Andrew Watson-The First Response Realtor

If your listing has expired and your house didn’t sell, it's completely normal to feel a mix of frustration and disappointment. Understandably, you're probably wondering what may have gone wrong. Here are three questions to think about as you figure out what to do next.

Did You Limit Access to Your House?

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when selling your house is restricting the days and times when potential buyers can tour it. Being flexible with your schedule is important, even though it might feel a bit stressful to drop everything and leave when buyers want to see it. After all, minimal access means minimal exposure to buyers.

Did You Make Your House Stand Out?

When you're selling your house, the old saying matters: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Putting in the work to make the exterior of your home look nice is just as important as how you stage it inside. Freshen up...

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When it comes to selling your house, the expertise of a trusted real estate agent can make a big difference. They’ll explain what’s happening today, what that means for you, and how to price and market your house. They’re also skilled negotiators and well versed in the contracts and disclosures involved. DM me so you have expert advice throughout the entire process.

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If buying or selling a home is your goal for 2024, it’s important to understand today’s housing market, know your why, and work with industry experts to bring your homeownership vision for the new year into focus.

1. Know Your Why

You’re dreaming about making a move for a reason – what is it? No matter what’s happening in the market, there are still many compelling reasons to buy a home today. Your needs may have changed in a way your current house can’t address, or you could be ready to step into homeownership for the first time. Use your why and your motivation as a guidepost in partnership with an expert advisor to make sure your move gives you a lasting sense of accomplishment.

2. Figure Out What Your Next Home Needs To Look Like

You know you want to move, but how would you describe your dream home? The number of homes for sale has grown recently, and that could mean more options to choose from when you...

3 Keys To Hitting Your Homeownership Goals in 2024 If buying or selling a home is your goal for 2024, it’s important to understand today’s housing market, know your why, and work with industry experts to bring your homeownership vision for the new year into focus.

If you’re thinking about retirement or have already retired this year, it’s a good time to consider if your current house is still a good fit for the next chapter in your life.
Fortunately, you may be in a better position to make a move than you realize. Here are a few things to think about as you decide whether or not to sell and make a move.

How Long You’ve Been in Your Home

When you live in a home for a significant period of time, it’s natural for you to experience a number of changes in your life while you’re in that house. As those life changes and milestones happen, your needs may change. And if your current home no longer meets them, you may have better options waiting for you.

How Much Equity You’ve Gained

Additionally, if you’ve been in your house for more than a few years, you’ve likely built-up significant equity that can fuel your next move. While home price growth varies by state and local area...

Retiring Soon? Why Moving Might Be the Perfect Next Step If you’re thinking about retirement or have already retired this year, it’s a good time to consider if your current house is still a good fit for the next chapter in your life.

If you’re planning to buy a home, knowing what to budget for and how to save may sound intimidating – but it doesn’t have to be.
Here are just a few things experts say you should be thinking about.

1. Down Payment

Saving for your down payment is likely top of mind as you set out to buy a home. But do you know how much you’ll need? While every buyer’s situation is different, there’s a common misconception that putting 20% of the purchase price down is required.

To understand your options, partner with trusted real estate professionals to go over the various loan types, down payment assistance programs, and what each one requires.

2. Closing Costs

Bankrate explains: “Closing costs are the fees you pay when finalizing a real estate transaction, whether you’re refinancing a mortgage or buying a new home. These costs can amount to 2 to 5 percent of the mortgage so it’s important to be financially prepared for...

What You Need To Know About Saving for a Home in 2024 If you’re planning to buy a home, knowing what to budget for and how to save may sound intimidating – but it doesn’t have to be.

Homeownership remains the symbol of the American dream, valued above even a comfortable retirement, a thriving career, or a college degree. That’s because, for so many, your place doesn’t feel like “home” unless you own it. If you're ready to begin your journey to homeownership, let's connect.

Pricing your house right is critical this winter. An appropriately priced home not only draws in more potential buyers, but also paves the way for a quicker sale. Skip the price guessing game. Don't let your home sit on the market by over or underpricing. If you're ready to sell, let's chat and figure out the right price for your house.

There’s no denying the long-term financial benefits of owning a home, but today’s housing market may have you wondering if now’s still the time to buy. While the financial aspects of homeownership are important, the non-financial and emotional reasons are too. Here’s why.

1. You Can Be Proud of Your Accomplishment
Buying a home is a major life milestone. Whether you’re ready to buy your first home or your fifth, congratulations will be in order once you’ve achieved your goal. The sense of accomplishment you’ll feel at the end of your journey will truly make your home feel like your special place.

