Great Britten Realty

01/23/2024

Wow! Thank you for all of the kind birthday wishes. Cheers to a fantastic 2024.

04/06/2023

Keeping It Real - Great Britten Realty

Trying To Buy a Home? Hang in There.

There are some benefits to being a buyer in today’s market that give you good reason to stick with your search. Here are a few of them.

>>Long-Term Benefits Outweigh Short-Term Challenges

Owning a home grows your net worth – and since building that wealth takes time, it makes sense to start as soon as you can. Freddie Mac puts it this way:

“Homeownership not only builds a sense of pride and accomplishment, but it’s also an important step toward achieving long-term financial stability.”

The key there is long-term because the financial benefits homeownership provides, like home value appreciation and equity, grow over time.

>>Mortgage Rates Are Constantly Changing

Mortgage rates have been hovering around 6.5% over the last several months. However, as Sam Khater, Chief Economist at Freddie Mac, notes, they’ve been coming down some rec...

We’re still in a sellers’ market.

04/05/2023

Keeping It Real - Great Britten Realty

Why Aren’t Home Prices Crashing?

There have been a lot of shifts in the housing market recently. And after several years of rapid price appreciation, home prices finally peaked last summer. These changes led to a rise in headlines saying prices would end up crashing.

Even though we’re no longer seeing the buyer frenzy that drove home values up during the pandemic, prices have been relatively flat at the national level. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), doesn’t expect that to change:

“[H]ome prices will be steady in most parts of the country with a minor change in the national median home price.”

You might think sellers would have to lower prices to attract buyers in today’s market, and that’s part of why some may have been waiting for prices to come crashing down. But there’s another factor at play – low inventory. And according t...

There have been a lot of shifts in the housing market recently.

04/04/2023

Keeping It Real - Great Britten Realty

Two Reasons You Should Sell Your House

Wondering if you should sell your house this year? A recent survey from realtor.com asked why homeowners are thinking about selling their houses this year.

Let’s break those reasons down and explore how they might resonate with you.

>>1. I Want To Take Advantage of the Current Market and Make a Profit

When you decide to sell your house, how much you’ll make from the sale will likely be top of mind. So, here’s some good news: according to the latest data, the average seller can expect a strong return on their investment when they make a move. ATTOM explains:

“The $112,000 profit on median-priced home sales in 2022 represented a 51.4% return on investment compared to the original purchase price, up from 44.6% last year and from 32.8% in 2020.”

Even though home prices have declined slightly in some markets, they’re still much higher...

Wondering if you should sell your house this year? 

04/03/2023

Keeping It Real - Great Britten Realty

How Changing Mortgage Rates Can Affect You

If you’ve been on the fence about whether to buy a home or not, it’s helpful to know exactly how a 1%, or even a 0.5%, mortgage rate shift affects your purchasing power.

Even a 0.5% change can have a big impact on your monthly payment. And since rates have been moving between 6% and 7% for a while now, you can see how it impacts your purchasing power as rates go down.

What This Means for You

You may be tempted to put your homebuying plans on hold in hopes that rates will fall. But that can be risky. No one knows for sure where rates will go from here, and trying to time them for your benefit is tough. Lisa Sturtevant, Housing Economist at Bright MLS, explains:

“It is typically a fool’s errand for a homebuyer to try to time rates in this market . . . But volatility in mortgage rates right now can have a real impact on buyers’ monthly...

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate has been bouncing between 6% and 7% this year.

03/31/2023

Keeping It Real - Great Britten Realty

Facts About Closing Costs [INFOGRAPHIC]

If you’re thinking about buying a home, be sure to plan for closing costs. Closing costs are typically 2% to 5% of the total purchase price of a home, and they can include things like government recording costs, appraisal fees, and more. DM me so I can answer your questions about the homebuying process.

If you’re thinking about buying a home, be sure to plan for closing costs.Closing costs are typically 2% to 5% of the total purchase price of a home, and they can include things like government recording costs, appraisal fees, and more.

03/30/2023

Keeping It Real - Great Britten Realty

We’re in a Sellers’ Market. What Does That Mean?

Even though activity in the housing market has slowed from the frenzy we saw over a year ago, today’s low supply of homes for sale is still a sellers’ market. But what does that really mean? And why are conditions today so good if you want to list your house?

It starts with the number of homes available for sale. The latest Existing Home Sales Report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows housing supply is still astonishingly low. Today, we have a 2.6-month supply of homes at the current sales pace. Historically, a 6-month supply is necessary for a ‘normal’ or ‘neutral’ market in which there are enough homes available for active buyers.

