Teia L. Francis - Realtor, IRealty Arkansas - Sherwood

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Teia L. Francis - Realtor, IRealty Arkansas - Sherwood

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Meet your new HOMEgirl. ✨🏡
With over a decade of leadership and customer service experience, I bring clarity, care, and intentional service into real estate — The Teia Way. 🤍
Your Homegirl with Purpose. 🚪🔑✨

09/30/2026

🏡 CENTRAL ARKANSAS MARKET CHECK

If you’re wondering whether buyers have more room to breathe, the latest numbers offer some perspective.

Across the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway metro, active listings rose from 2,847 in July to 3,005 in August. The median asking price eased from $297,000 to $294,999, and the median time on market moved from 51 to 52 days.

That means more homes to compare, but it doesn’t mean every home is negotiable or that sold prices are falling everywhere. These are metro-wide listing figures, and conditions vary by area, price point, and property.

For first-time buyers, the monthly payment still matters most. Freddie Mac’s national 30-year fixed mortgage average reached 7.03% on September 24, so it’s smart to have a lender update your numbers before you fall in love with a house. Your actual rate and payment will depend on your loan details.

❤️ The Teia Tip: A home that has been listed longer may be worth a closer look. We can review comparable sales and decide whether asking for a price adjustment or closing-cost help makes sense. Nothing is guaranteed, but an informed offer starts with good information.

Teia Francis | iRealty Arkansas
Real Estate — The Teia Way 🗝️

Sources: Realtor.com Economic Research via FRED inventory, listing prices, and days on market; Freddie Mac mortgage-rate survey. August 2026 market data; September 24, 2026 rate data.

09/28/2026

🏡 MONDAY BUYER TALK: “What if I find the house…but somebody else wants it too?” 😩

Finding a house you LOVE is exciting.

Then your REALTOR® says…

“There’s another offer.” 😭😂

Before you panic, understand this: multiple offers do NOT automatically mean you have to throw a ridiculous amount of money at the house.

Your offer is more than just the purchase price.

Depending on your situation and what matters to the seller, an offer can also involve things like your financing, requested seller concessions, earnest money, closing timeline, contingencies and other terms.

And sometimes the highest offer isn’t necessarily the offer a seller chooses.

❤️ The Teia Tip: Before we ever submit an offer, we’re going to talk about two numbers:

1. What the home is worth to YOU.
2. The number you won’t regret walking away from.

Because I’m not interested in helping you win a bidding war just so you can wake up the next morning thinking:

“Now why in the world did I agree to THAT?” 😂

Our goal isn’t simply to beat somebody else’s offer.

It’s to put together a competitive offer that still makes sense for YOU. 🏡🔑

And if this house isn’t the one? We keep looking.

You don’t have to panic-buy your way into homeownership.

Real Estate — The Teia Way
Your HOMEgirl with Purpose ❤️
Teia Francis, REALTOR® | iRealty Arkansas

09/26/2026

🏡 SATURDAY REAL ESTATE TALK:

“Teia… I filed bankruptcy. Can I still buy a house?”

Bankruptcy may change the timeline.
It doesn’t automatically end the dream. 🏡🔑

First—bankruptcy does not automatically mean homeownership is over.

It may change your timeline, the loan programs available to you, and what you’ll need to demonstrate financially—but there can still be a path forward.

And here’s something a lot of buyers don’t realize:

You may not always have to wait until a Chapter 13 bankruptcy is completely discharged before exploring your options. 👀

For example, FHA guidelines provide a potential path for a borrower in an active Chapter 13 after at least 12 months of the repayment period, provided required payments have been made satisfactorily/on time and the borrower receives the required written permission to enter into the mortgage transaction. Your lender still has to determine that you meet the applicable underwriting requirements.

Chapter 7 is different. FHA generally looks for two years after discharge, although HUD provides for certain exceptions after at least 12 months when documented extenuating circumstances and other requirements are met.

❤️ The Teia Tip: Don’t assume “I filed bankruptcy, so I can’t buy a house.”

Instead, ask:

“Based on MY bankruptcy, MY timeline and MY finances, what would I need to do to become mortgage-ready?”

