Denise Lucky, Realtor Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage

03/14/2024

Why Today’s Seller’s Market Is Good for Your Bottom Line

Thinking about selling your house and wondering if now’s a good time to do it? Here’s what you need to know. Even though the number of homes for sale has been growing this year, there still aren’t enough homes on the market for all the buyers who want to buy.

So, what does that mean for you? To keep it simple, it means it’s still a seller’s market. Here’s how it works:

• A neutral market is when supply and demand is balanced. Basically, there are enough homes to meet buyer demand based on the current sales pace, and home prices hold fairly steady.

• A buyer’s market is when there are more homes for sale than there are buyers.

• In a seller’s market, it’s just the opposite. When the supply of homes for sale is as low as it is right now, it’s much harder for buyers to find homes to purchase. That creates increased competition among purchasers...

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Thinking about selling your house and wondering if now’s a good time to do it?

03/13/2024

Your Home Is a Powerful Investment

Going into 2023, there was a lot of talk about a possible recession that would cause the housing market to crash. Some in the media were even forecasting home prices would drop by as much as 10-20%—and that might have made you feel a bit unsure about buying a home.

But here’s what actually happened: home prices went up more than usual. Brian D. Luke, Head of Commodities at S&P Dow Jones Indices, explains: “Looking back at the year, 2023 appears to have exceeded average annual home price gains over the past 35 years.”

The big takeaway? Home prices almost always go up.

As an article from Forbes says: “. . . the U.S. real estate market has a long and reliable history of increasing in value over time.”

In fact, since 1980, the only time home prices dropped was during the housing market crash. Fortunately, the market today isn’t like it was in 2008. For starters, there...

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Going into 2023, there was a lot of talk about a possible recession that would cause the housing market to crash.

03/13/2024

The best smart home devices can make your home more comfortable, safer, and easier to control.

The best smart home devices can raise your home's IQ, from security cameras and Wi-Fi locks to cutting edge light bulbs.

03/13/2024

Going into 2023, there was a lot of talk about a possible recession that would cause the housing market to crash. Some in the media were even forecasting home prices would drop by as much as 10-20%—and that might have made you feel a bit unsure about buying a home.

But here’s what actually happened: home prices went up more than usual. Brian D. Luke, Head of Commodities at S&P Dow Jones Indices, explains: “Looking back at the year, 2023 appears to have exceeded average annual home price gains over the past 35 years.”

The big takeaway? Home prices almost always go up.

As an article from Forbes says: “. . . the U.S. real estate market has a long and reliable history of increasing in value over time.”

In fact, since 1980, the only time home prices dropped was during the housing market crash. Fortunately, the market today isn’t like it was in 2008. For starters, there aren’t enough available homes to meet buyer demand right now. On top of that...

Going into 2023, there was a lot of talk about a possible recession that would cause the housing market to crash.

03/12/2024

Asking just shy of $7 million, the industrial-chic apartment at 533 Canal Street is perched on top of a pre-war co-op in lower Manhattan’s Hudson Square neighborhood.

The “Spider-Man” actress owned the eighth-floor Canal Street apartment for more than a decade.

03/12/2024

If you’ve been thinking about buying a home, mortgage rates are probably top of mind for you. They may even be why you’ve put your plans on hold for now. When rates climbed near 8% last year, some buyers found the numbers just didn’t make sense for their budget anymore. That may be the case for you too.

Data from Bright MLS shows the top reason buyers delayed their plans to move is due to high mortgage rates.

David Childers, CEO at Keeping Current Matters, speaks to this statistic in the recent How’s The Market podcast: “Three quarters of buyers said ‘we’re out’ due to mortgage rates. Here’s what I know going forward. That will change in 2024.”

That’s because mortgage rates have come down off their peak last October. And while there’s still day-to-day volatility in rates, the longer-term projections show rates could continue to drop this year, as long as inflation gets under control. Experts even say we could see rates below 6% by the end of 2024...

If you’ve been thinking about buying a home, mortgage rates are probably top of mind for you.

03/12/2024

Testimonial Tuesday! Love my clients!

03/12/2024

What Mortgage Rate Do You Need To Move?

If you’ve been thinking about buying a home, mortgage rates are probably top of mind for you. They may even be why you’ve put your plans on hold for now. When rates climbed near 8% last year, some buyers found the numbers just didn’t make sense for their budget anymore. That may be the case for you too.

Data from Bright MLS shows the top reason buyers delayed their plans to move is due to high mortgage rates.

David Childers, CEO at Keeping Current Matters, speaks to this statistic in the recent How’s The Market podcast: “Three quarters of buyers said ‘we’re out’ due to mortgage rates. Here’s what I know going forward. That will change in 2024.”

That’s because mortgage rates have come down off their peak last October. And while there’s still day-to-day volatility in rates, the longer-term projections show rates could continue to drop this year, as long as...

Lets Chat!

If you’ve been thinking about buying a home, mortgage rates are probably top of mind for you.

03/11/2024

Finding Your Perfect Home in a Fixer Upper

If you’re trying to buy a home and are having a hard time finding one you can afford, it may be time to consider a fixer-upper.
Sometimes the perfect home is the one you perfect after buying it.

Here’s some information that can help you pinpoint what you truly need so you can be strategic in your home search. First, make a list of all the features you want in a home. From there, work to break those features into categories like this:
• Must-Haves - If a house doesn’t have these features, it won’t work for you and your lifestyle.

• Nice-To-Haves - These are features you’d love to have but can live without. Nice-to-haves aren’t dealbreakers, but if you find a home that hits all the must-haves and some of these, it’s a contender.

• Dream State - This is where you can really think big. Again, these aren’t features you’ll need, but if you find a home in your...

Lets Chat!

If you’re trying to buy a home and are having a hard time finding one you can afford, it may be time to consider a fixer-upper.

03/11/2024

The 600-square-foot apartment that Ferrari built produces more energy than it consumes.

The city’s first “net-zero” accessory dwelling unit took two years and about $200,000 to build. Its owner learned some valuable lessons along the way.

03/11/2024

If you’re trying to buy a home and are having a hard time finding one you can afford, it may be time to consider a fixer-upper.
Sometimes the perfect home is the one you perfect after buying it.

Here’s some information that can help you pinpoint what you truly need so you can be strategic in your home search. First, make a list of all the features you want in a home. From there, work to break those features into categories like this:
• Must-Haves - If a house doesn’t have these features, it won’t work for you and your lifestyle.

• Nice-To-Haves - These are features you’d love to have but can live without. Nice-to-haves aren’t dealbreakers, but if you find a home that hits all the must-haves and some of these, it’s a contender.

• Dream State - This is where you can really think big. Again, these aren’t features you’ll need, but if you find a home in your budget that has all the must-haves, most of the nice-to-haves, and any of these, it’s a clear...

If you’re trying to buy a home and are having a hard time finding one you can afford, it may be time to consider a fixer-upper.

03/10/2024

While bad credit can make it harder to get approved for this type of loan, you still have options.

Home improvement loans are usually unsecured personal loans you can use to tackle projects like fixing up your spare bathroom or giving your guest room a facelift. While bad credit can make it harder to get approved for this type of loan, you still have options. Some lenders work with borrowers who