Alex Piech Page

🚨𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋 𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒🚨

Feeling scared or confused after the NAR Settlement Announcement?

If you can just carve out two hours on today (Monday), you'll be lightyears ahead—more equipped than 99% of the herd.

𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟏: We've got the Chief Strategy Officer at eXp Realty, Leo Pareja, unpacking the NAR Settlement and Buyer Agency roadmap at 1 PM Eastern Time. Trust me, there's no one more dialed in than Leo on this stuff. And hey, not only is he a master strategist, but he also rocked the #1 spot as an agent in the entire USA back in the day. So yeah, he's one of us and sharing his wisdom live on the eXp Realty YouTube channel.
Link ➡️: https://m.youtube.com/

𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟐: Immediately afterward, we’ve got a powerhouse lineup featuring industry titans like Kyle Whissel, Veronica Figueroa, Kendall Bonner, Kevin Kauffman, John Gluch, and Tina Caul. They’re breaking down the changes and handing you actionable steps to supercharge your business.

Link ➡️: https://settlementmastermind.com/

So, what are you waiting for? Tag your crew, spread the word, and let’s lift each other up in the agent game.

Let's do this! 🚀

Dallas Housing Market - January 2022 Real Estate Market Update | Dallas, Texas Dallas Housing Market Update For January 2022.CONNECT WITH ME 👇Alex Piech - North Dallas Real Estate Agent Texas Real Estate License: 0642796 | Brokered by ...

Have Your Day in the Sun by Moving Up This Summer [INFOGRAPHIC]

Longer days and sunny weather mean summer is upon us, and what better conditions than right now to upgrade to the home of your dreams? If your needs have changed, it’s a great time to upgrade – there’s likely high demand for your current house, and today’s low mortgage rates can help you afford your dream home. If you’re ready to upgrade to a home that matches your changing needs, DM me today.

DM me if you'd like to talk about buying or selling!

Have Your Day in the Sun by Moving Up This Summer Some Highlights Longer days and sunny weather mean summer is upon us, and what better conditions than right now to upgrade to the home of your dreams? If your needs have changed, it’s a great time to upgrade – there’s likely high demand for your current house, and today’s low mortgage rates ...

Why This Is Not Like 2008 Again

Why is there a drastic difference between 2008 and now? In a post from RealtyTrac, they explain, “We changed the rules. We told banks they needed more reserves and that they could no longer underwrite toxic mortgages. It turns out that regulation — properly done — can help us navigate financial minefields.”

What was different this time? The post mentioned above explains, “In 2008 the government saw the foreclosure meltdown as a top-down problem and set aside $700 billion for banks under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Not all of the $700 billion was used, but the important point is that the government did not act with equal fervor to help flailing homeowners, millions of whom lost their homes to foreclosures and short sales.
This time around the government forcefully moved to help ordinary citizens. Working from the bottom-up, an estimated $5.3 trillion...

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Why This Is Not Like 2008 Again During the Great Recession, just over a decade ago, the financial systems the world depended on started to collapse. It created a panic that drove some large companies out of business (ex. Lehman Brothers) and many more into bankruptcy.

Home Price Appreciation Is as Simple as Supply and Demand

Home price appreciation continues to accelerate. Today, prices are driven by the simple concept of supply and demand. Pricing of any item is determined by how many items are available compared to how many people want to buy that item. As a result, the strong year-over-year home price appreciation is simple to explain. The demand for housing is up while the supply of homes for sale hovers at historic lows.

The reason prices continue to accelerate is that housing inventory is still at all-time lows while demand remains high. However, this may be changing. 39 of the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia) saw increases in inventory over the last month. This may be evidence that homeowners who have been afraid to let buyers in their homes during the pandemic are now putting their houses on the market. We’ll know for certain as we move through the...

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Home Price Appreciation Is as Simple as Supply and Demand Home price appreciation continues to accelerate. Today, prices are driven by the simple concept of supply and demand. Pricing of any item is determined by how many items are available compared to how many people want to buy that item. As a result, the strong year-over-year home price appreciation is...

