Nixon Barahona at Loan Simple, Inc

If you’re thinking about selling your house, now is still a great time to make your move. That’s because there aren’t enough homes for sale today to meet the current buyer demand. This means you may see multiple offers as buyers compete for your house because their options are limited. DM me today if you’re ready to get your house on the market.

Moving Now Can Give Your House Its Day in the Sun [INFOGRAPHIC]

If you want to sell your house, consider doing it this summer. The days are longer, the weather is warmer, and it’s a great time for sellers. If your needs have changed, now’s the time to capitalize on the low inventory and multiple offers in today’s sellers’ market. Let’s connect today if you’re ready to sell your house and move to a home that meets your changing needs.

Moving Now Can Give Your House Its Day in the Sun [INFOGRAPHIC] If you want to sell your house, consider doing it this summer.

The process of buying or selling a home can feel a bit intimidating, especially in today’s market. There’s a limited number of homes for sale, and that’s creating buyer competition and driving home prices back up. That’s why it’s important to have a skilled expert on your side. If you’re ready to make a move, let’s connect.

The Benefits of Selling Now, According to Experts

If you’re trying to decide if now’s the time to sell your house, here’s what you should know. The limited number of homes available right now gives you a big advantage. That’s because there are more buyers out there than there are homes for sale. And, with so few homes on the market, buyers will have fewer options, so you set yourself up to get the most eyes possible on your house.

Here’s what industry experts are saying about why selling now has its benefits:

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at NAR: “Inventory levels are still at historic lows. Consequently, multiple offers are returning on a good number of properties.”

Selma Hepp, Chief Economist at CoreLogic: “We have not seen the traditional uptick in new listings from existing homeowners, so undersupply of housing will continue to heighten market competition and put pressure on prices in most regions. Some markets are...

The Benefits of Selling Now, According to Experts If you’re trying to decide if now’s the time to sell your house, here’s what you should know.

If you own a home, recent data shows you may have a significant amount of equity. How? Equity builds up over time as home values appreciate and as you pay down your home loan. If you sell your house, that equity can be used toward the purchase of your next home. I can help you better understand the value of your house and how much equity you have. Let's connect.

Good news! Experts are projecting mortgage rates to come down over the second half of the year if inflation continues to cool. And, if that happens, that drop will help make homeownership more affordable. If you have questions about the market or what experts are expecting from the rest of the year, DM me.

Owning a Home Helps Protect Against Inflation

You’re probably feeling the impact of high inflation every day as prices have gone up on groceries, gas, and more. If you’re a renter, you’re likely experiencing it a lot as your rent continues to rise. Between all of those elevated costs and uncertainty about a potential recession, you may be wondering if it still makes sense to buy a home today. The short answer is – it does. Here’s why.

Homeownership actually shields you from the rising costs inflation brings.

Freddie Mac explains how: “Not only will buying today help you begin to build equity, a fixed-rate mortgage can stabilize your monthly housing costs for the long-term even while other life expenses continue to rise – as has been the case the past few years.”
Unlike rents, which tend to rise with time, a fixed-rate mortgage payment is predictable over the life of the mortgage (typically 15 to 30 years). And...

Owning a Home Helps Protect Against Inflation You’re probably feeling the impact of high inflation every day as prices have gone up on groceries, gas, and more.

Do today’s rising costs have you considering moving to a smaller home? Downsizing can have a lot of benefits. Not only are smaller homes generally more affordable, but they also typically come with lower bills and less upkeep. If that sounds appealing to you, DM me today.

Why Buying a Vacation Home Beats Renting One This Summer

For many of us, visiting the same vacation spot every year is a summer tradition that’s fun, relaxing, and restful. If that sounds like you, now’s the time to think about your plans and determine if buying a vacation home this year makes more sense than renting one again. According to Forbes, “. . . if the idea of vacationing at the same place every year makes you feel instantaneously relaxed, buying a vacation home might be a wise move.”

To help you decide if making a move like this is right for you, let’s explore why you may want to consider purchasing a vacation home today.

Benefits of Owning Your Vacation Home

>>You don’t have to worry about finding a place to stay.
>>It’s an investment.
>>Vacation homes may provide tax benefits.
>>It could potentially turn into a retirement location.

How a Pro Can Help You Find Your Perfect Match

As you’re preparin...

Why Buying a Vacation Home Beats Renting One This Summer For many of us, visiting the same vacation spot every year is a summer tradition that’s fun, relaxing, and restful.

Are you thinking about buying a home this year? If so, you should know there’s still a limited number of homes for sale. That’s why we’re seeing an uptick in multiple offer scenarios again today. Use these tips to make sure you put your best offer forward so you can stand out from other buyers. Ready to check out options in our area? Let’s connect.

