Home affordability is the best it’s been in 4 years. That’s thanks to: Lower rates. Slower home price growth. And rising wages. And while the affordability problem isn’t solved, many buyers are finding the numbers work better today. If buying didn’t make sense for you last year, take another look. Have you re-run the math on your move yet? DM me and let’s see if it changes when you're ready to buy. #HomeAffordability #MortgageRates #KeepingCurrentMatters ...

 


For a lot of parents or grandparents, watching a family member struggle to buy their first home right now is hard. That's because you saw firsthand how homeownership gave your life more stability and helped grow your net worth – and you want your loved ones to have those same opportunities.
But with all the affordability challenges in recent years, that can feel like an uphill battle – even though it’s slowly improving lately. Here’s what you may not realize. You may be in a unique position to help (thanks to the equity in your current house).
The Equity Advantage You May Not Be Thinking About
You’ve likely owned your home for years, maybe even decades. And during that time, two things happened:

Home values rose
Your mortgage balance shrank (or you paid it off entirely)

That combination has created substantial equity for many homeowners like you.
And while you may think of that equity as something you want ...

 


There’s one decision you're going to make when you sell that determines whether your house sells quickly, or it sits. Whether buyers make an offer, or scroll past it. Whether you walk away with the maximum return, or you end up cutting the price later.
And that’s your asking price.
The #1 Mistake Sellers Make Today: Trusting the Wrong Number
If you’re thinking of moving and trying to figure out what your house may sell for, it’s tempting to start with an online home value tool. They’re fast, free, and easy. And you don’t have to talk to anyone. But here’s the problem: they don’t know your house.
And that can be a bigger drawback than you realize.
Where Online Estimates Fall Short 
Online tools often lag behind the market. They look in the rearview mirror, relying on closed sales and delayed information. And in that sense, they’re using incomplete data.
That’s not a miss in how these sys ...

 


If you saw headlines that talked about how “home sales fell sharply in January,” it probably raised an eyebrow – especially if you’re thinking about selling your house. But context matters.
Yes, in January, home sales declined. But that has more to do with seasonality and the weather than it does with any big drop off in demand. 
What’s Really Behind the Decline? 
Reports coming out of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) say the pace of home sales fell roughly 8.4% last month compared to the month before. And that’s true. But it isn’t necessarily cause for alarm. 
Data show it’s normal for sales to dip in January. In the last 4 years, that pattern has held true all but once. And sure, the decline we saw this year was a steeper drop off than the norm (the yellow bars on the right), but that can be explained too. More on that in a moment.
The really important p ...

 
If there’s one number you should know as a homeowner, it’s how much your house is worth. Not your mortgage rate. Not the price you paid. What it’s valued at right now. Because home values jumped nearly 50% over the last five years, and if I were you, I’d want to know what that means for my house. If you want a free, no-pressure home value estimate, let’s connect. #HomeValues #HomeValueUpdate #KeepingCurrentMatters ...