Category: Real Estate News & Tips

California winters may be mild compared to what other parts of the country experience, but the weather can nonetheless take a toll on local residences. When a home isn’t properly winterized, the heavy storms and occasional freezes can cause everything from dry rot and roof leaks to cracked water pipes and crawl space flooding. That’s … Read More “How to Prepare Your California Home for Winter: Exterior Maintenance” »

For-sale inventory is at record lows. According to the latest Census data, there’s just a 3.6-month supply of homes nationally — the third-lowest figure on record. Construction is starting to pick up, so that should help alleviate things in the housing market. But existing homes? Those are another story. It begs the question: why aren’t homeowners … Read More “Why are sellers sitting on the housing market sidelines?” »

Reflecting Renewed Interest in Urban Areas After Pandemic-Driven Drop The uptick in urban home searches closely trails a 235% increase in searches for homes in rural areas. Home prices were up by double digits in both neighborhood types, reflecting both continued interest in rural life and optimism about the return of city life as the … Read More “Home Searches in Cities Up 200% From Last Year” »

By: Nellie Lazar, CRS How is it possible that in this year that has seemingly dragged on forever I’m finding myself right smack in the middle of November and asking, “How did we get here so quickly?” Yikes! Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and while I’m not hosting the usual crowd, I’m nonetheless maintaining … Read More “How to Host Thanksgiving Without Losing Your Mind” »

The numbers: Existing-home sales rose for the fifth consecutive month in October, as the housing market finally made up for the pandemic-related downturn in sales this spring. Total existing-home sales increased 4.3% from September to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 6.85 million, the National Association of Realtors reported Thursday. Compared with a year ago, home sales were … Read More “Existing-Home Sales Soar Despite Record-Low Inventory” »

Real estate investments are always a good idea, as property prices often tend to rise with time. If you have the money and a desire to invest, buying a house is a great idea. The year 2020 has been an economic rollercoaster for people all around the globe. As uncertain as the situation is right … Read More “Buy a House Now or Wait for 2021 to Come?” »

Here are some steps homeowners should take to maximize their mortgage refinance savings. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, current homeowners have been given a gift – record low interest rates. In order to bolster the lagging economy, the Federal Reserve cut the interest rate to near zero (0.25%) in March 2020. Now, homeowners (even those who bought … Read More “Want the lowest mortgage refinance rates? Do these 4 things now” »

Avoid Offer Rejection in Any Real Estate Market Buyers can get so excited about finding the perfect home that they sometimes don’t really think too much about what comes next—writing that purchase offer. The quality and content of your offer is almost as important as how much you’re willing to pay for the property. Poorly written offers … Read More “Tips for Writing a Real Estate Offer to Purchase” »

Sales of existing homes climbed 9.4% in September, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday, the latest sign that the housing market remains red hot despite the coronavirus pandemic. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Sales of existing homes climbed 9.4% in September, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday, the latest sign that the housing market … Read More “September Existing Home Sales Climb 9.4%, Highest Since ’06” »

Winter is supposed to be a buyer’s market, right? Fewer buyers = way less competition. After all, you have no problem trekking through the snow to find the perfect home. Let the others wait until spring. Right? But winter home-buying assumptions can cost you. Just because the market moves slower doesn’t mean there aren’t pitfalls lying beneath the powder. … Read More “6 Killer Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make When Buying in the Winter” »