In Today’s Market, Listing Prices Are Like an Auction’s Reserve Price

For generations, the process of buying and selling a home never really changed. A homeowner would try to estimate the market value of their house, then tack on a little extra to give themselves some negotiating room. That figure would become the listing price. Buyers would then try to determine how much less than the full price they could offer and still get the home. As a result, the listing price was generally the ceiling of the negotiation. The actual sales price would almost always be somewhat lower than what was listed. It was unthinkable to pay more than what the seller was asking.

Today is different. The record-low supply of homes for sale coupled with very strong buyer demand is leading to a rise in bidding wars on many homes. Because of this, homes today often sell for more than the list price. In some cases, they sell for...

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In Today’s Market, Listing Prices Are Like an Auction’s Reserve Price For generations, the process of buying and selling a home never really changed. A homeowner would try to estimate the market value of their house, then tack on a little extra to give themselves some negotiating room. That figure would become the listing price. Buyers would then try to determine how....

Why You May Want To Cash in on Your Second Home

Zelman & Associates reports that sales of primary residences grew by 9% in 2020. That increase in demand was met by the lowest supply of homes for sale in history. High demand and low supply caused prices to skyrocket over the past twelve months. Here are three home price indexes released most recently that show how home values have risen:
>>FHFA Agency House Price Index shows a 13.9% increase
>>CoreLogic Home Price Insights Report shows an 11.3% increase
>>S&P Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index shows a 13.2% increase

Many people didn’t want to give up a home in the city or close to their office. Instead, they purchased a larger second home farther away and moved there to stay safe and have more space. According to the same Zelman report, sales for second homes rose an astonishing 27% in 2020.

That large second-home retreat on a lake or in the...

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Why You May Want To Cash in on Your Second Home When stay-at-home mandates were enforced last year, many households realized their homes didn’t really fulfill their new lifestyle needs. An office (in some cases two), a media room, space for children to learn, a gym, and a large yard are all examples of amenities that became highly desirable alm...

Top Reasons To Own Your Home [INFOGRAPHIC]

June is National Homeownership Month, and it’s a great time to consider the benefits of owning your own home. If you’re thinking of buying a home, it might just help you find the stability, community, and comfort you’ve been searching for over the past year. DM me today to determine if homeownership is the right next step for you.

DM me if you'd like to talk about buying or selling!

Top Reasons To Own Your Home Some Highlights June is National Homeownership Month, and it’s a great time to consider the benefits of owning your own home. If you’re thinking of buying a home, it might just help you find the stability, community, and comfort you’ve been searching for over the past year. Let’s connect tod...

Dreaming of a Bigger Home? Why Not Buy It This Year?

Are you clamoring for extra rooms or a more functional floorplan in your house? Maybe it’s time to make a move. With so few homes available for sale and high demand from today’s homebuyers, sellers are profiting in major ways this season. Bidding wars are gaining traction, driving up the sale price of more and more homes throughout the country. This means sellers are able to leverage extra cash from higher-priced sales while also taking advantage of today’s low mortgage rates when they purchase their next home. It’s the perfect scenario to move up into a true dream home.

According to the April Luxury Market Report from the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, “The Institute’s recent analysis of sales in 2020 for homes over 5,000 square feet support the continuing preference for larger homes. The analysis determined that there was a 17...

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Dreaming of a Bigger Home? Why Not Buy It This Year? Are you clamoring for extra rooms or a more functional floorplan in your house? Maybe it’s time to make a move. If you’ll be able to work remotely for the long-term or your overall needs have simply changed, it’s a great time to sell your house and move up. Why? With mortgage rates in their fa...

What’s Motivating People To Move Right Now?

This year, Americans are moving for a variety of reasons. The health crisis has truly reshaped our lifestyles and our needs. Spending so much more time in our current homes has driven many people to reconsider what homeownership means and what they find most valuable in their living spaces. With a new perspective on homeownership, here are some of the reasons people are reconsidering where they live and making moves right now.

