Suzanne's Blog

Thinking of selling in the spring? Here are home improvement projects you should tackle now (and which to skip)

By Suzanne Volkman | Dec 20, 2022

Sellers gearing up for the spring home shopping season need to roll up their sleeves now and spruce up their homes if they want to attract a shrinking pool of buyers. Investing in improvements, maintenance and repairs could pay off when it’s time to sell. New research conducted by The Harris Poll finds a majority of […]

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NorCal Sales & Trends for November 2022 vs November 2021

By Suzanne Volkman | Dec 13, 2022

NorCal Sales & Trends for November 2022 vs November 2021 For Sale / Sold / Days on Market / Sold vs Original List Price / Median Price. Information provided by David Woods of Lennar Title Company. Click here for a better look!

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Home buyers’ and sellers’ biggest misconceptions in a shifting market

By Suzanne Volkman | Dec 6, 2022

The housing market is rapidly rebalancing, but buyers and sellers are struggling to keep up with the changes. A new survey of real estate agents finds the most common misconception among would-be buyers is that home prices will crash, while sellers are holding on to outdated expectations of bidding wars and quick sales. Nearly half […]

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Real estate is the safest investment you can make today, millionaires say—Here’s why

By Suzanne Volkman | Nov 30, 2022

If you’re planning for retirement, you’ve most likely watched your 401(k) plan run away like a car on a roller coaster. Each upward movement is a long, slow creep to a dramatic crest, met with an expected fall that takes your anxiety with it. If not in stock and bond markets, where are affluent consumers […]

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7 Reasons It’s Worth Buying a House at the End of the Year

By Suzanne Volkman | Nov 16, 2022

The end of the year is upon us, and you still haven’t found a new home. Friends and family are likely advising you to put your real estate search on pause until spring, but something tells you this isn’t the best idea. This is definitely a time to go with your instincts and keep searching, as your […]

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Mortgage rates are soaring. Is it still OK to refinance your home?

By Suzanne Volkman | Nov 16, 2022

Mortgage rates, over 7% or so, are at their highest levels in 20 years and loan applications are down. So, it should follow, that homeowners looking to refinance loans would also be headed to the sidelines in droves. But according to experts, it might still make sense for homeowners to refinance. Why? Rates, even at […]

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Will Homeownership Soon Be A Thing Of The Past? The Strategy Millennials Are Using To Enter Real Estate Market

By Suzanne Volkman | Nov 8, 2022

As the economy teeters on the brink of a recession, potential home buyers wrestling with high-interest rates, low affordability, and overpriced homes are asking themselves how to build the wealth they need to purchase their first primary residence. According to a consumer insights report issued by tech-enabled real estate company Mynd, millennials have found the answer. A […]

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Buyers Embrace Adjustable Mortgages as Rates Surpass 7%

By Suzanne Volkman | Nov 8, 2022

Rising interest rates have increased the average monthly loan payment by a whopping $1,000 year over year. With the rate for a 30-year mortgage rising to 7.08% this week—the highest average since April 2002, according to Freddie Mac—the average monthly loan payment is now $1,000 more than a year ago, Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and […]

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Yikes! Every Time Mortgage Rates Rise, Buyers Need To Make This Much More To Afford a Home

By Suzanne Volkman | Nov 3, 2022

For home shoppers who thought 2022 would be their year, a pervasive sinking feeling is taking hold. They’re realizing the monthly payment for a home they thought they could afford—perhaps just barely—is now hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than they would have paid earlier this year. Their dream home is getting further and […]

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