The Top 2 Things Homeowners Need To Know Before Selling Here’s something you should know before you sell your house. The homeowners who win in today’s market aren’t the ones waiting it out or stepping back. They’re the ones who adapt from the start. A number of homeowners this year didn’t get the ou

Would You Let $80 a Month Hold You Back from Buying a Home? A lot of buyers are stuck in “wait and see” mode right now. They’re watching rates hover a little above 6% and thinking, I’ll buy once they hit the 5s. Because who doesn’t want a better rate? But here’s the thing: that 5.99% number might no

The VA Home Loan Advantage: What Every Veteran Should Know Right Now If you’ve served in the military (or if your spouse has), you have access to one of the most powerful homebuying tools out there. The chance to buy a home without having a down payment. Unfortunately, 70% of Veterans (that's 7 out

Why Your Home Equity Still Puts You Way Ahead If you’ve seen headlines about home prices dropping, it’s easy to wonder what that means for the value of your home too. Here’s what you really need to know. Even with small price declines in some markets, data shows you’re likely still way ahead. And th

Why You Don’t Need To Be Afraid of Today’s Mortgage Rates Mortgage rates have been the monster under the bed for a while. Every time they tick up, people flinch and say, “Maybe I’ll wait.” But here’s the twist. Waiting for that perfect 5-point-something rate could end up haunting your wallet later.

The Reason Homes Feel Like They Cost So Much (It’s Not What You Think) Scroll through your feed and you’ll see plenty of finger-pointing about why homes cost so much. And according to a national survey, a lot of people believe big investors are to blame. Even though data shows that’s not true, nearl

Is the Housing Market Going To Crash? Here’s What Experts Say If you’ve seen headlines or social posts calling for a housing crash, it’s easy to wonder if home values are about to take a hit. But here’s the simple truth. The data doesn’t point to a crash. It points to slow, continued growth. And sur

Why More Buyers Are Turning to New Construction This Year There’s a trend taking hold in real estate right now: more buyers are choosing newly built homes. And it’s not just about getting the latest technology or modern floorplans. It’s because they may be able to get a better deal. Builders are off

Why Home Prices Aren’t Actually Flat If you’ve been following real estate news lately, you’ve probably seen headlines saying home prices are flat. And at first glance, that sounds simple enough. But here’s the thing. The reality isn’t quite that straightforward. In most places, prices aren’t flat at

Why October Is the Best Time To Buy a Home in 2025 If you’ve been watching from the sidelines, now’s the time to lean in. It’s officially the best time to buy this year. According to Realtor.com, this October will have the most buyer-friendly conditions of any month in 2025: “By mid-October, buyers

Closing Costs Unpacked: State-by-State Breakdowns for Today’s Buyers If you’re planning to buy a home this year, there’s one expense you can’t afford to overlook: closing costs. Almost every buyer knows they exist, but not that many know exactly what they cover, or how different they can be based on

Why Buyers and Sellers Face Very Different Conditions Today There’s a new divide in housing right now. In some states, buyers are gaining ground. In others, sellers still have the upper hand. It all depends on where you live. Curious what's happening in your state? These 3 maps show how the split is

Do You Know How Much Your House Is Really Worth? Want to know something important you probably don’t have a professional check for you nearly as often as you should? Spoiler alert: it’s the value of your home. Because here’s the reality. Your house is likely the biggest financial asset you have. And

What a Fed Rate Cut Could Mean for Mortgage Rates The Federal Reserve (the Fed) meets this week, and expectations are high that they’ll cut the Federal Funds Rate. But does that mean mortgage rates will drop? Let’s clear up the confusion. The Fed Doesn’t Directly Set Mortgage Rates Right now, all ey

Mortgage Rates Just Saw Their Biggest Drop in a Year You’ve been waiting for what feels like forever for mortgage rates to finally budge. And last week, they did – in a big way. On Friday, September 5th, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to the lowest level since October 2024. It was the