You may be ready sooner than you thought—or you may need some time. But either way, you’ll have a plan instead of an assumption. 🔑

Bankruptcy may be part of your financial history.
It doesn’t have to be the end of your homeownership story. 🏡❤️

Come talk to your HOMEgirl. I’ll connect you with a mortgage professional who can review your individual situation and help determine your options.

Real Estate — The Teia Way
Your HOMEgirl with Purpose
Teia Francis, REALTOR® | iRealty Arkansas

✅Resource: FHA Single Family Housing Policy Handbook⁠

09/22/2026

🍂 TIP TUESDAY: “Teia, I Have Student Loans… Can I Still Buy a House?”

YES! Having student loan debt does not automatically disqualify you from buying a home. 🔑

When you apply for a mortgage, your lender looks at your overall financial picture, and one important piece is your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), how much of your monthly income is already committed to debt payments.

So your student loans can affect how much you qualify for, but simply having them doesn’t mean you can’t qualify.

And here’s where it gets interesting: 👀

The way your student loan payment is calculated for mortgage qualification can vary depending on the loan program and what’s showing on your credit report. FHA, VA, USDA and conventional financing don’t all treat student loan debt exactly the same way.

❤️ The Teia Tip: Don’t look at that big student loan balance and decide for yourself that you can’t buy.

Let a mortgage professional run the numbers.

You may discover you’re ready now, or you may leave with a clear plan for what needs to happen before you’re ready.

Either way, you have an answer instead of an assumption. 🙌🏾

And since today is the first day of fall… 🍁 maybe it’s time to stop falling for the myth that student loans automatically mean you can’t become a homeowner. 😂🍂🏡

Real Estate — The Teia Way
Your HOMEgirl with Purpose ❤️
Teia Francis, REALTOR® | iRealty Arkansas

09/21/2026

🏡 MONDAY HOMEOWNER UPDATE: Could That PMI Payment Go Away Sooner? 👀💰

If you bought your home with a conventional Fannie Mae loan and you’re currently paying private mortgage insurance (PMI), here’s an update worth knowing.

Fannie Mae has changed its policy so mortgage servicers may now proactively reach out to borrowers who appear to be approaching eligibility to request PMI removal based on their home’s current value.

Why does that matter?

If your home has increased in value since you purchased it, you may be able to qualify to have PMI removed—which could eliminate that portion of your monthly mortgage payment. 🏡💵

But here’s the important part:

Getting a notice does NOT mean your PMI is automatically coming off.

You’ll still have to work directly with your mortgage servicer, and eligibility can depend on things such as your loan-to-value ratio, payment history, property value and other requirements. A valuation may also be required.

❤️ The Teia Tip: If you’re currently paying PMI, don’t assume you have to keep paying it indefinitely—and don’t assume it’s ready to come off either. Call your mortgage servicer and ask what requirements apply to YOUR loan.

And if you receive an unexpected call, email or letter offering PMI removal, verify that you’re communicating with your actual mortgage servicer before providing personal information.

This particular update applies to Fannie Mae conventional mortgage insurance—not FHA mortgage insurance, USDA annual fees or VA loans.

Homeownership isn’t just about getting the keys. 🔑
It’s also about understanding your mortgage after closing.

Real Estate — The Teia Way
Your HOMEgirl with Purpose ❤️🏡

Official source: https://singlefamily.fanniemae.com/news-events/lender-letter-ll-2026-07-updates-mortgage-insurance-termination-requirements

09/16/2026

🏡✨ Wednesday Motivation: Home for the Holidays

What if Thanksgiving dinner was in YOUR new kitchen this year? 👀

What if you were decorating YOUR front porch for Christmas… putting up your tree in YOUR living room… and waking up Christmas morning in a place you get to call HOME? ❤️🎄

If you’ve been saying, “I want to buy before the end of the year,” September is a good time to start having the conversation.

Buying a home isn’t an overnight process. There may be pre-approval, house hunting, inspections, appraisal, underwriting and closing—and every buyer’s timeline is different.

So don’t wait until November to start thinking about the holidays. 😂

🔑 The Teia Tip: You don’t have to be ready to buy TODAY to start preparing today.

Maybe this year’s holiday memories include something extra special…

Your first Thanksgiving. 🦃
Your first Christmas. 🎄
In YOUR new home. 🏡❤️

Let’s find out what it would take to get you there.

