Suzanne's Blog
Selling Smart: Why a Real Estate Agent Makes All the Difference
If you’re considering selling your house on your own as a “For Sale by Owner” (FSBO), you want to think about if it’s really worth the extra stress. Going this route means shouldering a lot of responsibilities by yourself – and, if you’re not an expert, that opens the door for mistakes to happen and can quickly […]
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Housing Market Forecast: What’s Ahead for the 2nd Half of 2024
As we move into the second half of 2024, here’s what experts say you should expect for home prices, mortgage rates, and home sales. Home Prices Are Expected To Climb Moderately Home prices are forecasted to rise at a more normal pace. The graph below shows the latest forecasts from seven of the most trusted sources in the industry: […]
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The Downsides of Selling Your House Without an Agent
Some Highlights Considering selling your house without an agent? You should know there are some serious downsides to handling it on your own. You’ll be missing out on marketing tools that draw in more buyers, pricing and market expertise, essential negotiation skills, in-depth knowledge of the fine print in contracts, and so much more. Don’t take all of this responsibility on. Instead, connect with an […]
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Focus on Time in the Market, Not Timing the Market
Should you buy a home now or should you wait? That’s a big question on many people’s minds today. And while what timing is right for you will depend on a lot of other personal factors, here’s something you may not have considered. If you’re able to buy at today’s rates and prices, it may be better to focus on time in […]
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Buying a home? 111 reasons to use a buyer’s agent
So, you’re ready to buy a home. Here’s your next 111 to-dos. * Get Informed – Do Your Research 1. Research the real estate industry and legal services to understand what’s available to you, including the entire process and necessity for legal representation. 2. Achieve proficiency in federal and state fair housing laws that protect […]
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Buyer’s Remorse Rooted in Surprise Property Issues
Consumers may be distracted by fancy fixtures and finishes during a home tour, overlooking more serious problems, researchers say. Eighty-two percent of home buyers express regrets about their recent property purchase, according to a new survey(link is external) from Clever Real Estate. Their most common regret: buying a home that requires too much maintenance. Twenty-eight percent of […]
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What Real Estate Agents Wish Buyers Already Knew
Heading into the spring buying season, practitioners want home buyers to be more realistic and organized. Home buyers need to be ready for the spring market, which is likely to see home prices continue to escalate amid stiff competition among consumers for slim inventory options. More than half of real estate professionals say that “managing […]
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California REALTORS® place open letter in California newspapers to mitigate confusion about pending changes in industry business practices
“If you’ve been reading about real estate lately, you’ve no doubt heard about antitrust lawsuits and settlements by real estate brokerages and the National Association of REALTORS®. You’ve also heard about the settlements resulting in certain changes in how agents will be compensated for their work,” C.A.R. President Melanie Barker said in the letter. “Recent […]
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More home sellers are paying capital gains taxes — here’s how to reduce your bill
More Americans are paying capital gains taxes on home sale profits amid soaring property values — but there are ways to reduce your bill, experts say. In 2023, nearly 8% of U.S. home sales yielded profits exceeding $500,000, compared with about 3% in 2019, according to an April report from real estate data firm CoreLogic. There’s a reason the report […]
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