Builder Incentives Reach 5-Year High Even with more homes on the market right now, some buyers are still having a tough time finding the right one at the right price. Maybe the layout feels off. Maybe it still needs some updating. Or maybe it’s just more of the same. That’s why more buyers are turni

Thinking About Renting Your House Instead of Selling? Read This First. If your house is on the market but you haven’t gotten any offers you’re comfortable with, you may be wondering: what do I do if it doesn’t sell? And for a growing number of homeowners, that’s turning into a new dilemma: should I

Should You Still Expect a Bidding War? If you’re still worried about having to deal with a bidding war when you buy a home, you may be able to let some of that fear go. While multiple-offer situations haven’t disappeared entirely, they’re not nearly as common as they used to be. In fact, a recent su

Condos Could Be a Win for Today’s Buyers Not every homebuyer wants the biggest house on the block. Some want something simpler, more affordable, and easier to maintain, especially in a market where every dollar counts. That’s where condos come in. For first-time buyers, they can be a smart way to ge

Is It Better To Buy Now or Wait for Lower Mortgage Rates? Here’s the Tradeoff Mortgage rates are still a hot topic – and for good reason. After the most recent jobs report came out weaker than expected, the bond market reacted almost instantly. And, as a result, in early August mortgage rates droppe

Online Home-Buying Search Terms Recently Hit 2-Year High Believe it or not, there are clear signs buyer interest is heating up again. Let’s talk about what’s really going on behind the scenes, and why the housing market might not be as quiet out there as it seems.  Buyers Are Looking, and Search Tre

A Second Home Might Be the Missing Piece in Your Retirement Plan Are you wondering if you’re on track to retire someday? According to Intuit, 69% of people say today’s financial environment makes it tough to plan for the future, and 68% aren’t sure they’ll ever be able to retire. That’s why many peo

The 3 Things You Risk by Pricing Too High When selling your house, the price you choose isn’t just a number, it's a strategy. And in today’s market, that strategy needs to be sharp. The number of homes for sale is climbing. And that means buyers have more choices and can be more selective. If your p

Today’s Tale of Two Housing Markets Depending on where you live, the housing market could feel red-hot or strangely quiet right now. The truth is, local markets are starting to move in different directions. In some places, buyers are calling the shots. In others, sellers still hold the power. It’s a

The U.S. Foreclosure Map You Need To See Foreclosure headlines are making noise again – and they’re designed to stir up fear to get you to read them. But what the data shows is actually happening in the market tells a very different story than what you might be led to believe. So, before you jump to

Don’t Make These Mistakes When Selling Your House Are you thinking about selling your house? Some common mistakes today can make the process more stressful or even cost you money. Fortunately, they’re easy to avoid, as long as you know what to watch for. Let’s break down the biggest seller slip-ups,

Mortgage Rates Are Stabilizing – How That Helps Today’s Buyers Over the past few years, affordability has been the biggest challenge for homebuyers. Between rapidly rising home prices and higher mortgage rates, many have felt stuck between a rock and a hard place. But, something pretty encouraging i

The Advice First-Time Homebuyers Need To Hear Buying your first home is a big milestone – and the right support is going to make it a whole lot easier. Because while this process might be brand new to you, it’s not new to your agent. They’ve helped plenty of first-time buyers through it. They know w

Selling and Buying at the Same Time? Here’s What You Need To Know If you're a homeowner planning to move, you're probably wondering what the process is going to look like and what you should tackle first: Is it better to start by finding your next home? Or should you sell your current house before y

Think No One’s Buying Homes Right Now? Think Again. If you’ve seen headlines saying home sales are down compared to last year, you might be thinking – is it even a good time to sell?  Here’s the thing. Sure, the pace of the market has cooled compared to the frenzy we saw just a few years ago, but th

