Whitney Parker Real Estate

05/17/2024

Just listed in Vancouver! This home is filled with high end updates on an oversized lot. Come see it this weekend! This one won’t last long!

03/31/2024

Happy 10th Birthday, Evie 🩷🌷✨

03/08/2023

Please SHARE this video to help me get the word out!!

I am currently looking for homes to feature on my next episode of The American Dream, Selling Portland and I need your help getting this in front of potential home sellers in the Portland area.

The show airs on national networks of CNBC, ABC, CBS, Fox and many more! If you are considering selling in the near future, I would love to talk with you. At Redfin we only charge a 1.5% listing fee (1% when you buy and sell) so you will save thousands on the commission AND get your home in front of millions of buyers! I would love to send you some additional information with absolutely no pressure.

This first full episode is coming soon!!

I am looking for home sellers to feature on my next episode of The American Dream, Selling Portland! The show airs on national networks of CNBC, ABC, CBS, Fo...

03/01/2023

Buying a home doesn’t have to be complicated.

In fact, it only takes a few simple steps.

But if you feel like buying a home is a little overwhelming or stressful, that’s okay!

It helps to have things broken down into simple steps that you can mark off as you go through the process.

So no matter what part of the process you’re in, you can know you’re making progress.

If you haven’t started your journey to becoming a homeowner yet, then I suggest researching lenders and agents and setting up interviews to find some you like.

If you’re stuck in the middle, looking at houses, patience is your best friend. Making a list of your wants and needs is also super helpful at this point!

If you’re closer to the end, it’s a good time to start finding an inspector that you can trust.

Remember: you don’t have to do any of this on your own. There are so many helpful resources out there to help guide you through your journey.

One resource you may find helpful is my Buyer Guide! It will walk you through each of these steps and provide you with the advice you need to make the right decisions.

Send me a DM to get your copy!

02/10/2023

Ready to make passive income with your home?

Then it’s time to get renting! If you follow these 8 simple steps, you’ll set yourself up for success when it comes to your rental.

First, you have to make sure that your space is eligible to be rented. This differs from city to city due to local regulations, so look into the laws before you go any further. You’ll also want to check with your HOA if you have one.

Then, it’s time for the fun stuff. Get an inspection and do a deep clean and upgrade the space to make it feel fresh. Not only will you be able to charge a bit more if the space looks newer and fresher, but the upgrades will pay dividends over time with maintenance.

Don’t forget to get a landlord insurance policy and you’re off to the (real estate) races!

P.S. If you want to rent your current place out, you’re probably also in the market for a new home. I can help with that! Just send me a DM and I’ll get you the information you need.

02/06/2023

The biggest mistake you can make in real estate isn’t…

-Buying a house right next to nosy neighbors
-Giving your home to your friend with the promise that they’ll pay you back
-Ending up in a house across the street from your in-laws

No, the biggest mistake you can make is not taking action.

I’ve seen this a million times. A would-be buyer or selling starts taking the steps to enter the real estate market, but then they start double thinking everything.

They wonder, “What if home values will actually be higher next year?” or “What if interest rates will go down in a couple of years?” over and over again.

They get stuck in the loop of analysis paralysis and end up not taking any action at all.

Then, instead of buying their dream house or selling their home for a profit, they stay stuck in the same old situation they were already in, unhappy in their home or worse–renting.

Don’t let that happen to you!

If now is the right time in your life to buy or sell, then do it. Don’t teeter-totter back and forth because you’ll just end up exhausting yourself!

I can give you the facts and the info to decide if now is the right time for you to enter the market. Just send me a DM!

01/27/2023

My best tip for you if you want to buy a home?

Stop waiting!

If now is the right time for you to buy, then you should commit to it and buy.

Because if you’re focused on interest rates, you should know that they’re not the problem–they’re an excuse.

Interest rates right now are still pretty low compared to historical rates, and you can always refinance your mortgage when rates drop.

More than that, if you’re renting right now because of interest rates, then you’re really doing yourself a disservice. You’re already paying that interest to your landlord.

That doesn’t make money sense. You might as well build some equity and set yourself up for financial success in the long run.

If you want to chat more about interest rates, and how you can buy a home even now, then send me a DM!

01/26/2023

It’s a good time to be a homeowner!

In 2022, homeowner equity increased a whopping 32.2%. For those new to equity, that’s a huge jump.

Here's a quick refresher on equity. Equity is how much your house is worth, minus the amount you have left on your mortgage. For example, if your home was worth $300,0000 and you had $200,000 left to pay down on mortgage, you would have $100,000 in equity.

Another way to look at it is like this: when you sell your home, the amount of equity you have is the profit you make. In our example, if you sold your home for $300,000, you’d have $100,000 left over after paying the mortgage off.

From this, you can see why a 32.2% equity increase is a big deal for homeowners. It’s basically free money in their pockets!

This equity increase is because home values have risen quite a bit, and that translates directly into the amount of money you can walk away with when you sell.

Want to tap into that equity and upgrade your home to something nicer? Then consider selling to free up your equity and use that as the down payment on your next property!

Want more info on equity and selling your home? Just send me a DM.

Source: https://www.corelogic.com/intelligence/homeowner-equity-insights/

01/19/2023

Did you know that even brand new homes can have issues?

It might seem like you can skip the whole inspection process when you’re buying a new build. But, sadly, that’s not the best idea.

New construction can still need some fixes before it’s move-in ready.

Because there are so many contractors working on the same property, it’s easy for things to get missed and for miscommunications to happen. An inspection will catch any problems and then you’ll be able to negotiate fixes with your builder.

It’s way easier to take care of those fixes before you close on the home rather than finding them months down the road and having to deal with a builder’s warranty process.

Your home is likely your biggest investment, so it’s worth the extra time and money to make sure that everything is pristine before you move in.

Want more tips like this? Make sure to save this post and hit that follow button!

01/16/2023

This is one of the easiest ways to reduce your interest rate, but not many buyers know about it!

Basically, the seller can put some money towards your lender during closing to buy discount points, which lower the interest rate on the buyer’s mortgage.

The result is that the mortgage payments are lower for the buyer for the first few years of their mortgage.

If you’re buying in a market where homes are moving a bit more slowly, a buydown is definitely something to keep in mind for negotiations.

Or maybe you’re selling in a slower kind of a market. It’s definitely worth talking to your real estate agent if you’re interested in buying down for your buyer. It’s a big selling point, and potential buyers will be all over your listing!

Have questions about interest rate buydowns or other things that can be negotiated in our market? Just send me a DM and I’ll tell you all about them!

01/10/2023

Were you trying to buy a home last year but gave up because the market was too tough? Then pay very close attention to this post!

Buyers have amazing conditions right now. Seriously, they’re amazing, especially compared to the last couple of years we’ve had.

Prices are lower and there isn’t nearly as much competition. That translates to few bidding wars (if any!), more opportunities to negotiate, and the chance to get offers with conditions accepted.

This is a dream come true for many buyers.

Why not you too?

If you were trying to buy a home during the peak of the market when there were a million other buyers… It’s time to think about entering the market again.

What you were waiting for is here, right now, ready for you.

You just need to get back in the saddle and get out there so you can find the home of your dreams! I can help you get there.

Just send me a DM, and I’ll guide you through every step of the homebuying process. After we work together, you’ll be at home in a house you love.