Success Realty - Alex Jarrouche

12/25/2024

“Wishing you a Christmas filled with love, joy, and countless blessings. May your homes be warmed by the spirit of togetherness and your hearts filled with peace. Here’s to a season of giving, sharing, and creating beautiful memories with those who matter most. Merry Christmas from my family to yours!”

02/16/2024

Homeownership is a major part of the American Dream. But, the path to achieving this dream can be quite difficult. While progress has been made to improve fair housing access, households of color still face unique challenges on the road to owning a home. Working with the right real estate experts can make all the difference for diverse buyers.

It's clear that achieving homeownership is more challenging for certain groups because there’s still a measurable gap between the overall average U.S. homeownership rate and that of non-white groups.

According to a report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), almost half of Black homebuyers in 2023 were first-time buyers. That means many didn’t have home equity they could use toward their home purchase.

That financial hurdle alone makes buying a home more challenging, especially at a time when affordability is a...



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Homeownership is a major part of the American Dream.

02/15/2024

Based on what you’re hearing in the news about home prices, you may be worried they’re falling. But here’s the thing. The headlines aren’t giving you the full picture.

If you look at the national data for 2023, home prices actually showed positive growth for the year.

The overarching story is that prices went up last year, not down. Let’s dive in to the data to set the record straight.

2023 Was the Return to More Normal Home Price Growth

If anything, last year marked a return to more normal home price appreciation. To prove it, here’s what usually happens in residential real estate.

In the housing market, there are predictable ebbs and flows that take place each year. It’s called seasonality. Home prices follow along with this seasonality because prices grow the most when there’s high demand.

What You Really Need To Know

Headlines are going to call...



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Based on what you’re hearing in the news about home prices, you may be worried they’re falling.

02/14/2024

Chances are at some point in your life you’ve heard the phrase, home is where the heart is. If you’re trying to decide if you want to keep on renting or if you’re ready to buy a home this year, here’s why it’s so easy to fall in love with homeownership.

Customizing to Your Heart’s Desire

Your house should be a space that’s uniquely you. And, if you’re a renter, that can be hard to achieve. But when you’re a homeowner, you have a lot more freedom.

Greater Stability for the Ones You Love Most

One of the hardest things about renting is the uncertainty of what happens at the end of your lease. Does your payment go up so much that you have to move? What if your landlord decides to sell the property? It’s like you’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

A Feeling of Belonging

You may also find you feel much more at home in the community once you own a house. That’s...



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Chances are at some point in your life you’ve heard the phrase, home is where the heart is.

02/13/2024

Are you feeling a bit unsure about what’s really happening with mortgage rates? That might be because you’ve heard someone say they’re coming down. But then you read somewhere else that they’re up again. And that may leave you scratching your head and wondering what’s true.

The simplest answer is: that what you read or hear will vary based on the time frame they’re looking at. Here’s some information that can help clear up the confusion.

Mortgage Rates Are Volatile by Nature

Mortgage rates don’t move in a straight line. There are too many factors at play for that to happen. Instead, rates bounce around because they’re impacted by things like economic conditions, decisions from the Federal Reserve, and so much more. That means they might be up one day and down the next depending on what’s going on in the economy and the world as a whole.

The Big...



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Are you feeling a bit unsure about what’s really happening with mortgage rates?

02/10/2024

In today's housing market, you can still come out on top if you have the right team and plan. To win when buying a home, you need to build your team, make strategic plays, consider what’s in and out of bounds, and stand out from the crowd. Let’s connect today to make your winning move.



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In today's housing market, you can still come out on top if you have the right team and plan.

02/09/2024

On the road to becoming a homeowner? If so, you may have heard the term pre-approval get tossed around. Let’s break down what it is and why it’s important if you’re looking to buy a home in 2024.

What Pre-Approval Is

As part of the homebuying process, your lender will look at your finances to figure out what they’re willing to loan you. According to Investopedia, this includes things like your W-2, tax returns, credit score, bank statements, and more.

From there, they’ll give you a pre-approval letter to help you understand how much money you can borrow.

This sets you up to make an informed decision about your numbers. That way you’re able to tailor your home search to what you’re actually comfortable with budget-wise and can act fast when you find a home you love.

Why Pre-Approval Is So Important in 2024

If you want to buy a home this year, there’s another...



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On the road to becoming a homeowner? If so, you may have heard the term pre-approval get tossed around.

02/08/2024

Are you on the fence about selling your house? While affordability is improving this year, it’s still tight. And that may be on your mind. But understanding your home equity could be the key to making your decision easier.

Think of equity as a simple math equation. It's the value of your home now minus what you owe on your mortgage. And guess what? Recently, your equity has probably grown more than you think.

In the past few years, home prices skyrocketed, which means your home's value – and your equity – likely shot up, too. So, you may have more equity than you realize.

How To Make the Most of Your Home Equity Right Now

If you're thinking about moving, the equity you have in your home could be a big help. According to CoreLogic: “. . . the average U.S. homeowner with a mortgage still has more than $300,000 in equity . . .”

After you sell your house, you can...



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Are you on the fence about selling your house?

02/07/2024

Have you been thinking about selling your house? If so, here’s some good news. While the housing market isn't as frenzied as it was during the ‘unicorn’ years when houses were selling quicker than ever, they’re still selling faster than normal.

The graph below uses data from Realtor.com to tell the story of median days on the market for every January from 2017 all the way through the latest numbers available. For Realtor.com, days on the market means from the time a house is listed for sale until its closing date or the date it’s taken off the market. This metric can help give you an idea of just how quickly homes are selling compared to more normal years.

According to Realtor.com: “Homes spent 69 days on the market, which is three days shorter than last year and more than two weeks shorter than before the COVID-19 pandemic.”

What Does This Mean for You?

Homes are...



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Have you been thinking about selling your house?

02/06/2024

Finding the right home is one of the biggest challenges for potential buyers today.

But it’s important to remember the process of working with a builder is different than buying from a homeowner. And, while builders typically have sales agents on-site, having your own agent helps make sure you have proper representation throughout your homebuying journey.

Agents Know the Local Area and Market

One way a real estate agent can help is by reviewing the builder's site plan. For example, you’ll want to know if there are any plans to construct a highway or add a drainage ditch behind your prospective backyard.

Knowledge of Construction Quality and Builder Reputation

An agent give you insights into each one's track record, customer satisfaction, and construction practices. Armed with this information, you can choose a builder known for consistently delivering top-notch...



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Finding the right home is one of the biggest challenges for potential buyers today.

02/03/2024

02/02/2024

Headlines saying foreclosures are rising might make you feel uneasy. But the truth is, there’s no need to worry. If you look at the latest numbers, they’re still below pre-pandemic norms and way below what happened during the crash. If you're worried about a flood of foreclosures, the data shows a foreclosure crisis is not where the market is today and is not where it’s headed.



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Headlines saying foreclosures are rising might make you feel uneasy. But the truth is, there’s no need to worry.