Top 5 Reasons To Hire a Real Estate Agent When You Sell Some Highlights The right agent doesn’t just list your house – they help you sell smarter, faster, and with fewer surprises. With an agent’s help, you’ll know what’s happening in your local market and how to price your house right. You’ll feel

What Every Homeowner Needs To Know In Today’s Shifting Market Here’s something you need to know. The housing market is getting back to a healthier, more normal place. And even though it may not sound like it, this shift is actually a good thing. It’s what you should expect. It’s just that our expect

Why Your Home's Asking Price Matters More Today Some Highlights A growing number of homeowners are overestimating today’s market. ​And that’s why the number of sellers dropping their price is back at normal levels.​ A lot of the time this is happening because they’re not paying attention to current

3 Reasons To Buy a Home This Summer Are you thinking about buying a home, but not sure if now’s the right time? A lot of people are waiting and wondering what the market’s going to do next. But here’s something only the savviest buyers realize: This summer might actually be the best time to buy in y

What You Really Need To Know About Down Payments Some Highlights There’s a misconception going around that you have to put 20% of the purchase price down when you buy a home. But the truth is, many people don’t put down that much unless they’re trying to make their offer more competitive. And if you

You May Have Enough Equity To Downsize and Buy Your Next House in Cash Some Highlights Have you been holding off on downsizing? If so, you should know your equity could make your move possible. Homeowners today have so much equity that a record number are buying their next house in all cash. And tha

Is Inventory Getting Back To Normal? After years of it feeling almost impossible to find a home you want to buy, things are changing for the better. Nationally, inventory is growing, and that gives you more options for your move. But here’s what you need to know. That level of growth is going to var

Buying Your First Home? FHA Loans Can Help If you’re a first-time homebuyer, you might feel like the odds are stacked against you in today’s market. But there are resources and programs out there that can help – if you know where to look. And one thing that can make homeownership easier to achieve?

The Rooms That Matter Most When You Sell Now that buyers have more options for their move, you need to be a bit more intentional about making sure your house looks its best when you sell. And proper staging can be a great way to do just that. What Is Home Staging? It’s not about making your house lo

Why Buying Real Estate Is Still the Best Long-Term Investment Lately, it feels like every headline about the housing market comes with a side of doubt. Are prices going up or down? Are we headed for a crash? Will rates ever come down? And all the media noise may leave you wondering: does it really m

Home Projects That Add the Most Value Some Highlights Whether you’re planning to move soon or not, you want to be strategic about which home projects you take on. ​Because not all of them will be worth it. Before you decide what upgrades to tackle, talk to an agent who knows what’s in demand in your

The Secret To Selling Your House in Today’s Market A few years ago, homes were flying off the shelves and getting multiple offers well over their asking price. It felt like you could name your price and still have buyers lined up at the door. But today’s housing market is different. Buyers are getti

Common Real Estate Terms Explained If you're a first-time homebuyer, chances are you'll come across some terms you’re not familiar with. And that can be overwhelming, especially while going through one of the biggest purchases of your life.  The good news is you don’t need to be an expert on real es

Thinking about an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage? Read This First. If you’ve been house hunting lately, you’ve probably felt the sting of today’s mortgage rates. And it’s because of those rates and rising home prices that many homebuyers are starting to explore other types of loans to make the numbers wor

What Buyers Need To Know About Homeowners Association Fees When buying a home, you’re probably thinking about mortgage rates, home prices, your down payment, and maybe even your closing costs. But you may not be thinking about homeowners association (HOA) fees. While you won’t necessarily have these

Why Buyers Are More Likely To Get Concessions Right Now Especially in areas where inventory is rising, both homebuilders and sellers are sweetening the deal for buyers with things like paid closing costs, mortgage rate buy-downs, and more. In the industry, it’s called a concession or an incentive. W

Why Would I Move with a 3% Mortgage Rate? If you have a 3% mortgage rate, you’re probably pretty hesitant to let that go. And even if you’ve toyed with the idea of moving, this nagging thought may be holding you back: “why would I give that up?” But when you ask that question, you may be putting you

