in the graph below. Even though the number of homes for sale is climbing, data from Realtor.com shows we’re still well below normal levels (shown in gray): That ongoing low supply is what’s stopping home prices from dropping at the national level. As Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says: “… if there’s a shortage, prices simply cannot crash.” More Homes for Sale in… Continue Reading
New Year, New Home: How To Make It Happen in 2025-This is the time when a lot of people take a moment to reflect and set their goals for this year. And as you picture what you want your 2025 to look like, one thing that may pop into your mind is the vision of you in a new home. But how do you get there? And where do you start looking? Here’s some advice that can help you get the ball rolling. Focus on Your Why for a New Home To lay the foundation, you need to focus on your why. While the dollars and cents are important, so is the driving force behind your desire to move. Maybe you need more space for a growing family, want to sell so you can downsize, or are finally ready to buy your first home. Whatever your reason, it’s important to keep it front and center. Your why is what helps you stay focused. Share your motivation with your agent and they’ll use their expertise to help support that goal, no matter what the market looks like. With a great agent by your side, you’ll have someone to guide you, problem-solve, and keep you moving forward until you can check that goal off your to-do list. Get Clear on What You Need for a New Home Then it’s time to figure out what your next home needs to have. How many bedrooms do you need? If you don’t have a designated home office, is that a deal-breaker? What about a big fenced-in backyard? Knowing your must-haves and… Continue Reading
Value of Your Home – Getting an Accurate Number-In today’s digital age, it’s tempting to rely on automated tools for everything — including figuring out how much your house is worth. But be careful. The automated estimates you’re seeing online often miss key details that affect the true value of your home. Before you toss a for sale sign in your yard and expect to bring in the number you saw for your house online, you need to understand why these tools generally aren’t spot-on and why working with an expert real estate agent is the best way to get an accurate picture of what your house is really worth. The Myth: Online Home Value Estimates Are Accurate Online home valuation tools give you an approximate value for your house based on the data that’s publicly available for your home. While this can give you a rough starting point, the keyword here is rough. As an article from Ramsey Solutions says: “Online Home Value Estimators Aren’t 100% Accurate . . . The estimates are only as reliable as the amount of public record data the real estate websites can access. The less data gathered for your particular neighborhood, county and state, the less you can depend on this number.” The Reality: Online Estimates Miss Key Factors on the Value of Your Home Here’s the biggest issue with online estimates: they don’t take into account the unique aspects of your home or your local market. And that’s why an agent’s expertise can make such a difference when figuring out what your house is really worth.… Continue Reading
Using a Real Estate Agent to Sell Your House-In a recent survey, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) asked sellers what they want most from a Real Estate Agent. Surprisingly, the number one answer was to help market their house. It makes sense. The way your agent markets your house can make it stand out and get more attention from buyers. That’s why it’s so important to work with an expert local agent who knows what they're doing. According to that same report from NAR, here are some of the most common methods real estate agents use to market homes. And how you benefit when your agent uses them effectively (see graph below): Top Methods Real Estate Agents Use Listing on the MLS – Real estate agents have access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) database. Having your house on the MLS helps it get more visibility from other agents and buyers. And the more people who see it, the more likely it is to sell. Yard Sign – A yard sign is one of the best ways to catch the attention of people driving or walking by. Additionally, they may spread the word to friends and family who are looking to buy. Putting your agent’s contact information on display also makes it easy for interested buyers to get in touch. Open House – An open house is a great way to create a sense of competition and urgency among buyers. And since you’ll only need to leave once for many buyers to visit, it makes the process easier for you, too. It also helps your agent get real-time… Continue Reading
Should I Buy a Home Now? Experts Say Prices Are Going Up - At one point or another, you’ve probably heard someone say, “Yesterday was the best time to buy a home, but the next best time is today.” That’s because nationally, home values continue to rise. And with mortgage rates still stubbornly high and home prices going up, you may be holding out for prices to fall or trying to time the market for that perfect rate. But here’s the truth: waiting for the right moment could cost you in the long run. Home Prices Are Still Rising – Just at a More Normal Pace The idea that prices will drop dramatically is wishful thinking in most markets. According to the Home Price Expectations Survey from Fannie Mae, industry analysts are saying prices are projected to keep rising through at least 2029. While we’re no longer seeing the steep spikes of previous years, experts project a steady and sustainable increase of around 3-4% per year, nationally. And the good news is, this is a much more normal pace – a welcome sign for hopeful buyers (see graph below): What This Means for You While it’s tempting to wait it out for prices or mortgage rates to decline before you buy, here’s what you’ll need to consider if you do. Tomorrow’s home prices will be higher than today’s. The longer you wait, the more that purchase price will go up. Waiting for the perfect mortgage rate or a price drop may backfire. Even if rates dip slightly, rising home prices could still make waiting more expensive overall. Buying now… Continue Reading
