DIY Projects That Give The Most Bang for Your Buck
Taking a do-it-yourself approach to home improvement can be a great way to upgrade your home, without spending a ton of money on contractors and renovations.
But not all DIY projects are created equal. Some can increase the value of your home and deliver a serious return on investment when you decide to sell, while others can end up being a waste of your time, energy, and resources.
So, the question is, which DIY home improvement projects will deliver the most bang for your buck?
There’s Only Half the Inventory of a Normal Housing Market Today
Wondering if it still makes sense to sell your house right now? The short answer is, yes. Especially if you consider how few homes there are for sale today. Read on to learn more.
Tips for Making Your Best Offer on a Home
While the wild ride that was the ‘unicorn’ years of housing is behind us, today’s market is still competitive in many areas because the supply of homes for sale is still low. If you’re looking to buy a home this season, know that the peak frenzy of bidding wars is in the rearview mirror, but you may still come up against some multiple-offer scenarios.
New Construction is Building Momentum
If you’re in the process of looking for a home today, you know the supply of homes for sale is low because you’re feeling the impact of having a limited pool of options. And, if your biggest hurdle right now is that you’re having trouble finding something you like, don’t forget that a newly built home is a great option.
Eco-Friendly, Energy Efficient Homes Attract Buyers
Are you planning to sell your house? If so, you may be surprised to hear just how much buyers value energy efficiency and eco-friendly features today. This is especially true as summer officially kicks off.
This Real Estate Market is the Strongest in Our Lifetime
When you look at the numbers today, the one thing that stands out is the strength of this housing market. We can see this is one of the most foundationally strong housing markets of our lifetime – if not the strongest housing market of our lifetime. Here are two fundamentals that prove this point.
Today’s Housing Market: No More Unicorns
Comparing real estate metrics from one year to another can be challenging in a normal housing market. That’s due to possible variability in the market making the comparison less meaningful or accurate. Unpredictable events can have a significant impact on the circumstances and outcomes being compared.
The Worst Home Price Decline is Behind Us
If you’re following the news today, you may feel a bit unsure about what’s happening with home prices and fear whether or not the worst is yet to come. That’s because today’s headlines are painting an unnecessarily negative picture. Contrary to those headlines, home prices aren’t in a free fall. The latest data tells a very different and much more positive story. Local home price trends still vary by market, but here’s what the national data tells us.
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.
Think Twice Before Waiting for Home Prices to Drop
As the housing market continues to change, you may be wondering where it’ll go from here. One factor you’re probably thinking about is home prices, which have come down a bit since they peaked last June. And you’ve likely heard something in the news or on social media about a price crash on the horizon. As a result, you may be holding off on buying a home until prices drop significantly. But that’s not the best strategy.
Red Flags to Watch Out for When Buying a Home
A home is a big investment, so when you’re investing in a property, you want to make sure it’s a good investment. While there aren’t any ways to know definitively, there are red flags to look for that could indicate a home is a less-than-ideal investment.
What’s Ahead For Home Prices This Year
Over the past year, home prices have been a widely debated topic. Some have said we’ll see a massive drop in prices and that this could be a repeat of 2008 – which hasn’t happened. Others have forecasted a real estate market that could see slight appreciation or depreciation depending on the area of the country. And as we get closer to the spring real estate market, experts are continuing to forecast what they believe will happen with home prices this year and beyond.
Tips to Make Your First Home Purchase More Affordable
No matter how much buying a house makes sense for your long-term financial well-being, buying your first house can often just seem expensive and totally out of reach. That leads to many younger people putting off buying a home until later in life than they might have, if the costs were lower.
But there are plenty of younger people buying homes. Nearly 40% of people under 35 own a home, so it’s by no means impossible or entirely unaffordable.
Test Your Home Selling Knowledge with this Seller’s Quiz!
Even if you took the same classes and tests your agent took to become an agent, it’d be difficult for you to know everything you need to know. Much of the insight and knowledge that makes your agent so effective at getting you the best results comes from experience actually selling houses, not from real estate school.
However, the more you know and understand about the best decisions ahead of time, the better off you’ll be. So here’s a quick quiz to help you see what decisions you’d get right, and learn from the ones you get wrong so you will be prepared to listen to the advice of your agent when the time comes.
5 Ways to Get the Best Loan Possible
When rates were unusually low, it almost didn’t matter if you weren’t careful about the type of loan or terms you agreed to with a lender. But now that rates have crept up, you want to make sure you not only get the lowest rate you can, but also the best type of loan and terms possible
The Must-Know Habits of Successful Homebuyers
Buying a home in today’s market can be a challenging process. And if you want to succeed, there are certain habits you’ll want to cultivate—habits that will increase your chances of finding your dream home and having your offer accepted.
Best Practices for Selling Your Home This Year
A new year brings with it the opportunity for new experiences. If that resonates with you because you’re considering making a move, you’re likely juggling a mix of excitement over your next home and a sense of attachment to your current one. A great way to ease some of those emotions and ensure you’re feeling confident in your decision is to keep these three best practices in mind.
What to Expect From the Housing Market in 2023
The 2022 housing market has been defined by two key things: inflation and rapidly rising mortgage rates. And in many ways, it’s put the market into a reset position.
Key Advantages of Buying a Home Today
There’s no doubt buying a home today is different than it was over the past couple of years, and the shift in the market has led to advantages for buyers today. Right now, there are specific reasons that make this housing market attractive for those who’ve thought about buying but have sidelined their search due to rising mortgage rates.
Key Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today
Every time there’s a news segment about the housing market, we hear about the affordability challenges buyers are facing today. Those headlines are focused on how much mortgage rates have climbed this year. And while it’s true rates have risen dramatically, it’s important to remember they aren’t the only factor in the affordability equation.