The Housing Market Is Turning a Corner Going into 2026 After several years of high mortgage rates and hesitation from buyers, momentum is quietly building beneath the surface of the housing market. Sellers are reappearing. Buyers are re-engaging. And for the first time in what feels like forever, th

Are Builders Overbuilding Again? Let’s Look at the Facts. If it feels like you’re seeing new construction signs pop up everywhere, you’re not wrong. Builders have been busy. And it’s left some people wondering: Are we overbuilding like we did right before the 2008 housing crash? No matter what you m

What a Government Shutdown Really Means for the Housing Market There’s been a lot of talk lately about how a government shutdown impacts the housing market. You might be wondering: Is it causing everything to grind to a halt? The short answer? No. The housing market doesn’t stop. It keeps moving. Ho

How To Make Sure Your Sale Crosses the Finish Line If there was one simple step that could help make your home sale a seamless process, wouldn't you want to know about it? There’s a lot that happens from the time your house goes under contract to closing day. And a few things still have to go right

Why Some Homes Sell Quickly – and Others Don’t Sell at All A few years ago, inventory hit a record low. Just about anything sold – and fast. But now, there are far more homes on the market. Listings are up almost 20% from this time last year. And in some areas, supply is even back to levels we last

Planning To Sell in 2026? Start the Prep Now You’ve got big plans for 2026. But what you do this year could be the difference between a smooth sale and a stressful one. If you’re thinking of selling next spring (the busiest season in real estate), the smartest move you can make is to start prepping

2026 Housing Market Outlook After a couple of years where the housing market felt stuck in neutral, 2026 may be the year things shift back into gear. Expert forecasts show more people are expected to move – and that could open the door for you to do the same. More Homes Will Sell With all of the aff

Don’t Let Unrealistic Pricing Cost You Your Move These days, you’re going to want to get your price right when you get ready to sell your house. Honestly, it’s more important than ever. Why? While you may want to list high just to see what happens, that’s a plan that can easily backfire, and it’s go

Why Experts Say Mortgage Rates Should Ease Over the Next Year You want mortgage rates to fall – and they've started to. But is it going to last? And how low will they go? Experts say there’s room for rates to come down even more over the next year. And one of the leading indicators to watch is the 1

What Buyers Say They Need Most (And How the Market’s Responding) A recent survey from Bank of America asked would-be homebuyers what would help them feel better about making a move, and it’s no surprise the answers have a clear theme. They want affordability to improve, specifically prices and rates

Downsizing Without Debt: How More Homeowners Are Buying Their Next House in Cash If you’ve been thinking about downsizing to lower your expenses, be closer to family, or just make life easier, here's a trend worth paying attention to: More homeowners are buying their next house outright, without tak

3 Reasons Affordability Is Showing Signs of Improvement This Fall For the past couple of years, it’s been tough for a lot of homebuyers to make the numbers work. Home prices shot up. Mortgage rates too. And a number of people hit pause because it just didn’t feel possible. Maybe you were one of them

Why Now May Be a Key 2025 Moment To Sell Your House Mortgage rates are finally heading in the right direction – and buyers are starting to jump back in. According to the data, buyer demand picked up considerably once mortgage rates hit a new low for 2025. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) repor

Patience Won’t Sell Your House. Pricing Will. Waiting for the perfect buyer to fall in love with your house? In today’s market, that’s usually not what’s holding things up. And here’s why. Let’s be real. Homes are taking a week longer to sell than they did a year ago. According to Realtor.com: “Home

Why 50% of Homes Are Selling for Under Asking and How To Avoid It If your selling strategy still assumes you’ll get multiple offers over asking, it’s officially time for a reset. That frenzied seller’s market is behind us. And here are the numbers to prove it.  From Frenzy to “Normal” Right now, abo