Do You Think the Housing Market is About To Crash? - Lately, it feels like a lot of people have been asking the same question: “Is the housing market about to crash?” If you’ve been scrolling through social media or watching the news, you might have seen some pretty scary headlines yourself. That’s why it’s no surprise that, according to data from Clever Real Estate, 70% of Americans are worried about a housing crash in 2025. But before you hit pause on your plans to buy or sell a home, take a deep breath. The truth is: the housing market isn’t about to crash – it’s just shifting. And that shift actually works in your favor. Today’s Inventory Keeps the Housing Market from Crashing Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, says: “There’s just generally not enough supply. There are more people than housing inventory. It’s Econ 101.” Think about it. If there’s a shortage of something – like tickets to a popular concert – prices go up. That’s what’s been happening with homes. We still have a shortage of supply. Too many buyers and not enough homes push prices higher. Check out the white line for 2025 in the graph below. Even though the number of homes for sale is climbing, data from Realtor.com shows we’re still well below normal levels (shown in gray): That ongoing low supply is what’s stopping home prices from dropping at the national level. As Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says: “… if there’s a shortage, prices simply cannot crash.” More Homes for Sale in… Continue Reading
New Year, New Home: How To Make It Happen in 2025 - This is the time when a lot of people take a moment to reflect and set their goals for this year. And as you picture what you want your 2025 to look like, one thing that may pop into your mind is the vision of you in a new home. But how do you get there? And where do you start looking? Here’s some advice that can help you get the ball rolling. Focus on Your Why for a New Home To lay the foundation, you need to focus on your why. While the dollars and cents are important, so is the driving force behind your desire to move. Maybe you need more space for a growing family, want to sell so you can downsize, or are finally ready to buy your first home. Whatever your reason, it’s important to keep it front and center. Your why is what helps you stay focused. Share your motivation with your agent and they’ll use their expertise to help support that goal, no matter what the market looks like. With a great agent by your side, you’ll have someone to guide you, problem-solve, and keep you moving forward until you can check that goal off your to-do list. Get Clear on What You Need for a New Home Then it’s time to figure out what your next home needs to have. How many bedrooms do you need? If you don’t have a designated home office, is that a deal-breaker? What about a big fenced-in backyard? Knowing your must-haves and… Continue Reading
Value of Your Home – Getting an Accurate Number - In today’s digital age, it’s tempting to rely on automated tools for everything — including figuring out how much your house is worth. But be careful. The automated estimates you’re seeing online often miss key details that affect the true value of your home. Before you toss a for sale sign in your yard and expect to bring in the number you saw for your house online, you need to understand why these tools generally aren’t spot-on and why working with an expert real estate agent is the best way to get an accurate picture of what your house is really worth. The Myth: Online Home Value Estimates Are Accurate Online home valuation tools give you an approximate value for your house based on the data that’s publicly available for your home. While this can give you a rough starting point, the keyword here is rough. As an article from Ramsey Solutions says: “Online Home Value Estimators Aren’t 100% Accurate . . . The estimates are only as reliable as the amount of public record data the real estate websites can access. The less data gathered for your particular neighborhood, county and state, the less you can depend on this number.” The Reality: Online Estimates Miss Key Factors on the Value of Your Home Here’s the biggest issue with online estimates: they don’t take into account the unique aspects of your home or your local market. And that’s why an agent’s expertise can make such a difference when figuring out what your house is really worth.… Continue Reading
Using a Real Estate Agent to Sell Your House - In a recent survey, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) asked sellers what they want most from a Real Estate Agent. Surprisingly, the number one answer was to help market their house. It makes sense. The way your agent markets your house can make it stand out and get more attention from buyers. That’s why it’s so important to work with an expert local agent who knows what they're doing. According to that same report from NAR, here are some of the most common methods real estate agents use to market homes. And how you benefit when your agent uses them effectively (see graph below): Top Methods Real Estate Agents Use Listing on the MLS – Real estate agents have access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) database. Having your house on the MLS helps it get more visibility from other agents and buyers. And the more people who see it, the more likely it is to sell. Yard Sign – A yard sign is one of the best ways to catch the attention of people driving or walking by. Additionally, they may spread the word to friends and family who are looking to buy. Putting your agent’s contact information on display also makes it easy for interested buyers to get in touch. Open House – An open house is a great way to create a sense of competition and urgency among buyers. And since you’ll only need to leave once for many buyers to visit, it makes the process easier for you, too. It also helps your agent get real-time… Continue Reading