Lisa Rhodes, Windermere Real Estate Northeast

01/26/2024

Come see this beautiful home I just listed! Open houses Sat and Sunday, 1-4pm!

For sale: 4 bed, 4 bath, 3,348 SQFT house. This Luxurious Modern Farmhouse showcases meticulous design, and an artful selection of materials... $2,690,000.

03/13/2022

New listing in Mill Creek!

For Sale: 4 bed, 3 bath, 2,034 SQFT ∙ $875,000 ∙ 13427 43rd Avenue SE, Mill Creek, WA 98012 ∙ Northwest MLS # 1889410 ∙ Lovely, 4 bedroom Craftsman in the desirable Bluegrass Meadows neighborhood of Mill Creek. RARE Location, backs to a Natural Protected Area that provides wonderful privacy ...

03/07/2022

Interesting insight...

02/25/2022

The Difference Between Renting and Owning [INFOGRAPHIC]

If you’re deciding whether to rent or buy, consider the many financial benefits that come with owning a home. As a renter, you build your landlord’s wealth and face rising costs. As a homeowner, you build your own net worth and can lock in your monthly payments for the length of your loan. If you’re weighing your options, remember that owning a home is a decision that has considerable financial perks. If you want to learn more, DM me so we can talk about the perks of homeownership.

Some Highlights If you’re deciding whether to rent or buy, consider the many financial benefits that come with owning a home. As a renter, you build your landlord’s wealth and face rising costs. As a homeowner, you build your own net worth and can lock in your monthly payments for the length of ...

02/24/2022

The #1 Reason To Sell Your House Today

Almost every industry is currently struggling with supply chain disruptions. This also applies to the current U.S. housing market, where buyer demand far exceeds housing supply.

Inventory Is at an All-Time Low
Because purchaser demand is so high, the market is running out of available homes for sale. The above-mentioned report states that the current months’ supply of inventory of homes for sale has fallen to 1.6 months. This prompts Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at NAR, to say, “The inventory of homes on the market remains woefully depleted, and in fact is currently at an all-time low.” Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at First American, explains it like this: “A higher velocity of sales (lower [Days on Market]) helps to explain a housing market characterized by both higher sales & lower inventory. Many resale transactions are happening so quickly that they ‘flow’ in & then out of the ‘stock...

Almost every industry is currently struggling with supply chain disruptions. This also applies to the current U.S. housing market, where buyer demand far exceeds housing supply.

02/23/2022

How Supply and Demand Can Impact Your Buying and Selling Goals

Nationally, Demand Is High and Supply Is Very Low
The latest buyer and seller activity data from NAR indicates buyer traffic heavily outweighs seller traffic today. This shows the demand for homes is significantly greater than what’s available to purchase.

What Does This Mean if You’re a Seller?
Supply is struggling to keep pace with demand. In fact, the inventory of homes for sale recently hit an all-time low. That gives you an incredible advantage when you sell your house. With so few listings, it’s likely more potential buyers will view your house – especially if you work with an agent to price it right. That means there’s a high chance you’ll receive multiple offers or buyers will enter a bidding war for your house. And that dynamic can drive the sale price of your home up.

What Does This Mean if You’re a Buyer?
As a buyer with fewer options available, you’re likely to see...

In today’s housing market, there are far more buyers looking for homes than sellers listing their houses. Based on the concept of supply and demand, this means home prices will naturally rise. Why is that? When there are more people trying to buy an item than there are making that item available f...

02/22/2022

The Perks of Owning More Than One Home

Many things have changed over the past couple of years, and real estate is no exception. One impact is an increased desire to own more than one home. And with the rise in remote work, more people are reconsidering where they want to live and buying second homes to give them greater flexibility. If you fall in that category, here are just a few of the perks you’ll enjoy.

Enjoy a Change in Scenery
When you have two homes, you can alternate between them as the weather changes or as you crave different scenery. Being able to move between homes based on which location best suits you at the time gives you added flexibility and variety that can help increase your happiness.

Build Your Wealth Faster
You may have heard that home equity is skyrocketing, thanks to ongoing home price appreciation. With home prices projected to continue rising, if you purchase a second home, you could benefit from rising equity on both...

Many things have changed over the past couple of years, and real estate is no exception. One impact is an increased desire to own more than one home. According to the recent Luxury Market Report from Luxury Home Marketing:

02/21/2022

Real Estate Voted the Best Investment Eight Years in a Row

In an annual Gallup poll, Americans chose real estate as the best long-term investment. Real estate has been on a winning streak for the past eight years, consistently gaining traction as the best long-term investment.