>>Working from Home

Remote work became the new norm, and for some, it’s persisting longer than initially expected. Many in the workforce today are discovering they don’t need to live so close to the office anymore and they can get more for their money if they move a little further outside the city limits.

>>Room for Fitness & Activities

Staying healthy and active is a top priority for many Americans, and dreams of having space...

DM me if you'd like to talk about buying or selling!

What’s Motivating People To Move Right Now? This year, Americans are moving for a variety of reasons. The health crisis has truly reshaped our lifestyles and our needs. Spending so much more time in our current homes has driven many people to reconsider what homeownership means and what they find most valuable in their living spaces.

6 Reasons to Celebrate National Homeownership Month

Our homes are so much more than the houses we live in. For many, they’ve also become our workplaces, schools for our children, and safe harbors in which we’ve weathered the toughest moments of a global pandemic. Today, 65.6% of Americans call their homes their own, a rate that has risen to its highest point in 8 years.

As National Homeownership Month kicks off this June, homeowners have every reason to celebrate. A survey by Gallup just ranked real estate as the best investment you can make for the eighth year in a row. However, unlike other investment options, the benefits of owning a home aren’t purely financial. Here are the top ways Americans are winning by owning a home.

Non-Financial Benefits:

>>Civic Participation: Owning a home is owning a part of your neighborhood.
>>Pride of Ownership: Owning a home is having a space that is uniquely...

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6 Reasons to Celebrate National Homeownership Month Our homes are so much more than the houses we live in. For many, they’ve also become our workplaces, schools for our children, and safe harbors in which we’ve weathered the toughest moments of a global pandemic. Today, 65.6% of Americans call their homes their own, a rate that has risen to its h...

We Remember, Today and Always

We remember and honor those who gave all.

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We Remember, Today and Always

Homes Across the Country Are Selling Fast [INFOGRAPHIC]

In today’s whirlwind real estate market, houses are selling at astonishing speed – from sea to shining sea. Four years ago, the average house spent 39 days on the market. Two years ago, homes were on the market for about 24 days. Today, that number has dropped to just 17 short days. If you’re looking to sell your house quickly and on the best possible terms, today’s market can’t be beat. DM me to discuss how to secure a speedy, top-dollar sale for your house.

DM me if you'd like to talk about buying or selling!

Homes Across the Country Are Selling Fast Some Highlights In today’s whirlwind real estate market, houses are selling at astonishing speed – from sea to shining sea. Four years ago, the average house spent 39 days on the market. Two years ago, homes were on the market for about 24 days. Today, that number has dropped to just 17 short da...

How Misunderstandings about Affordability Could Cost You

There’s a lot of discussion about affordability as home prices continue to appreciate rapidly. Even though the most recent index on affordability from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows homes are more affordable today than the historical average, some still have concerns about whether or not it’s truly affordable to buy a home right now.

When addressing this topic, there are various measures of affordability to consider. However, very few of the indexes compare the affordability of owning a home to renting one. In a paper just published by the Urban Institute, Homeownership Is Affordable Housing, author Mike Loftin examines whether it’s more affordable to buy or rent. Here are some of the highlights included.

>>Renters pay a higher percentage of their income toward their rental payment than homeowners pay toward their...

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How Misunderstandings about Affordability Could Cost You There’s a lot of discussion about affordability as home prices continue to appreciate rapidly. Even though the most recent index on affordability from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows homes are more affordable today than the historical average, some still have concerns about whethe...

Buying a Home Is Still Affordable

There are three main factors that go into determining how affordable homes are for buyers:
>>Mortgage Rates
>>Mortgage Payments as a Percentage of Income
>>Home Prices

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) produces a Housing Affordability Index. It takes these three factors into account and determines an overall affordability score for housing. According to the index, homes are more affordable now than they’ve been at any point since the housing crash when distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales) dominated the market. Those properties were sold at large discounts not seen before in the housing market for almost one hundred years.

