Milton T. McGee at EXP Realty

02/27/2026

🇺🇸 NC Veterans & Homeowners — There’s a property tax deadline coming up on June 1st that could save you real money, and a lot of folks don’t even know it exists.
If you’re a permanently and totally disabled veteran (or the unmarried surviving spouse of one), North Carolina offers a Disabled Veteran Property Tax Homestead Exclusion that removes up to $45,000 of your home’s assessed value from property taxes — every single year.
Here’s what you need to know:
💰 The Benefit: Up to $45,000 of your home’s assessed value excluded from property taxes annually.
⏰ Deadline: June 1st for this tax year. Miss it, and you’ll likely have to wait until next year.
✅ Who Qualifies: Veterans with a 100% permanent and total service-connected disability, veterans receiving specially adapted housing benefits under 38 U.S.C. 2101, or the unmarried surviving spouse of a qualifying veteran.
📋 Forms Needed:
• NCDVA-9 — Certification of Permanent & Total Disability (from the VA)
• AV-9 — Application for Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exclusion (filed with your county tax office)
With property values continuing to rise across Eastern NC, this exclusion is more valuable than ever. If you’re in Beaufort, Craven, Pamlico, or Onslow County and need help navigating this process or have questions about how it works with your home purchase, I’m happy to point you in the right direction.
Drop me a message or share this with someone who might qualify. ❤️🤍💙

01/28/2026

Real estate isn’t broken — it’s just playing a different game now.

We’re not headed for a dramatic crash… and we’re not going back to 3% mortgages either. What we’re in is a slow reset: inflation sticks around, rates hover in the 6% range, prices grind instead of explode, and outcomes depend heavily on how you buy, not just what you buy.

Here’s the divide I’m seeing clearly 👇
• Owners with solid financing and manageable payments? Real estate quietly works for them.
• Buyers stretching at today’s payments or betting on fast appreciation? That’s where things get painful.

In this market, wins come from:
✔️ Strong cash flow and realistic rent growth
✔️ Fixed or long-term financing you can sleep with
✔️ Buying where supply is tight and replacement costs are high
✔️ Letting time + inflation do the heavy lifting, not hype

Think less “quick flip,” more “durable wealth.” Less guessing where prices go next, more controlling what you can control.

If you’re buying, holding, or even deciding whether to sit tight this year, the strategy matters more than ever. Happy to talk through what makes sense right now — not five years ago, not wish-casting the future.

This market rewards patience, structure, and good math.

01/28/2026

Most people have never heard of the Plaza Accord.
That’s interesting… because the last time the U.S. coordinated a major currency reset with its allies, it quietly reshaped markets for years.

Lately, the Fed has been talking about the yen again. That matters.

History lesson (quick one): when governments step in to manage currencies, prices don’t crash, they reset. Assets get repriced, purchasing power shifts, and the people paying attention move first.

You don’t feel it right away.
You notice it later, in higher asset prices, higher everyday costs, and money that doesn’t stretch like it used to.

This isn’t about panic. It’s about positioning.
Cash watches. Assets move.

The question isn’t if policy changes ripple through the market.
It’s who’s prepared before they do.

Curious how this kind of shift could impact real estate, debt, or long-term wealth decisions? Let’s talk.

01/28/2026

🚨 Heads up, buyers & sellers — this market has changed. 🚨

In December alone, over 40,000 home purchase contracts were canceled nationwide that’s 16.3% of all homes under contract, the highest December cancellation rate in nearly a decade. Translation? A signed contract is no longer a guarantee… it’s just the next round of negotiation.

Why it’s happening:
• Monthly payments are still heavy, even with small rate drops
• Buyers have more options and less urgency
• Inspections are being used as leverage, not formalities
• Sellers now outnumber buyers by nearly 50%

What this means for you:
👉 Buyers: You don’t need to overreach or waive protections. Walking away is a strategy, not a failure.
👉 Sellers: Pricing and preparation matter more than ever. The first offer may not be the final one.
👉 Everyone: This isn’t a wobble it’s a different kind of market.

The good news?
This environment rewards clarity, strategy, and strong representation. The deals that close are the ones structured correctly from the start.

If you’re thinking about buying, selling, or investing this year, now is the time to move smarter not faster.

Curious how this plays out locally in North Carolina? Let’s talk.

01/26/2026

New year, same question I keep hearing from investors 👇
“How do I finance deals without jumping through a million hoops?”

As 2026 strategies take shape and the spring buying season creeps closer, most investors are in one of two modes:
✔️ tightening their game plan
✔️ getting prepped to move fast when the right deal pops up

Here’s the quiet power move more investors are leaning into: DSCR loans.

Instead of digging through your W-2s and tax returns, DSCR financing looks at the property’s cash flow. If the rent can cover the mortgage, you’re already halfway there. Less paperwork, faster decisions, and way more flexibility, especially if you’re self-employed or scaling.

All you typically need? The property details, projected income, expenses, and a solid credit profile. Tools like Rabbu even let you estimate rental income nationwide before you ever make an offer, so you’re underwriting smarter, not guessing.

Bottom line:
If financing has been your bottleneck, it doesn’t have to be. The right structure + the right lending partners can turn “maybe someday” into “let’s close.”

If you want to talk strategy or see whether DSCR fits your next move, let’s connect.

01/22/2026

Big shift in housing, and everyday buyers should pay attention.

A new executive order is aimed at slowing down large institutional investors from scooping up single-family homes, with a clear goal: give real people a better shot at buying. That means less government backing for big investor purchases, more “first-look” priority for owner-occupants, and increased scrutiny on bulk buying that may be driving prices up.