Why Buyers Need an Expert Agent by Their Side

The process of buying a home can feel a bit intimidating, even under normal circumstances. Here are just a few of the ways a real estate expert makes a big difference:

>>Experience
>>Education
>>Negotiations
>>Contracts
>>Pricing

All of these reasons combined may be why 86% of recent buyers used an agent according to the latest from NAR. NAR also has this to say about why an agent is so essential today: “A great real estate agent will guide you through the home search with an unbiased eye, helping you meet your buying objectives while staying within your budget. Agents are also a great source when you have questions about local amenities, utilities, zoning rules, contractors, and more.”

What’s the Key To Choosing the Right Expert?

It starts with trust. You’ll want to know you can trust the advice they’re giving you, so you need to make sure you’re connected with a true p...

Why Buyers Need an Expert Agent by Their Side The process of buying a home can feel a bit intimidating, even under normal circumstances.

What You Need To Know About Home Price News

NAR will release its latest Existing Home Sales Report tomorrow. The information it contains on home prices may cause some confusion and could even generate some troubling headlines. This all stems from the fact that NAR will report the median sales price, while other home price indices report repeat sales prices. The vast majority of the repeat sales indices show prices are starting to appreciate again. But the median price reported on Thursday may tell a different story.

Here’s why using the median home price as a gauge of what’s happening with home values isn’t ideal right now. According to the Center for Real Studies at Wichita State University, “The median sale price measures the ‘middle’ price of homes that sold, meaning that half of the homes sold for a higher price and half sold for less. While this is a good measure of the typical sale price, it is not very useful for...

What You Need To Know About Home Price News The National Association of Realtors (NAR) will release its latest Existing Home Sales Report tomorrow.

The Impact of Changing Mortgage Rates [INFOGRAPHIC]

If you’re looking to buy a home, you should know even a small change in mortgage rates has an impact on your purchasing power. These charts show how rates generally affect your monthly payment. The best way to navigate changing mortgage rates and make an informed buying decision is to rely on the expertise of a local real estate professional and mortgage lender.

The Impact of Changing Mortgage Rates [INFOGRAPHIC] If you’re looking to buy a home, you should know even a small change in mortgage rates has an impact on your purchasing power.

Powerful Job Market Fuels Homebuyer Demand

The spring housing market has been surprisingly active this year. Even with affordability challenges and a limited number of homes for sale, buyer demand is strong, and getting stronger.

One way we know there are interested buyers right now is because showing traffic from ShowingTime is up. And though there’s less traffic than the buyer frenzy of the past couple years, we’re not far off that pace. There are a lot of interested buyers checking out available homes right now.

But why are buyers so active at a time when mortgage rates are higher than they were just last year?

>>The Job Market Is Growing at a Stronger-Than-Expected Pace
It might surprise you just how strong today’s job market is. What might be even more surprising is the fact that it appears to be getting stronger. 88,000 more jobs were created in April than in March. In fact, the April numbers beat expert projectio...

Powerful Job Market Fuels Homebuyer Demand The spring housing market has been surprisingly active this year.

Have you been thinking about selling your house? If so, good news – there are a lot of buyers actively looking today and they’re having to compete with each other over the limited number of homes available for sale. That means now is a great time to take advantage of a large pool of buyers by putting your house on the market. Let’s work together to sell your house today.

What a recession really means for the housing market is falling mortgage rates. That’s because, historically, each time the economy slowed down, mortgage rates decreased. DM me so I can share all the reasons why you don’t need to fear what a recession means for the housing market.

The Worst Home Price Declines Are Behind Us

If you’re following the news today, you may feel a bit unsure about what’s happening with home prices and fear whether or not the worst is yet to come. That’s because today’s headlines are painting an unnecessarily negative picture. Contrary to those headlines, home prices aren’t in a freefall. The latest data tells a very different and much more positive story. Local home price trends still vary by market, but here’s what the national data tells us.

If we take a year-over-year view, home prices stayed positive – they just appreciated more slowly than they did at the peak of the pandemic. To get a more detailed picture of some of the trends in the market, we need to look at monthly data.

In the first half of 2022, home prices were climbing, and they peaked in June. Then, in July, they started to decline. And by roughly August or September, the trend began to stabilize...

The Worst Home Price Declines Are Behind Us If you’re following the news today, you may feel a bit unsure about what’s happening with home prices and fear whether or not the worst is yet to come.

Here are a few of the many great reasons why you should consider selling your house right now. There aren’t many homes on the market so your house will stand out, we’re seeing an increase in the average number of offers sellers are getting, and your equity can help fuel your move. DM me so we can sell your house today.

The worst 2023 home price declines are already behind us. Nationally, prices are going back up and experts say that rise will continue in the years ahead. That means it'll be more expensive to buy if you wait. And, if you buy now, your home’s value, and your net worth, will likely grow over time. Let’s chat about why you shouldn’t give up on your dream of homeownership.