With inflation reaching its highest level in 40 years, it’s more important than ever to understand the financial benefits of homeownership. Rising inflation means prices are increasing across the board. When you purchase your home, you lock in your monthly housing payments, effectively shielding yourself from increasing housing payments. James Royal, Senior Wealth Management Reporter at Bankrate, explains it like this:

“A fixed-rate mortgage allows you to maintain the biggest portion of housing expenses at the same payment. Sure, property taxes will rise and other expenses may creep up, but your monthly housing payment remains the same.”

If you’re a renter, you don’t have...

In an annual Gallup poll, Americans chose real estate as the best long-term investment. And it’s not the first time it’s topped the list, either. Real estate has been on a winning streak for the past eight years, consistently gaining traction as the best long-term investment (see graph below):

02/18/2022

What’s Driving Today’s High Buyer Demand? [INFOGRAPHIC]

There’s an influx of buyers looking for homes today, and that means your house is in high demand. Here are a few reasons why so many people are looking to buy a home. Buyers are motivated to beat rising mortgage rates, and many want to escape rising rents. There’s also additional demand from millennials who are reaching peak homebuying age. If you’re thinking about selling your house, today’s demand is great news. DM me to begin the process of listing your house while buyers are ready to purchase.

Some Highlights There’s an influx of buyers looking for homes today, and that means your house is in high demand. Here are a few reasons why so many people are looking to buy a home. Buyers are motivated to beat rising mortgage rates, and many want to escape rising rents. There’s also additional...

02/17/2022

4 Simple Graphs Showing Why This Is Not a Housing Bubble

Here are four key reasons why today is nothing like the last time.

>>Houses Are Not Unaffordable Like They Were During the Housing Boom
Fifteen years ago, prices were high, wages were low, and mortgage rates were over 6%. Today, prices are still high. Wages, however, have increased, and the mortgage rate is still well below 6%. That means the average purchaser today pays less of their monthly income toward their mortgage payment than they did back then.

>>Mortgage Standards Were Much More Relaxed During the Boom
During the housing bubble, it was much easier to get a mortgage than it is today. Mortgage standards are nothing like they were the last time. Purchasers that acquired a mortgage over the last decade are much more qualified.

>>The Foreclosure Situation Is Nothing Like It Was During the Crash
In the run-up to the housing bubble, some homeowners were using their homes as personal ATM machines...

A recent survey revealed that many consumers believe there’s a housing bubble beginning to form. That feeling is understandable, as year-over-year home price appreciation is still in the double digits. However, this market is very different than it was during the housing crash 15 years ago. Here a...

02/16/2022

More People Are Planning To Buy a Home Soon

While some homeowners may be tempted to hold off until spring to list their houses, you should know – homebuyers aren’t waiting. Demand is high today as more people are trying to beat rising mortgage rates. As a result, eager buyers are entering the market or moving their plans up so they can make their purchases as soon as possible. The most recent Consumer Confidence Survey finds that, of those surveyed, the percentage of people planning to buy over the next six months has increased substantially since last fall.

The number of consumers fast-tracking their plans to purchase a home has crept up over the past three months. That indicates many buyers are evaluating their strategy and realizing they should act sooner rather than later. And for homeowners planning to sell, it’s a signal that now may be the time to list.

While more people are moving their plans up, others are actively putting theirs in motion...

While some homeowners may be tempted to hold off until spring to list their houses, you should know – homebuyers aren’t waiting. Demand is high today as more people are trying to beat rising mortgage rates. As a result, eager buyers are entering the market or moving their plans up so they can ma...

02/15/2022

What Every Seller Needs To Know About Renovating This Year

Here are three things to keep top of mind as you’re making your list of projects to tackle this year.

>>The Number of Homes for Sale Is Very Low

Housing inventory sits far below what is normally considered a balanced market. Because there’s such a limited supply of homes available for sale, you’re in a unique position when you sell your house to benefit from multiple offers and a quick process. Spending time and money on renovations before you sell could mean you’ll miss your key window of opportunity. Of course, certain repairs may be important or even necessary. The best way to determine where to spend your time – and your money – is to work with a real estate advisor to confirm which improvements are truly needed and which ones aren’t likely to be deal-breakers for buyers.

>>Buyers May Be Willing To Take on Projects When They Purchase Your House

Today, many buyers are more...

If you’re planning to sell this year, you’re probably thinking about what you’ll need to do to get your house ready to appeal to the most buyers. It’s crucial to work with a trusted real estate professional who knows your local market to get your home ready to sell. But there are a few thing...