I’m sure you’ve probably played Monopoly at some point in your life. During this game, you’ll purchase and develop properties (developing them by placing houses and then hotels on them), and sometimes you may even sell them. As you go along in the game, and when many of the properties have been purchased and developed, […]
Homebuyers in 2022 experienced a huge shock – soaring mortgage rates which doubled in one year resulting in approximately 15 million mortgage ready buyers displaced from the market due to affordability issues. As of February 23, 2023, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage was at 6.5%. While that is twice as high as it was on […]
Market conditions are a big reason as to why you should lock your interest rate. Quite simple – locking that interest rate will protect you from increases due to market conditions. If you lock your interest rate early, it can safeguard your budgeted payment. Here’s how it works – if you lock the rate, and […]
Football season is pretty similar to buying a home – you just might be on the sidelines. And, if you are in fact on the sidelines to buy a home, there are things you can do to be ready when you do get back in the game. Improve your credit score. Improving your credit score […]
So many negotiations take place during a real estate transaction. The seller wants the most for their home and the buyer wants to pay the least possible. Starting in the very beginning of the homebuying process, there are well-defined positions between those two principals. And, if you happen to be in a multi-offer situation, it just […]
Been thinking of buying a home? You’ll want the right team. You see, there are a lot of professionals involved in the homebuying process. And when these people can function as a team, the buyer is much more likely to end up where they want to be…in their new home. The lender is an integral […]
There are some very difficult decisions which can tend to arise when you’re a homeowner. Sometimes, those decisions are what can make or break the idea of renting vs buying. If you think about it, the idea of an asset which is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars can be slightly terrifying to some! Not […]
This topic makes me think of a record. Remember back in the day, watching records spin while you listened to your favorite music? The housing market, especially when it comes to affordability, almost makes me think of those spinning records. A question many of us are asked as realtors is “when is the market going […]
I’m sure you’ve heard, but mortgage rates are still rising. It’s causing some would-be buyers to pause their decisions until they determine whether rates are going to come back down. It may be possible, but the probability is that prices are going to continue to increase. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate on December 23, […]
In 2021, the tax-free gift amount was $15,000. In 2022, that has risen by one thousand dollars, making the limit for tax-free gifts in 2022 a total of $16,000. Tax free means that no tax is due to the donor or the donee. There are provisions that would allow gifts higher than this amount providing […]