>>What Does This Mean for You?

When the supply of homes for sale is as low as it is right now, it’s much harder for buyers to find one to purchase. That creates increased compet...

Even though activity in the housing market has slowed from the frenzy we saw over a year ago, today’s low supply of homes for sale is still a sellers’ market.

03/29/2023

Keeping It Real - Great Britten Realty

4 Key Tips for Selling Your House This Spring

Spring has arrived, and that means more and more people are getting their homes ready to sell. To sell your house quickly, without hassles, and for the most money, be sure to follow these four simple tips:

>>1. Make Sure You Give Buyers Access
In any market, if you want to maximize the sale of your house, you can’t limit potential buyers’ access to view it. If it’s not accessible, it could cost you by sitting on the market longer and ultimately selling for a lower price.

>>2. Make Your Home Look as Good as Possible on the Inside
For anything to sell, especially your home, it must look inviting. Your real estate agent can give you expert advice on ideal staging for your home. Even updating a room with fresh paint, steam cleaning carpets, or removing clutter from the garage can make a big impact.

>>3. First Impressions Matter
Ofte...

Spring has arrived, and that means more and more people are getting their homes ready to sell.

03/28/2023

Keeping It Real - Great Britten Realty

How Homeownership Is Life Changing for Many Women

Throughout Women’s History Month, we reflect on the impact women have in our lives, and that includes impact on the housing market. In fact, since at least 1981, single women have bought more homes than single men each year, and they make up 17% of all households.

>>Why Is Homeownership So Important to Women?

The rise in women pursuing homeownership hasn’t just made an impact on the housing market. It’s also been an asset for those buyers and their households. That’s because homeownership has many benefits, both financial and personal.

On the financial side, housing proves to be the key to building wealth for single women. Ksenia Potapov, Economist at First American, says:

“For single women, housing has always made up a large share of total assets. Over the last 30 years, the average single woman’s wealth has increased 88% on an...

Throughout Women’s History Month, we reflect on the impact women have in our lives, and that includes impact on the housing market. 

03/27/2023

Keeping It Real - Great Britten Realty

Get Ready: The Best Time To List Your House Is Almost Here

If you’re thinking about selling this spring, it’s time to get moving – the best week to list your house is fast approaching.

Experts at realtor.com looked at seasonal trends from recent years (excluding 2020 as an uncharacteristic year due to the onset of the pandemic) and determined the ideal week to list a house this year:

“Home sellers on the fence waiting for that perfect moment to sell should start preparations, because the best time to list a home in 2023 is approaching quickly. The week of April 16-22 is expected to have the ideal balance of housing market conditions that favor home sellers, more so than any other week in the year.”

>>Work with an Agent To Determine Which Updates To Make

Start by prioritizing which updates you’ll make. In February, realtor.com asked more than 1,200 recent or potential hom...

If you’re thinking about selling this spring, it’s time to get moving – the best week to list your house is fast approaching. 

03/26/2023

Keeping It Real - Great Britten Realty

Why Buying a Home Is a Sound Decision

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you want to know the decision will be a good one. And for many, that means thinking about what home prices are projected to do in the coming years and how that could impact your investment.

This year, we aren’t seeing home prices fall dramatically. As the year goes on, however, some markets may go up in value while others may lose value. That’s why it’s helpful to keep the long-term view in mind. Experts project a return to a steadier rate of price appreciation in the years that follow.

>>Home Price Appreciation in the Years Ahead
Over 100 economists, investment strategists, and housing market analysts were polled by Pulsenomics in their latest quarterly Home Price Expectation Survey (HPES). The report indicates what they believe will happen with home prices over the next five years.

The big ta...

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you want to know the decision will be a good one. 

03/25/2023

Keeping It Real - Great Britten Realty

Reasons To Consider Condos in Your Home Search

Are you having trouble finding a home that fits your needs and your budget? If so, you should know there’s an option worth considering – condominiums, also known as condos. According to Bankrate:

“A condo can be a more affordable entry point to homeownership than a single-family home. And as a homeowner, you’ll build equity over time and have access to tax benefits that a renter wouldn’t.”

That’s why expanding your search to include additional housing types, like condominiums, could help you accomplish your homeownership goals this spring, especially if you can be flexible about the space you need. Condos are typically smaller than a single-family home, but that’s part of what can make them more budget-friendly.

In addition to providing more options in your home search and possibly your price point, there are several other ben...

Are you having trouble finding a home that fits your needs and your budget?