2. You Have Your Own Designated Happy Place
Owning your home offers not only safety and security, but also a comfortable place where you can relax and unwind after a long day. Sometimes that’s just what you need to feel refreshed and recharged.

3. You Can Find the Space To Meet Your Needs
Whether you want more room...

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If you're thinking about selling your house on your own, called “For Sale by Owner” or FSBO, there are some important things to consider. Going this route means taking on a lot of responsibilities by yourself – and that can be a bit of a headache.

A recent report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found two of the most difficult tasks for people who sell their house on their own are getting the price right and understanding and performing paperwork.

Getting the Price Right

Setting the right price for your house is important when you're trying to sell it. If you're selling your house on your own, two common issues can happen. For starters, you might ask for too much money (overpricing). Alternatively, you might not ask for enough (underpricing). Either can make it hard to sell your house. To avoid these problems, it's a good idea to team up with a real estate agent.

Understanding and Performing...

Sell Smarter: Why Working with a Real Estate Agent May Beat Going Solo If you're thinking about selling your house on your own, called “For Sale by Owner” or FSBO, there are some important things to consider.

Does your house tick all the boxes a pet owner would be looking for? From pet-friendly communities and dog parks to easy vet access, the needs of their pets play a crucial role in many homebuyers' decisions. If you're considering selling and your place has what a pet owner desires, let's chat.

As you get ready to sell your house, there are a few things you should add to your to-do list to make it inviting and boost curb appeal. To name just a couple, it’s a good idea to declutter, take down personal photos and items, touch up any scuffs on the walls, and tidy up your landscaping. Connect with a trusted real estate professional for advice on what else you may want to do to get your house ready to sell this season.

Get Your House Ready To Sell This Winter [INFOGRAPHIC] As you get ready to sell your house, there are a few things you should add to your to-do list to make it inviting and boost curb appeal.

Homeownership isn't just about having a place to live. It's the foundation for building a life you love. Ready to explore the path to your good life? Let's chat about making your homeownership dreams a reality.

When you read about the housing market, you’ll probably come across some information about inflation or recent decisions made by the Federal Reserve (the Fed). But how do those two things impact you and your homebuying plans? Here's what you need to know.

The Federal Funds Rate Hikes Have Stalled

One of the Fed’s primary goals is to lower inflation. In order to do that, they started raising the Federal Funds Rate to slow down the economy. Even though this doesn’t directly dictate what happens with mortgage rates, it does have an impact.

Recently inflation has started to cool, a signal those increases worked and are bringing inflation back down. As a result, the Fed’s hikes have gotten smaller and less frequent. In fact, there haven’t been any increases since July.

This indicates the Fed thinks the economy and inflation are improving. Why does that matter to you and your plans to buy a home? It could end up...

Why Mortgage Rates Could Continue To Decline When you read about the housing market, you’ll probably come across some information about inflation or recent decisions made by the Federal Reserve (the Fed).

If you want to buy a home, you may not need as much for your down payment as you think. There are various loan options for qualified buyers with down payments as low as 3.5% or even no down payment requirement. There are also thousands of programs available to help homebuyers with their down payments. With the right resources, your down payment may be more within reach than you realize. To learn more about your options, let’s connect.

What You Need To Know About Down Payments [INFOGRAPHIC] If you want to buy a home, you may not need as much for your down payment as you think.

If you're concerned about the possibility of home prices dropping, rest assured that many experts project they’ll actually rise at a normal pace in 2024. Whether you're gearing up to buy or sell in the new year, I'm here to chat about the latest forecasts, and help you plan for your next move.

Has your house been sitting on the market a while without selling? If so, you should know that’s pretty unusual, especially right now. That’s because the supply of homes available for sale is still far lower than what we’d see in a normal year. That means buyers have fewer options than they usually would, so your house should be an oasis in an inventory desert.

So, if homebuyers have limited choices and your house still hasn’t sold, there’s a reason why. Let’s break one potential sticking point that may be turning buyers away: your asking price.

Why Setting the Right Price Matters

While you want to maximize the return on your investment when you sell your house, you also need to be realistic based on current market conditions. The simple truth is your house is only going to sell for what people are willing to pay right now.

This can be a hard thing to accept. After all, you may have lived in this house for...

If Your House Hasn’t Sold Yet, It May Be Overpriced Has your house been sitting on the market a while without selling?

Thinking about selling? Before listing your current house, take a moment to plan your next move. In today's real estate market, exploring all your options is key – from existing homes to newly built ones. If you're curious about the options in our area, I'm here to help. Let's chat.

The path to homeownership is filled with key milestones. From assembling your dream team to settling into your new home, it's an adventure filled with twists and turns. Let's connect so you have expert guidance throughout your journey. Your new home story starts here.