Why are homes so affordable today? Although there are three factors that drive the overall equation, the one that’s playing the largest part in today’s homebuying affordability is historically-low mortgage rates. Based on...

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Buying a Home Is Still Affordable The last year has put emphasis on the importance of one’s home. As a result, some renters are making the jump into homeownership while some homeowners are re-evaluating their current house and considering a move to one that better fits their current lifestyle. Understanding how housing affordabili...

Where Do Experts Say the Housing Market Is Heading?

As we enter the middle of 2021, many are wondering if we’ll see big changes in the housing market during the second half of this year. Here’s a look at what some experts have to say about key factors that will drive the industry and the economy forward in the months to come.

realtor.com: “. . . homes continue to sell quickly in what’s normally the fastest-moving time of the year. This is in contrast with 2020 when homes sold slower in the spring and fastest in September and October. While we expect fall to be competitive, this year’s seasonal pattern is likely to be more normal, with homes selling fastest from roughly now until mid-summer.”

National Association of Realtors (NAR): “Sellers who have been hesitant to list homes as part of their personal health safety precautions may be more encouraged to list and show their homes with a...

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Where Do Experts Say the Housing Market Is Heading? As we enter the middle of 2021, many are wondering if we’ll see big changes in the housing market during the second half of this year. Here’s a look at what some experts have to say about key factors that will drive the industry and the economy forward in the months to come.

3 Things To Prioritize When Selling Your House

>>Price Your House Right
When inventory is low, like it is in the current market, it’s common to think buyers will pay whatever we ask when setting a listing price, but that’s not always true. Even in a sellers’ market, listing your house for the right price will maximize the number of buyers that see your house. This creates the best environment for bidding wars, which are more likely to increase the final sale price. A real estate professional is the best person to help you set the best price for your house.

>>Keep Your Emotions in Check
Today, homeowners are living in their houses for a longer period of time. Since 1985, the average time a homeowner owned their home, or their tenure, has increased from 5 to 10 years. This is several years longer than what used to be the historical norm. When you stay in one place for so long, you may get even more...

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3 Things To Prioritize When Selling Your House Today’s housing market is full of unprecedented opportunities. High buyer demand paired with record-low housing inventory is creating the ultimate sellers’ market, which means it’s a fantastic time to sell your house. However, that doesn’t mean sellers are guaranteed success no matter what. ...

Americans Choose Real Estate as the Best Investment [INFOGRAPHIC]

For the eighth year in a row, real estate maintained its position as the preferred long-term investment among Americans. Real estate has been gaining ground against stocks, gold, and savings accounts over the last 11 years and now stands at its highest rating in survey history. DM me if you’re ready to make real estate your best investment this year.

DM me if you'd like to talk about buying or selling!

Americans Choose Real Estate as the Best Investment Some Highlights For the eighth year in a row, real estate maintained its position as the preferred long-term investment among Americans. Real estate has been gaining ground against stocks, gold, and savings accounts over the last 11 years and now stands at its highest rating in survey history. Let.....

Should I Move or Refinance?

The level of equity homeowners have is at an all-time high. According to the U.S. Census, over 38% of owner-occupied homes are owned free and clear, meaning they don’t have a mortgage. Those with a mortgage are seeing their equity skyrocket too. Every time real estate values increase, homeowners get a dollar-for-dollar gain in their home equity.

This surge in equity has given most homeowners the opportunity to use that equity in one of two ways:

>>Refinance to cash out some of the equity or lower their current payment
An abundance of equity and record-low mortgage rates can make refinancing a home very easy. Some homeowners choose to refinance so they can lower their payment. Others convert a portion of the equity to cash while keeping their monthly payment the same.

>>Move to a home that better fits their current needs
The past year prompted many households to redefine...

DM me if you'd like to talk about buying or selling!

