The recent National Association of Realtors (NAR) Settlement introduces significant changes to broker compensation practices in the real estate industry. The settlement requires greater transparency in broker commissions and aims to create a more competitive and fairer real estate market by eliminating practices that could potentially mislead homebuyers. The changes ... More
In mid-2020, home price growth reached historic levels, with the year-over-year (YoY) index demonstrating a huge increase in property values. For much of the pandemic, mortgage rates were also at near-historic lows, which helped to offset some of the impacts of rapid home price growth. More
During the home-buying process, you should find a property you like and then get a mortgage pre-approval, right? Not exactly. While both of those are important steps in your journey, getting pre-approved needs to be at the top ... More
Buying a home involves a lot of moving parts, especially if you are putting in offers that involve a home sale contingency. However, if your ability to purchase a property is not contingent on another transaction, the entire process becomes a bit simpler. ... More
The current U.S. weekly average for mortgage rates on a 30-year loan as of 4/26/2024 is 7.17%. Like most homebuyers, you probably find these high mortgage rates discouraging. ... More
Historically, the housing market typically slows to a crawl during the winter months — and this year’s winter season was especially slow. However, the spring home buying season is officially underway, and many are excited that this may mark a major rebound for the real estate industry ... More
You may have heard that mortgage rates are dropping and thought, “This is the perfect time to start shopping for a home.” The question is, should you jump into action now or wait until spring is in full swing before resuming your search for a new house? More
The housing market has been turbulent over the last few years, to say the least. Homebuilders were finally ramping up construction to keep up with surging demand. Then, mortgage rates shot into the stratosphere. As a result, many homebuilders pumped the brakes, which made the shortage worse. More
Is your stress about making the down payment stopping you from taking the plunge and buying a home? We get it; the thought of putting a huge sum of money down can be daunting. The good news, though, is that there are some great down payment assistance programs out there ... More
