Equity | Blog

Monday, July 14, 2025   /   by Joyce Dungca

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 what works, what actually matters, and how you can move through the process with a lot less guesswork.
Here are a few real-world tips based on that experience of helping other first-time buyers.
Tip #1: Get Pre-Approved First
Rocket Mortgage says this is one of the most common mistakes first-time buyers make. And it’s easy to see why. Looking at homes online is fun. But doing it before you know your numbers? That’s risky. You don’t want to fall in love with a house that’s way outside of your financial comfort zone. That's a fast track for getting frustrated.
Instead, find your agent and talk to a lender early – before looking at any houses. With your lender ...

  team raj jaggi, buyers, sellers, housing market, equity, real estate agents, homeownership, home buyers, first time buyers, inspection

Wednesday, July 9, 2025   /   by Joyce Dungca

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 you go out looking?
Ultimately, what’s right for you depends on a lot of factors. And that’s where an agent’s experience can really help make your next step clear.
They know your local market, the latest trends, and what’s working for other homeowners right now. And they’ll be able to make a recommendation based on their expertise and your needs.
But here’s a little bit of a sneak peek. In many cases today, getting your current home on the market first can put you in a better spot. Here’s why that order tends to work best (and how an agent can help).
The Advantages of Selling First
1. You’ll Unlock Your Home Equity
Selling your current home before you try to buy your next one allows you to acc ...

  team raj jaggi, buyers, sellers, housing market, equity, home owners, mortgage

Monday, May 19, 2025   /   by Joyce Dungca

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 affordability is still a challenge, a lot of first-time buyers are struggling to buy a home in today’s market. Even if they have a stable job and a solid plan, buying can still feel out of reach. But that’s where your equity could make all the difference.
To give you an idea, the average homeowner with a mortgage has $311,000 worth of equity, according to Cotality (formerly CoreLogic). That’s significant. And some parents are using a portion of their equity to help their children become homeowners, too.
According to Bank of America, 49% of buyers between 18 and 26 got money from their parents to use toward their down payment (see chart below): 
Even though the data doe ...

  team raj jaggi, buyers, sellers, housing market, first-time home buyers, equity, home owners, mortgage