Bruce Cotting, Realtor

09/03/2026

Everyone's been watching mortgage rates. But there's another trend buyers shouldn't overlook...

Every fall, the housing market tends to shift.

More homes hit the market. Asking prices often soften. And sellers are usually more willing to negotiate.

Those seasonal changes happen almost every year – and they can make buying a little easier.

Let's talk about whether those same trends are showing up in our local market – and what it means for you.

09/02/2026

You probably think as a general rule of thumb, brand new homes costs more than existing homes. But right now, that's backwards. This shows just how much.

A newly built home costs about $40k less than an existing one right now. That's because builders are cutting prices and piling on incentives to keep their inventory moving.

And that opens up a window for you to get brand new everything for less than you may expect.

DM me if you want a list of nearby new home communities offering deals like this right now to see if a new build may be in your budget after all.

09/01/2026

Do you realize how much pull you have right now as a buyer?

There are more sellers than buyers on the market right now. That means a lot of sellers know they’ll have to compromise a bit to get their house sold, which leaves you room to negotiate on price and terms.

Of course, exactly how much room you have depends on where you’re looking. But more and more markets are trending in favor of buyers, so let’s chat about what’s going on in our area.

Send a DM, and we’ll turn your negotiating power into a set of keys.

09/01/2026

Sellers Outnumber Buyers Right Now

Buying soon? You’ve got more pull than you might expect. Right now, there are more sellers than buyers on the market. And that means sellers know they’ll have to give a little to get their house sold. Exactly how much negotiating power you have depends on where you’re looking. So, let’s chat about how much power you have here, then turn it into a set of keys. 

08/31/2026

Have you seen the headlines about using your 401(k) to cover a down payment?

Tapping it can feel like an easy call, especially if you’ve got a good chunk saved up. But pulling from retirement early can trigger penalties and set back the savings you'll want later on.

But you don’t necessarily have to raid your retirement to buy a home. You’ve got other options, like FHA loans, which let qualified buyers put down as little as 3.5%. And down payment assistance programs can help, too.

So, before you touch your 401(k), talk with a trusted financial advisor. They can help you find the option that fits your goals and your budget.

08/31/2026

School's back in session, and so is the market, let's see if the trend continues to climb in both new listings and new contracts.

“How's the Market?" is the question most frequently asked of us Realtors, and with good reason. The housing market is a reliable indicator of the overall health of the economy, regardless of whether you're buying, selling, or investing.

08/27/2026

Think every home on the market is out of reach? Not necessarily.

More than 40% of sellers are dropping their asking price right now. And the median list price this July was the lowest for any July in 5 years.

That means sellers aren’t banking on bidding wars or expecting buyers to pay whatever they ask. They’re more willing to meet you where you’re at.

And that could work in your favor. Want to find out how much wiggle room you have on price in our market? DM me.

08/26/2026

Whether paid by buyers or sellers, transfer taxes raise the cost of moving. In New York, a 1% tax adds $10,000 to a $1M home sale, reducing affordability for roughly 17,400 households statewide.
https://www.nar.realtor/news/economists-outlook/what-housing-data-teaches-us-about-mansion-taxes-housing-markets-and-timing

08/26/2026

Check out the market imact as summer vacays come to an end and scools are back in session. Will we see a slight increase or a spike in market activity next week ?

08/24/2026

Thinking about selling, but worried your deal could fall apart before closing? Here's some perspective.

Most home sales still make it to the finish. And when one doesn't, the top reason is almost always inspection or repair issues. They play a part in more than 70% of deals that fall through.

But, luckily for you, inspection/repair issues are what you have the most power to prevent ahead of time. A pre-listing inspection lets you find and handle problems before a buyer's inspector ever does.

Ready to list? Let's talk about whether getting a pre-listing inspection makes sense for your house in our market.