What Mortgage Delinquencies Tell Us About the Future of Foreclosures You may be seeing headlines about how foreclosures are rising. And if that makes you nervous that we’re headed for another crash, here’s what you should know.  According to ATTOM, during the housing crash, over nine million people

What Everyone’s Getting Wrong About the Rise in New Home Inventory You may have seen talk online that new home inventory is at its highest level since the crash. And if you lived through the crash back in 2008, seeing new construction is up again may feel a little scary. But here’s what you need to

From Frenzy to Breathing Room: Buyers Finally Have Time Again If you tried to buy a home a few years ago, you probably still remember the frenzy. Homes were listed one day and gone the next. Sometimes it only took hours. You had to drop everything to go and see the house, and if you hesitated even s

More Contracts Are Falling Through. Here’s How To Get Ahead. When you sell a house, the last thing you want is for the deal to fall apart right before closing. But according to the latest data from Redfin, that’s happening a bit more often lately. The good news is, it’s completely avoidable if you l

Are These Myths About Buying a Newly Built Home Holding You Back? If you’ve been skipping over newly built homes in your search, you might be doing so based on outdated assumptions. Let’s clear up a few of the most common myths, so you don’t miss out on a solid opportunity. Myth 1: New Homes Are Mor

Why Selling Without an Agent Can Cost You More Than You Think Cutting out the agent might seem like a smart way to save when you sell your house. But here’s the hard truth. Last year, homes that sold with an agent went for almost 15% more than those that sold without one. That gap is pretty hard to

The Truth About Down Payments (It’s Not What You Think) Buying a home is exciting… until you start thinking about the down payment. That’s when the worry can set in. “I’ll never save enough.” “I need a small fortune just to get started.” “I guess I’ll just rent forever.” Sound familiar? You’re not a

What Credit Score Do You Really Need To Buy a Home? According to Fannie Mae, 90% of buyers don’t actually know what credit score lenders are looking for, or they overestimate the minimum needed. Let that sink in. That means most homebuyers think they need better credit than they actually do – and ma

Housing Market Forecasts for the Rest of 2025 If you’ve been watching the market, you’ve likely noticed a few changes already this year. But what’s next? From home prices to mortgage rates, here’s what the latest expert forecasts suggest for the rest of 2025 – and what these shifts could mean for yo

The Latest Mortgage Rate Forecasts Some Highlights If you’re tempted to delay your move in hope that mortgage rates will come down, you may want to rethink that strategy based on the latest forecast. Experts say mortgage rates are projected to stay in the 6s this year. So don’t expect a big drop. If

Why a Newly Built Home Might Be the Move Right Now Are you looking for better home prices, or even a lower mortgage rate? You might find both in one place: a newly built home. While many buyers are overlooking new construction, it could be your best opportunity in today’s market. Here’s why. There a

The 5-Year Rule for Home Prices Some Highlights If recent home price headlines have you feeling worried, here’s some perspective.​​ Home values almost always go up in the long run. ​And the long-term gains offset any short-term dips. Basically, if you plan to live there for 5 or more years, you shou

The Truth About Where Home Prices Are Heading There are plenty of headlines these days calling for a housing market crash. But the truth is, they’re not telling the full story. Here’s what’s actually happening, and what the experts project for home prices over the next 5 years. And spoiler alert – i

Should You Buy a Vacation Home? Some Highlights Now that summer’s here, you may be planning your next getaway. But what if you didn’t have to? ​ Buying a vacation home means having a built-in escape you can use year after year. It gives you the chance to generate rental income and have a go-to retir

Why Big Investors Aren’t a Challenge for Today’s Homebuyer Remember the chatter in the headlines about all the homes big institutional investors were buying? If you were thinking about buying a home yourself, you may have wondered how you’d ever be able to compete with that. Here’s the thing. That’s