What does this mean for you?
More opportunity. Less competition from deep-pocketed institutions. A market that may start tilting back toward families, first-time buyers, and move-up buyers instead of Wall Street.

This doesn’t magically fix affordability overnight, but it’s a meaningful step. And in moments like this, having the right strategy matters more than ever.

If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines thinking, “It’s impossible right now,” this could be the window you’ve been waiting for. Let’s talk through what this means for your specific situation and how to position you to win, before the rest of the market catches on.

01/22/2026

Feeling stuck in today’s housing market? You’re not alone.

• Homeowners don’t want to give up their low interest rate
• Buyers can afford the home… just not today’s 6–7% rates
• Families need to move but can’t line up a sale and purchase
• Self-employed buyers make great money, but banks say “no”

Here’s the truth most people won’t tell you: traditional financing isn’t the only option.

There are creative, legal ways to buy and sell homes that don’t rely on banks saying yes and they’re helping real people close deals right now.

Think:
✔ Seller financing
✔ Flexible terms
✔ Lower competition
✔ Win-win solutions for buyers and sellers

When others are stuck waiting on rates to drop, smart buyers and sellers are finding paths forward.

If you want options not excuses let’s talk. The right strategy can change everything.

01/22/2026

Most people focus on how much they make.
Wealthy people focus on how much they keep.

Here’s what smart investors are paying attention to as we head into 2026 👇

• Bigger standard deductions are here (and getting bigger next year)
• Tax-loss harvesting can offset capital gains and lower your tax bill
• Retirement accounts (401k, IRA, Roth) aren’t just for retirement, they’re tax tools
• HSAs quietly offer triple tax advantages most people overlook
• Estate & gift tax exemptions are historically high, creating serious legacy-planning opportunities
• International investments may come with reclaimable foreign taxes
• Strategic planning > reactive filing

The common thread?
Taxes are one of the largest controllable expenses you’ll ever have.

Whether you’re investing in real estate, the market, or building generational wealth, the strategy isn’t just earning more, it’s structuring smarter.

I’m not a CPA, but I work closely with people who understand how income, assets, and timing all connect. If you want to think more intentionally about the next 12–36 months, let’s talk.

Because wealth isn’t built at tax time, it’s built in the planning.

A key strategy for boosting long-term investment returns is being smart about tax efficiency.

12/25/2025

🎅🏡

11/10/2025

Thinking about buying a home in today’s market? Zillow’s 2025 Buyer Trends Report highlights something important: the typical buyer isn’t who many people assume. The median homebuyer today is 42, and buyers come from every background, income level, and lifestyle. But one thing remains consistent most successful buyers start by connecting with a real estate agent early, not at the end. 80% of buyers said their agent was key in helping them tour homes, understand financing, and reduce stress throughout the process.

If you’re planning to buy this year especially as a first-time buyer you don’t have to navigate this alone.
Send me a message and let’s put a clear strategy in place.

Milton McGee
Real Estate Broker, Aspyre Realty Group brokered by eXp Realty
910-994-0161 | [email protected]

11/10/2025

Housing Costs Are Shifting Here’s What That Means for Renters & Homeowners in 2026

Zillow’s latest forecast shows that rent growth and housing inflation are expected to continue slowing throughout 2026.

This means:
• The rapid rent increases we’ve seen the last few years are cooling down
• Landlords may have less room to raise rents aggressively
• The pace of housing inflation (what the government uses to measure shelter costs) will continue to ease
• Apartment rent growth may even go flat to negative in some areas next year

Why does this matter?

Because when rent growth slows, the gap between renting and owning changes. For some people, what has looked unaffordable may start to become possible especially with the right financing strategy and timing.

On the flip side:
Homeowners who have been waiting for “the market to cool” may want to think strategically not emotionally about equity, timing, and long-term cost stability.

Key Insight:
The market is not crashing. It’s normalizing.
And in normal markets, strategy beats speed.

If you’re:
• A renter wanting to position yourself to buy
• A homeowner considering selling and buying at the same time
• Or an investor watching rent yield trends

Now is the time to plan, not react.

If you want, I’ll walk you through:
• What this means in your neighborhood
• Whether renting or buying makes better financial sense for your situation
• How to structure a move that builds wealth instead of stress

Send me a message I’ll run the numbers with you, no pressure. Just clarity.

Milton McGee
Real Estate Broker
Aspyre Realty Group brokered by eXp Realty
910-994-0161
[email protected]

11/10/2025

Thinking about selling your home in 2025? Here’s what the latest Zillow Consumer Housing Trends Report shows about today’s sellers:

• The typical seller is in their 40s-50s, has lived in their home about 12–14 years, and is selling a 3-bed home around 1,700+ sq ft.
• Sellers today are achieving higher sale prices the median sale price rose to $327,000 and continues to trend upward.
• Most sellers receive multiple offers, and over half see at least one cash offer but the highest profit and cleanest terms still win.
• More than half of sellers also buy another home, meaning timing and strategy matter more than ever.
• And while it’s still a seller’s market, financing, insurance, and inspection issues can cause deals to fall apart the right guidance protects you.

If you’re thinking about selling soon even if you’re just starting to consider it the decisions you make over the next few months could directly determine your profit and your stress level.

I help sellers:
• Maximize net proceeds
• Navigate timing so you don’t get stuck between moves
• Attract strong, qualified buyers (cash or financed)
• Avoid contract pitfalls that kill deals

Send me a message if you’d like a free pricing plan and market strategy customized to your home. No pressure just clarity.

Milton McGee
Real Estate Broker
Aspyre Realty Group brokered by eXp Realty
910-994-0161
[email protected]