Ellen Riddoch- Farm & House Chik, Pearson Smith Realty

08/18/2026

Mortgage rates aren’t random. They’re affected by 2 numbers.

The 10-year treasury yield and something called "the spread." That's the gap between the 10-year treasury yield and mortgage rates, and it usually sits around 1.76 percentage points.

Back in 2023, the gap in the spread ballooned up to 3.19 in response to economic uncertainty. If it were still that wide today, rates would be pushing almost 8%.

But the good news is the gap has narrowed to 2.01 (a lot closer to the long-term norm). And that’s a big positive for rates. It’s why today’s mortgage rate is in the upper 6s instead of touching 8%.

Here's the part a lot of people miss. Where rates are right now are already pretty close to what a totally normal spread would...

📲 Contact me for more details!
Ellen Riddoch, ABR® your go-to Realtor®! 🏡✨
Licensed in VA
Farm and House Chik | Realtor®
Pearson Smith Realty LLC
📍 43777 Central Station Dr. Suite 390, Ashburn, VA 20147
📱 Cell: 703-505-2714
☎️ Office: 571-386-1075

08/16/2026

That’s the trade-off with a narrowing spread. Rates may not be where you want them, but they're better than they could've been. If you want help figuring out what that means for your monthly payment, reach out to a local lender

📲 Contact me for more details!
Ellen Riddoch, ABR® your go-to Realtor®! 🏡✨
Licensed in VA
Farm and House Chik | Realtor®
Pearson Smith Realty LLC
📍 43777 Central Station Dr. Suite 390, Ashburn, VA 20147
📱 Cell: 703-505-2714
☎️ Office: 571-386-1075

If you're waiting for mortgage rates to fall a lot before you buy, you may be waiting a while.

08/14/2026

Picture it. A getaway that’s all yours, where you’ll build memories with your loved ones year after year. And maybe even retire someday?

A vacation home of your own might be more within reach than you think. Nearly 40% of vacation-home sellers have lowered their asking price recently.

That place you’re imagining? DM, and let’s talk about what’s available there.

📲 Contact me for more details!
Ellen Riddoch, ABR® your go-to Realtor®! 🏡✨
Licensed in VA
Farm and House Chik | Realtor®
Pearson Smith Realty LLC
📍 43777 Central Station Dr. Suite 390, Ashburn, VA 20147
📱 Cell: 703-505-2714
☎️ Office: 571-386-1075

08/11/2026

If you've been putting your home search on hold because you're convinced mortgage rates will be much lower soon, it may be worth taking another look at that strategy.

Let’s connect so you have an expert who can at least walk you through your options and decide whether waiting really puts you in a better position – or just keeps you on the sidelines a little longer.

📲 Contact me for more details!
Ellen Riddoch, ABR® your go-to Realtor®! 🏡✨
Licensed in VA
Farm and House Chik | Realtor®
Pearson Smith Realty LLC
📍 43777 Central Station Dr. Suite 390, Ashburn, VA 20147
📱 Cell: 703-505-2714
☎️ Office: 571-386-1075

Imagine waiting a year to buy a home, only to find mortgage rates haven't changed much. That may sound frustrating. But it's a real possibility.

08/09/2026

Think big investors are snapping up all the homes? The data says otherwise.

The largest institutional investors are now selling more homes than they're buying – and the gap is growing every quarter.

That means those homes are going back on the market for regular buyers. And since big investors tend to own lower-priced homes, a lot of them are right in the range first-time buyers want.

Less competition. More options for you.

DM me and I'll show you what's hitting the market in our area.

📲 Contact me for more details!
Ellen Riddoch, ABR® your go-to Realtor®! 🏡✨
Licensed in VA
Farm and House Chik | Realtor®
Pearson Smith Realty LLC
📍 43777 Central Station Dr. Suite 390, Ashburn, VA 20147
📱 Cell: 703-505-2714
☎️ Office: 571-386-1075

08/07/2026

Big investors are stepping back, and they're adding homes to the market as they go. If you've been waiting for a better shot at buying, this could be it. Let’s connect so you can see what's popping up in our area. You may have more options than you think.

📲 Contact me for more details!
Ellen Riddoch, ABR® your go-to Realtor®! 🏡✨
Licensed in VA
Farm and House Chik | Realtor®
Pearson Smith Realty LLC
📍 43777 Central Station Dr. Suite 390, Ashburn, VA 20147
📱 Cell: 703-505-2714
☎️ Office: 571-386-1075

For years, a lot of would-be homebuyers have worried about the same thing. How do you compete with big investors who can swoop in, pay cash, and snap up the houses you want?

08/04/2026

Stuck deciding between buying a home now and holding out for the “perfect” mortgage rate?

The truth is, trying to time the market rarely works. Home prices, mortgage rates, and inflation are all outside your control.

And if you wait for all of them to line up just right, you may be waiting a long time.

My advice? If you want or need to move, look at your own numbers instead.

Because whether it's a good time to buy really comes down to your financial situation.

Can you afford the monthly payment?

Do you have enough money left over as a safety net?

What about for repairs?

It’s not a bad time to buy if the math makes sense for you. And that’s true no matter what you’re hearing about the market right now.

Connect with a...

📲 Contact me for more details!
Ellen Riddoch, ABR® your go-to Realtor®! 🏡✨
Licensed in VA
Farm and House Chik | Realtor®
Pearson Smith Realty LLC
📍 43777 Central Station Dr. Suite 390, Ashburn, VA 20147
📱 Cell: 703-505-2714
☎️ Office: 571-386-1075

08/02/2026

Home price growth slowed way down, and now it's showing early signs of picking back up. Whether you're buying or selling, let's connect so you can see exactly what prices are doing in our local market and what that means for your plans.

📲 Contact me for more details!
Ellen Riddoch, ABR® your go-to Realtor®! 🏡✨
Licensed in VA
Farm and House Chik | Realtor®
Pearson Smith Realty LLC
📍 43777 Central Station Dr. Suite 390, Ashburn, VA 20147
📱 Cell: 703-505-2714
☎️ Office: 571-386-1075

After more than a year of headlines talking about how home prices are going to crash, the latest data shows that price growth may be starting to pick back up again.

07/31/2026

Homeowners insurance has become a bigger part of the homebuying conversation. But it doesn't have to become a bigger source of stress.

The key is knowing what to expect before you buy. Get an insurance quote early, factor it into your budget, and lean on trusted local professionals to help you make the most informed decision possible.

📲 Contact me for more details!
Ellen Riddoch, ABR® your go-to Realtor®! 🏡✨
Licensed in VA
Farm and House Chik | Realtor®
Pearson Smith Realty LLC
📍 43777 Central Station Dr. Suite 390, Ashburn, VA 20147
📱 Cell: 703-505-2714
☎️ Office: 571-386-1075

If buying a home is on your radar, you've probably been keeping an eye on mortgage rates and home prices. But don’t forget about homeowners insurance.

07/28/2026

Putting off selling because it feels like the market’s at a standstill and no one’s buying right now?

Sure, the pace has cooled in some areas recently. But houses are still selling all the time. In fact, more than 4 million will sell this year.

Do a little math, and that works out to over 11k sold every day, almost 470 an hour, and about eight every minute.

So, don’t count your house out. Another home just sold as you were reading this – let’s make the next one yours.

📲 Contact me for more details!
Ellen Riddoch, ABR® your go-to Realtor®! 🏡✨
Licensed in VA
Farm and House Chik | Realtor®
Pearson Smith Realty LLC
📍 43777 Central Station Dr. Suite 390, Ashburn, VA 20147
📱 Cell: 703-505-2714
☎️ Office: 571-386-1075