Should I Move or Refinance? The level of equity homeowners have is at an all-time high. According to the U.S. Census, over 38% of owner-occupied homes are owned free and clear, meaning they don’t have a mortgage. Those with a mortgage are seeing their equity skyrocket too. Every time real estate values increase, homeowners g...

Sellers Are Ready To Enter the Housing Market

One of the biggest questions in real estate today is, “When will sellers return to the housing market?” An ongoing shortage of home supply has created a hyper-competitive environment for hopeful buyers, leading to the ultimate sellers’ market. However, as the economy continues to improve and more people get vaccinated, more sellers may finally be in sight.

The Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) by Fannie Mae recently noted the percentage of consumer respondents who say it’s a good time to sell a home increased from 61% to 67%. Doug Duncan, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist at Fannie Mae, indicates, “Consumer positivity regarding home-selling conditions nearly matched its all-time high.”

Fannie Mae isn’t the only expert group noticing a rise in the percentage of people thinking about selling. George Ratiu, Senior Economist at...

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Sellers Are Ready To Enter the Housing Market One of the biggest questions in real estate today is, “When will sellers return to the housing market?” An ongoing shortage of home supply has created a hyper-competitive environment for hopeful buyers, leading to the ultimate sellers’ market. However, as the economy continues to improve and m...

Americans See Real Estate as a Better Investment Than Stocks or Gold

In an article on the current real estate market, Gallup reports, “Gallup usually finds that Americans regard real estate as the best long-term investment among several options -- seeing it as superior to stocks, gold, savings accounts and bonds. This year, 41% choose real estate as the best investment, up from 35% a year ago, with stocks a distant second.” The article goes on to say, “The 41% choosing real estate is the highest selecting any of the five investment options in the 11 years Gallup has asked this question.”

Some question American confidence in real estate as a good long-term investment right now. They fear that the build-up in home values may be mirroring what happened right before the housing crash a little more than a decade ago. However, according to Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs...

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Americans See Real Estate as a Better Investment Than Stocks or Gold Last month, in a post on the Liberty Street Economics blog, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York noted that Americans believe buying a home is definitely or probably a better investment than buying stocks. Last week, a Gallup Poll reaffirmed those findings.

Don’t Forget to Budget for Closing Costs

When buying a home, it’s important to have a budget and make sure you plan ahead for certain homebuying expenses. Saving for a down payment is the main cost that comes to mind for many, but budgeting for the closing costs required to get a mortgage is just as important.

According to Trulia, “When you close on a home, a number of fees are due. They typically range from 2% to 5% of the total cost of the home, and can include title insurance, origination fees, underwriting fees, document preparation fees, and more.” For example, for someone buying a $300,000 home, they could potentially have between $6,000 and $15,000 in closing fees. If you’re in the market for a home above this price range, your closing costs could be greater. As mentioned, closing costs are typically between 2% and 5% of your purchase price.

Trulia gives more great advice, explaining...

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Don’t Forget to Budget for Closing Costs When buying a home, it’s important to have a budget and make sure you plan ahead for certain homebuying expenses. Saving for a down payment is the main cost that comes to mind for many, but budgeting for the closing costs required to get a mortgage is just as important.

When It Comes To Selling a House, Your Time Is Money [INFOGRAPHIC]

Selling a house is no small task. If you decide to try to do it on your own, keep in mind you’ll be responsible for all the expert-level work of a real estate professional. The vital tasks an agent manages for you include listing and marketing your house, handling legal documentation, negotiating with all parties, and navigating local laws and regulations. If you’re ready to sell while the market is in your favor, DM me to make sure you have the professional expertise you need every step of the way.

DM me if you'd like to talk about buying or selling!

When It Comes To Selling a House, Your Time Is Money Some Highlights Selling a house is no small task. If you decide to try to do it on your own, keep in mind you’ll be responsible for all the expert-level work of a real estate professional. The vital tasks an agent manages for you include listing and marketing your house, handling legal documentati...