Multi-Generational Homebuying Hit a Record High – Here’s Why Multi-generational living is on the rise. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 17% of homebuyers purchase a home to share with parents, adult children, or extended family. That’s the highest share ever recorded by NAR (

Think It’s Better To Wait for a Recession Before You Move? Think Again. Fear of a recession is back in the headlines. And if you’re thinking about buying or selling sometime soon, that may leave you wondering if you should reconsider the timing of your move. A recent survey by John Burns Research an

Why Homeownership Is Going To Be Worth It Life can feel a bit unpredictable these days. What’s happening with inflation? The economy? The housing market? But in the middle of all that uncertainty, there’s one thing a lot of people still crave – a place to call their own. Because when everything else

Why More Sellers Are Choosing To Move, Even with Today’s Rates It’s hard to let go of a 3% mortgage rate. There’s no question about it. It’s the main reason why so many homeowners have delayed their move in recent years. But here’s something to consider. While your low rate might be ideal, it doesn’

Why Most Sellers Hire Real Estate Agents Today Selling your house without an agent as a “For Sale by Owner” (FSBO) may be something you’ve considered. But you should know that, in today’s shifting market, more homeowners are deciding that’s just not worth the risk. According to the latest data from

Your House Didn’t Sell. Here’s What To Do Now. When your house doesn’t sell, it doesn’t just feel frustrating – it feels personal. You put time, money, and emotional energy into this move. You told your friends and family it was happening. And now that your listing has expired without a buyer? You’r

The Five-Year Rule for Home Price Perspective Headlines are saying home prices are starting to dip in some markets. And if you’re beginning to second guess your plans based on what you’re hearing in the media, here’s what you need to know. It's true that a few metros are seeing slight price drops. B

The Big Difference Between a Homeowner’s and a Renter’s Net Worth Some Highlights Homeownership is one of the best ways to build wealth in our country and it’s easy to see why. As you pay down your mortgage and as home values rise over time, you gain equity – and that helps grow your net worth. That

Understanding Today’s Mortgage Rates: Is 3% Coming Back? A lot of buyers are pressing pause on their plans these days, holding out hope that mortgage rates will come down – maybe even back to the historic-low 3% from a few years ago. But here’s the thing: those rates were never meant to last. They w

Newly Built Homes May Be Less Expensive Than You Think Do you think a brand-new home means a bigger price tag? Think again. Right now, something unique is happening in the housing market. According to the Census and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the median price of newly built homes is

Is It Better To Rent or Buy a Home? You’ve probably asked yourself lately: Is it even worth trying to buy a home right now? With high home prices and stubborn mortgage rates, renting can seem like the safer choice right now. Or maybe your only choice. That’s a very real feeling. And perhaps buying t

Many Veterans Don’t Know about This VA Home Loan Benefit For 80 years, Veterans Affairs (VA) home loans have helped countless Veterans buy a home. But even though a lot of Veterans have access to this powerful program, the majority don't know about one of its core benefits. According to a report fro

Real Estate Is Voted the Best Long-Term Investment 12 Years in a Row Some Highlights In a recent poll from Gallup, real estate has once again been voted the best long-term investment. And it’s claimed that top spot for 12 straight years now. That’s because homeownership is one of the top ways to bui

More Homes for Sale Isn’t a Warning Sign – It's Your Buying Opportunity Maybe you’ve heard the number of homes for sale has reached a recent high. And it might make you question if this is the start of another housing market crash. But the reality is, the data proves that’s just not the case. In mos

You Could Use Some of Your Equity To Give Your Children the Gift of Home If you’re a homeowner, chances are you’ve built up a lot of wealth – just by living in your house and watching its value grow over time. And that equity? It’s something that could help change your child’s life. Since affordabil

Don’t Let Student Loans Hold You Back from Homeownership Did you know? According to a recent study, 72% of people with student loans think their debt will delay their ability to buy a home. Maybe you’re one of them and you're wondering: Do you have to wait until you’ve paid off those loans before yo