Real Estate — The Teia Way
Your HOMEgirl with Purpose
Teia Francis, REALTOR®
iRealty Arkansas
📲 501-952-2709

09/14/2026

Monday Buyer Update 🏡💳

That credit score you see on an app may not tell the whole story!

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now allow eligible conventional loans to be evaluated using VantageScore 4.0 or Classic FICO. Beginning January 1, 2027, FHA will also support VantageScore 4.0 and FICO Score 10T for eligible loans.

Why does this matter? Different scoring models can produce different results—so a buyer who is close to qualifying may have another option worth discussing with a lender.

This does not guarantee a higher score, easier approval or lower down payment. Not every lender offers every scoring model, and income, debt, credit history and property requirements still apply.

The lesson: Don’t count yourself out based solely on the score shown in a credit-monitoring app. Talk with a knowledgeable lender and learn what your actual options may be! 🔑

Teia Francis, REALTOR®
iRealty Arkansas – Sherwood
Real Estate—The Teia Way 💚

✨For educational purposes only. Final loan eligibility, scoring and program availability are determined by the lender.

09/11/2026

🏡 FRIDAY SELLER TRUTH:

“I should price it high so I have room to negotiate.” 👀

That sounds like a good strategy…until it isn’t.

When you’re preparing to sell, it can be tempting to list higher than the market supports because you think, “We can always come down.”

But buyers are doing their homework too. An overpriced home can mean fewer showings, more days on the market, price reductions, and buyers wondering what’s wrong with it.

And here’s the part I really want sellers to understand:

Your asking price and your home’s market value are not automatically the same thing.

Pricing should be based on what comparable homes are actually selling for, current competition, your home’s condition and features, and what’s happening in your local market—not simply what you need to walk away with.

❤️ The Teia Tip: The goal isn’t to list at the highest number possible. The goal is to position your home so the market responds to it.

Thinking about selling in Central Arkansas—even if you’re not ready to put a sign in the yard yet? Come talk to your HOMEgirl. We can start with what your home may be worth and what you should do before you list. 🔑

Real Estate — The Teia Way
Your HOMEgirl with Purpose
Teia Francis, REALTOR® | iRealty Arkansas

09/09/2026

🏡 WEDNESDAY: SAME BUDGET. DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES.

Have you ever wondered:

“Okay Teia… but what can $250,000 actually get me in Central Arkansas?” 👀

THIS is where home shopping gets interesting.

A $250K budget may look completely different depending on where you’re searching. In one Central Arkansas community, that budget may put you around the middle of the market. In another, you may have to adjust your expectations for square footage, age, lot size, updates, or amenities.

That’s why I don’t want my buyers getting stuck on ONE location before we even see what’s available.

Sometimes moving your search radius a little can open up completely different possibilities. 🏡🔑

❤️ The Teia Tip: Don’t just ask, “How much house can I afford?”

Ask:

“Where can my budget give me the combination of features that matters most to ME?”

Because your money doesn’t buy the exact same house everywhere—even within Central Arkansas. 😉

Real Estate — The Teia Way
Your HOMEgirl with Purpose
Teia Francis, REALTOR®
iRealty Arkansas
📲 501-952-2709

09/08/2026

🏡 TEIA’S TIP TUESDAY: Buyer Financing Updates

A few recent changes could create new opportunities for Arkansas homebuyers:

✅ Certain manufactured homes that were moved from a previous location may now qualify for Freddie Mac conventional financing.

✅ Buyers hoping to use projected rent from a duplex, ADU or other rental space may face updated Fannie Mae documentation requirements.

✅ Some participating USDA lenders may now have a more streamlined approval process.

These changes do not guarantee approval. Property eligibility, buyer qualifications and lender participation must still be verified—but knowing your options can keep you from overlooking the right home!

Thinking about buying? Let’s start with a conversation and connect you with a knowledgeable lender. 🔑

Teia Francis, REALTOR®
iRealty Arkansas – Sherwood
Real Estate—The Teia Way 💚

⭐️Please note: Information based on official September 2026 updates from Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and USDA Rural Development. Loan availability and requirements vary by lender. This post is for general information and is not legal or lending advice.

Address

IRealty/Sherwood
Sherwood, AR
72120

Telephone

+15019522709

Website

http://Teia.iRealtyAR.com/, https://teia.irealtyar.com/holp/app

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