Your House Could Be the Oasis in an Inventory Desert

Homebuyers are flooding the housing market right now to take advantage of record-low mortgage rates. Many have a sense of urgency to find a home soon, since experts forecast a steady rise in both rates and home prices this year and next. As a result, buyer demand greatly outweighs the current housing supply. Here’s how the shortage of houses for sale sets yours up to be the oasis in an inventory desert.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), today’s housing inventory sits at an incredibly low 2.1-month supply, far below the 6-month mark for a neutral market. Inventory of single-family homes a year ago was already very low, and this year’s levels are even lower.

Due to these market conditions, today’s buyers frequently enter fierce bidding wars while trying to purchase a home. This in turn drives up home prices and gives...

DM me if you'd like to talk about buying or selling!

Your House Could Be the Oasis in an Inventory Desert Homebuyers are flooding the housing market right now to take advantage of record-low mortgage rates. Many have a sense of urgency to find a home soon since experts forecast a steady rise in both rates and home prices this year and next. As a result, buyer demand greatly outweighs the current housing...

It’s Not Too Late To Apply For Forbearance

If your loan is backed by HUD/FHA, USDA, or VA, you can apply for initial?forbearance by June 30, 2021. Here are some of the reasons why those borrowers didn’t opt for forbearance before now:
>>They were concerned forbearance may be costly
>>They didn’t understand how to request forbearance
>>They didn’t understand how the plans worked and/or whether they would qualify
If you have similar questions or concerns, the following answers may ease your fears.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) explains, “For most loans, there will be no additional fees, penalties, or additional interest (beyond scheduled amounts) added to your account, and you do not need to submit additional documentation to qualify. You can simply tell your servicer that you have a pandemic-related financial hardship.” This is how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau...

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It’s Not Too Late To Apply For Forbearance Over the past year, the pandemic made it challenging for some homeowners to make their mortgage payments. Thankfully, the government initiated a forbearance program to provide much-needed support. Unless they’re extended once again, some of these plans and the corresponding mortgage payment deferr...

Experts Say Home Prices Will Continue to Appreciate

It’s clear that consumers are concerned about how quickly home values are rising. Many people fear the speed of appreciation may lead to a crash in prices later this year. Google reports that the search for “When is the housing market going to crash?” has spiked 2450% over the past month.

To alleviate some of these concerns, let’s look at what financial analysts are saying about the current residential real estate market. Within the last thirty days, four of the major financial services giants came to the same conclusion: the housing market is strong, and price appreciation will continue. Here are their statements on the issue:

Goldman Sachs’ Research Note on Housing:
“Strong demand for housing looks sustainable. … As a result, the model projects double-digit price gains both this year and next.”

Joe Seydl, Senior Markets Economist...

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Experts Say Home Prices Will Continue to Appreciate It’s clear that consumers are concerned about how quickly home values are rising. Many people fear the speed of appreciation may lead to a crash in prices later this year. In fact, Google reports that the search for “When is the housing market going to crash?” has actually spiked 2450% over th...

3 Graphs Showing Why You Should Sell Your House Now

Here’s a look at what’s driving this sellers’ advantage and why there’s so much opportunity for homeowners who are ready to move this season.

>>Historically Low Inventory
Even with a slight rise in the number of houses for sale this spring, inventory remains near an all-time low. High buyer interest is creating animbalance between supply and demand, but as the small uptick in inventory shows, sellers are beginning to reenter the market. Selling your house now enables you to maximize on buyer demand and get the most attention for your house – before more listings come to the market later this year.

>>Frequent Bidding Wars
As a result of the supply and demand imbalance, homebuyers are entering bidding wars at an accelerating rate. NAR reports the average number of bids received on the most recently closed sales is 4.8 offers. As buyers face...

DM me if you'd like to talk about buying or selling!

3 Graphs Showing Why You Should Sell Your House Now There’s no doubt that 2021 is the year of the seller when it comes to the housing market. If you’re a homeowner thinking of moving to better suit your changing needs, now is the perfect time to do so. Low mortgage rates are in your favor when you’re ready to purchase your dream home, and high ...