4 Real Estate Negotiation Strategies This Spring
Today’s market gives buyers more leverage, but “more homes for sale” doesn’t mean the competition has vanished. In popular neighborhoods, the spring rush is still very real, and winning the right home requires more than just a high price tag. To stay one step ahead, you need the right negotiation strategies. If you’re buying in a popular neighborhood or in…
Read More
Homeownership is More Accessible Than You Think: Most First-Time Homebuyers Don’t Need 20% Down
According to Google Trends, online searches for down payment information recently hit an all-time high. And that’s a clear sign more buyers are trying to figure out what they really need to save before making a move (see graph below): If you’re wondering the same thing, you can always turn to the internet for answers. But a lot of the time, it’s better to…
Read More
The 10 Best Markets for First-Time Buyers This Spring
For a while, buying your first home hasn’t just felt hard. It may have felt out of reach. Not because you weren’t ready. Not because you weren’t trying. But because every time you ran the numbers, they didn’t work. That’s why so many first-time buyers stepped back. But after years of sitting on the outside looking in, this spring could give buyers like you an opening again—especially…
Read More
Buying a Home: Key Factors for 2026
With economic headlines, global events, and near-constant talk about affordability, you may be wondering if this is the right time to move. But here’s what you need to remember. While recent events do have some impact on the housing market, they don’t take buying off the table. You just have to use a different strategy. Mortgage Rates Have Been Up…
Read More
Why Pre-Approval is Non-Negotiable
Be honest. Have you started looking at homes online yet? If you have, it’s already time to get pre-approved. Because here’s what not enough people know. If buying a home is on your radar – even if it’s more of a someday plan than a right now plan – you don’t want to wait until later on in the process to tackle this step. No matter what…
Read More
This’ll Change What You Think About Investors in Today’s Housing Market
There’s a lot of noise out there right now about investors in the housing market. Some headlines make it sound like big Wall Street firms are buying up everything in sight. And if you’re trying to purchase a home yourself, that can make it feel like the odds are stacked against you. But when you take a closer look at…
Read More
Housing Affordability Has Improved in All 50 States
For the past few years, housing affordability has been what’s stopped a lot of buyers in their tracks. Maybe it stopped you, too. At some point you probably did the math, looked at the monthly payment, and decided to pause your search and wait for things to get better. But here’s something you may have missed while you’ve been sitting on the…
Read More
A Key Indicator We’re Not Facing a Wave of Foreclosures
Foreclosures are ticking up. And that may make your mind jump straight to thoughts of 2008—specifically to what happened to the market during the housing crash. So, let’s do exactly what your brain already wants to do, and see if there’s any connection there. The simple truth is foreclosure filings are rising. But they’re nowhere near crisis levels. And that’s not where they’re headed either.…
Read More
Should You Wait for Lower Rates?
Mortgage rates have already dropped into the upper 5s twice this year. But after just a few days, they ticked back up into the low 6% range. If you saw that and thought, “Great. I missed it.” You’re not the only one. A lot of buyers are treating the 5s like some kind of magic number. As if moving from 6.1% to…
Read More
The Hidden Advantage Repeat Buyers Have Right Now
What if you didn’t have a mortgage payment on your next house? It may sound a little unrealistic. But for a number of homeowners, it’s actually doable. Nearly 3 in 10 homes purchased today are bought in cash, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). That’s far more than the pre-pandemic norm (see graph below): So, how are so many buyers pulling that…
Read More
Price it Right or Lose the Flight: How to Price Your Home to Sell
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…
Read More
4 Ways Your Home Equity Can Work for You
You may have heard homeowners today have a lot of equity built up. But what does that really mean? Let’s break it down. Because your equity isn’t just a number, it’s a powerful asset that can help you take your next big step in life. How Much Equity Does the Typical Homeowner Have? Here’s how it works. As you pay…
Read More
Top 3 Reasons To Buy a Home Before Spring
If you’re planning to buy a home this year, you may be focused on the spring market. And hoping that when spring does hit, you’ll see: But here’s what most buyers don’t realize. Buying just a few weeks earlier could mean paying less, dealing with less stress, and feeling less rushed. Here are three reasons why accelerating your timeline over…
Read More
Home Insurance Costs Are Rising: What Buyers Should Plan For
Buying a home is one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make. And homeowner’s insurance is what protects that investment. Think of it as your safety net. NerdWallet explains it: But that peace of mind does come with a cost, and lately those costs have been rising. Why Home Insurance Premiums Are Going Up There are a number of factors causing…
