Margaret Hakim, Realtor Broker, John L. Scott Salem Real Estate

08/08/2026

A condo or townhome could be your path to owning a home without blowing your budget. Let’s connect to see what's for sale in our area and figure out which type of home fits your lifestyle, and your bottom line.

Today's home prices have a lot of buyers – especially first-time buyers – wondering if there’s even anything out there that’s in their budget.

08/04/2026

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.

07/20/2026

If you’ve been house-hunting lately, you know the struggle. High prices. And too few homes to choose from.

But this Summer, the tide may be turning in your favor.

Nationally, the median asking price is about $11,000 below where it was a year ago. A sign sellers are meeting buyers where they’re at.

And the number of homes for sale just hit its highest point for any June since 2022.

This doesn’t mean a crash is coming – lower list prices and more options just mean you have more room to find a home that fits your budget and your needs.

So, if you’ve been waiting for the right moment to buy, this might be it. DM and let's look.

06/18/2026

A lot of people who want to move are telling themselves the same thing: "Maybe I'll just wait until later this year."

But before you decide, make sure you understand what you could be giving up too. Because moving this Summer does have its advantages.

For buyers, it could give you more options in your price point. Historically, there are over 30% more fresh listings in the Summer compared to the rest of the year.

For sellers, it can mean a better sales price. Data shows, on average homes sell for 4% more in the typical Summer month compared to usual month in the Fall or Winter (when demand typically falls off).

The point isn't to rush into anything. It's just to make sure you have the full picture before deciding whether waiting is really your best move.

DM me if you want to talk through your options. No pressure, just perspective based on years of experience.

06/15/2026

The sellers having the most success today are the ones who understand the market has changed and are adapting to meet it where it is.

Sometimes that means negotiating on closing costs. Sometimes it means offering something else. The key is knowing which concessions are worth it for our local market.

If you’re wondering what's normal in our area, what's worth negotiating, and where it makes sense to stand firm, let’s connect.

A few years ago, sellers could get away with saying "no" to just about everything.

06/09/2026

Moving this Summer? Whether you're buying or selling, you probably have questions.

My new Summer Buyer & Seller Guides have the answers.

Inside, you'll find out what higher inventory means for you, what’s going on with affordability right now, what strategies for buying or selling are actually working this season, and more.

Stop guessing and start moving forward with confidence. DM or drop a comment with "BUYER" or "SELLER" below to get your free digital copy.

05/29/2026

After a year or more of rates coming down, things have changed. And lately, mortgage rates have been climbing again.

And if that's made you wonder whether you should delay your move until they drop, you're not the only one.

The honest truth is that rates probably won't come down much until inflation cools off and some of the global uncertainty settles. And no one knows exactly when that'll be.

But what most headlines won't tell you is that rates aren't the only thing that affects affordability. Sure, they’re a big factor, but not all of the affordability news is bad.

Wages, home prices, and inventory are all trending in a direction that could still help make your move possible.

Want to know what that actually looks like for your situation? Drop a comment or send me a DM.

Because even though rates are higher, there are pockets of opportunity in any market, if you know where to look.

05/27/2026

Pricing your house high just to “see what happens” can cost you. Buyers today are quick to ignore overpriced homes. And the longer a house sits without any offers, the less it usually sells for. Want to know the right list price for your house to avoid this headache? Let’s chat.

04/09/2026

You’ve probably seen influencers online saying home prices are about to crash. But don’t believe everything you hear.

This is what housing market experts are saying.

Nationally, home prices are expected to keep rising over the next five years. Not at the breakneck pace we saw a few years back, but steadily.

So, where’s the confusion coming from? Some markets are seeing small price declines right now – and that’s what’s getting amplified online. But it’s not the full picture.

When you average price trends across the entire country together, prices are going up, not down. And this isn’t a crash.

If you want clarity on what’s real (and what’s just noise), let’s talk.

04/06/2026

When your house sits on the market longer than expected, it can get frustrating fast.