Barbara Rathbone-Shoaf Real Estate in North Carolina

05/03/2026

The first quarter market report of 2026 is here! Be informed--read below:

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The spring real estate market is in full swing, and we’re seeing a shift toward a welcome equilibrium, creating opportunities for both buyers and sellers throughout the region. Nationally, home prices have begun to moderate, but real estate has become increasingly hyper-local. While national headl...

04/29/2026

Good news for buyers! Your excellent on-time rent/utilities payments can be a factor in determining if you qualify for certain commonly used loans (not all loans). It's about time!

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At a press conference on Wednesday, April 22 (attended virtually by RISMedia), Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)

04/20/2026

SELLERS-When a seller moves out of their home so that a buyer can move in, the seller is instructed to leave the home "broom clean." What does this MEAN when brooms are largely archaic for cleaning a home throughout and are mostly associated with witches at Halloween?!

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Here’s a quick primer on what it means to leave a home “broom clean” and a few tips on how to do just that.

03/10/2026

BUYERS: Do NOT take on more debt for big purchases after your mortgage is approved-you might lose your house!!

Don't let the Couch cost you the Closing!

One of the fastest ways to create last‑minute mortgage stress is buying something big before closing.

It happens all the time. Buyers get excited after their offer is accepted and start preparing for the new house. They finance furniture, open a store credit card, or purchase appliances they want waiting on move‑in day.

The issue isn’t the purchase itself. The issue is new debt showing up before settlement.

Mortgage approvals are built around a borrower’s debt‑to‑income ratio and financial stability. When a new loan or credit account appears during the process, the lender has to re‑run numbers, update the file, and sometimes adjust the loan approval.

Most buyers assume that once they’re “approved,” the hard part is over. In reality, lenders are verifying that the borrower’s financial picture stays consistent all the way to closing.

The safest strategy is simple: keep your finances as boring as possible until the keys are in your hand.

(Robert Keeling’s post in Real Estate Mastermind) 3-9-26

03/09/2026

BUYERS AND SELLERS-I hold THE POWER of the key! Most of the "power of the key" is knowledge, and knowledge IS power. Allow me to help you with what I know-it is my life's calling (I was a public schoolteacher). I still teach my clients about real estate. 336-341-9361

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03/04/2026

HANDY and/or not afraid of a fixer-upper?--then this article is for you!

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Plug and play has had its day. As affordability pressures reshape the housing market, a growing number of younger buyers

03/03/2026

MORTGAGE RATES DROP BELOW 6% for the FIRST TIME in over 3.5 years!

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Just in time for the spring buying season, average mortgage rates crossed “into the fives,” this past week, their lowest

02/13/2026

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01/28/2026

I respect the goals and dreams of my clients; it is an honor to work with them, and I appreciate their wonderful affirmations about me! Please click the picture to see how my clients advocate for me.

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Most people understand “home,” and is anything more important than helping others find their own special place? Similarly, when a homeowner is ready to sell their current home, it is most gratifying to help them be on their way to start their new chapter in life. Quite simply, it is an honorable...