Read More
Benefits of Buying a House Sitting on the Market in 2026
While many buyers are drawn to the “newest” listings, savvy shoppers in 2026 realize that the real opportunities are often found elsewhere. One of the primary benefits of buying a house that’s been sitting on the market for so long is the significant negotiation leverage you gain as a buyer. As the days on the market climb, seller urgency typically…
Read More
Home Updates That Actually Pay You Back When You Sell
Planning to sell this spring? While you may be tempted to hold off until the first blooms or the spring showers hit, that’s actually waiting too long to get started by today’s standards. Buyers have more options than they did a few years ago. So, it’s worth it to tackle repairs now and make sure your house is set up to…
Read More
Expert Forecasts Point to Affordability Improving in 2026
Wondering what to expect from the housing market in 2026? You’re not the only one. For the past few years, affordability has been the biggest barrier standing between most people and their next move. And a lot of buyers and sellers have been holding their breath waiting for things to get better. The good news? It’s finally happening. In 2025,…
Read More
Why Pre-Approval Should Be Your First Step—Not an Afterthought
Finding the right home feels exciting—but being pre-approved for your loan is what makes it possible. Whether you’re planning to buy soon or still just thinking about it, getting pre-approved is one of the best moves you can make. Here’s why. 1. What Is Pre-Approval, Really? Pre-approval is much more than a guess. It means a lender has reviewed your finances (things…
Read More
Reasons To Be Optimistic About the 2026 Housing Market
If a move is on your radar for 2026, there’s a lot more working in your favor than there has been in years. Conditions are shifting, and the housing market is finally starting to offer the opportunities and stability that buyers and sellers have been waiting for. After a stretch where many people felt stuck, 2026 is shaping up to…
Read More
Are Headlines Making You Worry About Your Home Value? Read This.
Hearing talk about home prices falling? That may leave you worried about whether your house is losing value. But here’s what you need to know. While some local markets have seen small price dips this year, home prices are not falling nationally. So, don’t let the headlines scare you. The vast majority of the country is actually seeing prices rise. While that may feel surprising…
Read More
Why Home Equity Matters More Than You Think Before Moving
A lot of people are asking the same thing right now: “Is it even a good time to sell? ” And the truth may come as a bit of a surprise… For many homeowners, the answer is a strong yes. Why? Because of one major factor working in your favor: your equity. Odds are, if you’ve lived in your home for a while, you know you have…
Read More
This May Be the Best Time To Buy a Brand-New Home
New home construction today is giving buyers something it feels like they haven’t gotten much lately: a real shot at both the home they want and the deal they need. More brand-new options are on the market right now, and builders are rolling out incentives that make these homes more affordable than many people expect. It’s a combination that doesn’t come around often—and…
Read More
How To Find the Best Deal Possible on a Home Right Now
Want to know how to find the best deal possible in today’s housing market? Here’s the secret. Focus on homes that have been sitting on the market for a while. Because when a listing lingers, sellers tend to get more realistic—and more willing to negotiate. And that’s where the savviest buyers are finding homes other buyers overlook. The Opportunity: 1 in 5…
Read More
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 outcome they wanted. But it’s not because something’s wrong with the market. It’s because something wasn’t right with…
Read More
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, there’s movement happening again. No, it’s not a surge. But it is a shift – and it’s one that could set the stage for…
Read More
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 may hear in the news, there’s no reason for alarm. In reality, data shows builders aren’t racing ahead, they’re actually starting to tap the…
Read More
From Contract to Closing: How to Secure Your Home Sale
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 for the deal to go through. But here’s what a lot of…
Read More
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 saw in 2017–2019. For sellers, that means one thing: Your house needs to stand…
Read More
The $280 Shift in Affordability Every Homebuyer Should Know
If you paused your plans to move because of high rates or prices, it may finally be time to take a second look at your numbers. Affordability is improving in 39 of the top 50 markets, according to First American. And that’s the 5th straight month where buying a home has started to get a little bit easier. Let’s break this down into real dollars so you…
Read More
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 going to cost you in today’s market. And the risk isn’t just missing out on…
Read MoreSomething went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