For those of my friends looking to buy or sell a property in 2024, this could be the good news we have been hoping for. Buyers drive the housing market always, and when you have more buyers that can qualify, you have more competition for sellers to get the price that they want. Lower interest rates allow buyers to afford a higher price and somewhere in the middle there’s a happy place. I have confidence negotiating on behalf of my clients, to help make those win-win transactions happen. Call me if you need me to help you buy or sell real estate.

Fed holds rates steady, indicates three cuts coming in 2024 The Federal Reserve on Wednesday held its key interest rate steady for the third straight time and set the table for multiple cuts to come in 2024 and beyond.

If you're thinking about moving, it's important to know what's happening in the housing market. Here's an update on the supply of homes currently for sale. Whether you're buying or selling, the number of homes in your area is something you should pay attention to.

In the housing market, there are regular patterns that happen every year, called seasonality. Spring is the peak homebuying season and also when the most homes are typically listed for sale (homes coming onto the market are known in the industry as new listings). In the second half of each year, the number of new listings typically decreases as the pace of sales slows down.

What Does This Mean for You?

• For buyers, new listings stabilizing is a positive sign. It means you have a more steady stream of options coming onto the market and more choices for your next home than you would have at the same time last year. This opens up possibilities and...

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If you’re looking to buy a home, your down payment doesn’t have to be a big hurdle. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 38% of first-time homebuyers find saving for a down payment the most challenging step. But the reality is, you probably don’t need to put down as much as you think.

Data from NAR shows the median down payment hasn’t been over 20% since 2005. In fact, the median down payment for all homebuyers today is only 15%. And it’s even lower for first-time homebuyers at 8%. But just because that’s the median, it doesn’t mean you have to put that much down. Some qualified buyers put down even less.

First-Time and Repeat Buyers Are Often Eligible

According to Down Payment Resource, there are thousands of programs available for homebuyers – and 75% of these are down payment assistance programs.

And it’s not just first-time homebuyers that are eligible. That means no matter where you are in...

Down Payment Assistance Programs Can Help Pave the Way to Homeownership If you’re looking to buy a home, your down payment doesn’t have to be a big hurdle.

Here are the key milestones you’ll encounter on your path to homeownership. From building your team, to house hunting, all the way to moving into your new home – it’s an exciting adventure. Your journey starts here. Let’s connect so you have expert guidance each step of the way.

Your Homebuying Adventure [INFOGRAPHIC] Here are the key milestones you’ll encounter on your path to homeownership.

Even with so much data showing home prices are actually rising in most of the country, there are still a lot of people who worry there will be another price crash in the immediate future. In fact, a recent survey from Fannie Mae shows that 23% of consumers think prices will fall over the next 12 months. That’s nearly one in four people who are dealing with that fear – maybe you’re one of them.

To help ease that concern, here’s what the experts say will happen with home prices not just next year, but over the next five years.

Experts Project Ongoing Appreciation

While seeing a small handful of expert opinions may not be enough to change your mind, hopefully, a larger group of experts will reassure you. Here’s that larger group.

The Home Price Expectation Survey (HPES) from Pulsenomics is a great resource to show what experts forecast for home prices over a five-year period. It includes projections from over 100...

Experts Project Home Prices Will Rise over the Next 5 Years Even with so much data showing home prices are actually rising in most of the country, there are still a lot of people who worry there will be another price crash in the immediate future.

Dreaming of your own place but struggling with the down payment? Good news: There are over 2,000 down payment assistance programs available to lend a helping hand. DM me today so we can start the homebuying process and get you connected with a trusted lender who can help you explore your options.

Are today’s housing market headlines leaving you with more questions than answers? That can be tough when you’re trying to decide if you’re ready to buy or sell a home. To get the answers you need, DM me today for your digital copies of the Winter Buyer and Seller Guides. They're your key to a clearer understanding of today's housing market.

Does the rising cost of just about everything these days make your dream of owning your own home feel less within reach? According to Bankrate, many people are seeking additional income through side hustles, possibly to cope with those increasing expenses and save for a home.

Here are two strategies that can not only make homeownership more affordable in the short term, but turn it into a lucrative side hustle that can pay off down the road.

Transforming the Challenge of a Fixer-Upper into an Opportunity

By opting for a home that requires some work, you may see two big benefits. For starters, you may find it’s easier to find a home because you’re not looking for that perfect option. Plus, it may also help you enter the housing market at a lower price point. This strategy provides a more affordable way to become a homeowner while also offering the potential for future profits. So, while you enjoy the satisfaction of...

How To Turn Homeownership into a Side Hustle Does the rising cost of just about everything these days make your dream of owning your own home feel less within reach?