Homeowners Have Incredible Equity To Leverage Right Now

Even though home prices have moderated over the last year, many homeowners still have an incredible amount of equity. But what is equity? In the simplest terms, equity is the difference between the market value of your home and the amount you owe on your mortgage. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) explains how your equity grows over time. “Housing wealth (home equity or net worth) gains are built up through price appreciation and by paying off the mortgage.”

The equity you build up over the years can be used to your advantage when you sell your current house and buy your next home. If you no longer have the space you need, it might be time to move into a larger home. Or it’s possible you have too much space and need something smaller. No matter the situation, your equity can be a powerful tool you can use to help you make a move in today’s market. T...

Homeowners Have Incredible Equity To Leverage Right Now Even though home prices have moderated over the last year, many homeowners still have an incredible amount of equity.

The Worst Home Price Declines Are Behind Us [INFOGRAPHIC]

While home prices vary by local area, they’ve already hit their low point nationally, and now they’re starting to rise again. Last July, prices started to decline, but around February, they began climbing back up. If you put your plans to move on hold waiting to see what would happen with home prices, DM me to discuss if now’s the right time to jump back in.

The Worst Home Price Declines Are Behind Us [INFOGRAPHIC] While home prices vary by local area, they’ve already hit their low point nationally, and now they’re starting to rise again.

One of the first steps in the homebuying process is getting pre-approved for a mortgage. Pre-approval helps improve your chances of buying the home that’s right for you by giving you an idea of what you can borrow, helping you set your budget, and letting sellers know your offer is serious. DM me to learn about other steps you can take to start your homebuying journey.

The Best Time To Sell Your House Is When Others Aren’t Selling

If you’re thinking about selling your house, you should know the number of homes for sale right now is low. That’s because, this season, there are fewer sellers listing their houses for sale than the norm.

Looking back at every April since 2017, the only year when fewer sellers listed their homes was in April 2020, when the pandemic hit and stalled the housing market. In more typical years, roughly 500,000 sellers add their homes to the market in April. This year, we saw fewer than 400,000 sellers entering the market in April.

While there are a number of factors contributing to this trend, one thing keeping inventory low right now is that some homeowners are reluctant to move when the mortgage rate they have on their current house is lower than the one they could get today on their next house. It’s called rate lock.

As a recent survey from Realtor.c...

The Best Time To Sell Your House Is When Others Aren’t Selling If you’re thinking about selling your house, you should know the number of homes for sale right now is low.

The number of foreclosures filings in the U.S. is still low. Why? Because lending standards have tightened significantly since 2008 and so many homeowners have enough equity to sell their house today. Let’s chat more about why today’s housing market is nothing like it was back then.

The Impact of Inflation on Mortgage Rates

If you’re reading headlines about inflation or mortgage rates, you may see something about the recent decision from the Federal Reserve (the Fed). But what does it mean for you, the housing market, and your plans to buy a home? Here’s what you need to know.

While the Fed’s working hard to lower inflation, the latest data shows that, while the number has improved some, the inflation rate is still higher than the target (2%). That played a role in the Federal Reserve’s decision to raise the Federal Funds Rate last week. While the Fed’s actions don’t directly dictate what happens with mortgage rates, their decisions do have an impact and contributed to the intentional cooldown in the housing market last year.

During times of high inflation, your everyday expenses go up. That means you’ve likely felt the pinch at the gas pump and in the grocery store. By raising the Federa...

The Impact of Inflation on Mortgage Rates If you’re reading headlines about inflation or mortgage rates, you may see something about the recent decision from the Federal Reserve.

Have you been thinking about making a move? Even with today’s higher mortgage rates, it may still make sense to do so. That’s because your needs and lifestyle are also a factor. Maybe you need more space, or perhaps you just want something newer. Whatever your motivation, let’s work together to sell your current house and find the home that’s right for you.

Why Today’s Housing Market Is Not About To Crash

There’s been some concern lately that the housing market is headed for a crash. And given some of the affordability challenges in the housing market, along with a lot of recession talk in the media, it’s easy enough to understand why that worry has come up. But the data clearly shows today’s market is very different than it was before the housing crash in 2008. Rest assured, this isn’t a repeat of what happened back then. Here’s why.

>>It’s Harder To Get a Loan Now
It was much easier to get a home loan during the lead-up to the 2008 housing crisis than it is today. Things are different now as purchasers face increasingly higher standards from mortgage companies.

>>Unemployment Recovered Faster This Time
While the pandemic caused unemployment to spike over the last couple of years, the jobless rate has already recovered back to pre-pandemic levels. Because so many...

Why Today’s Housing Market Is Not About To Crash There’s been some concern lately that the housing market is headed for a crash.

Reasons To Sell Your House Today [INFOGRAPHIC]

Not sure if selling your house is the right move today? You should know there are a number of reasons it still makes sense to sell now. Your house will stand out because inventory is low. That’s why the number of offers on recently sold homes is on the rise. And most homeowners have a lot of equity that can fuel a move. If you’re thinking about selling your house, let’s connect to discuss if now may be the time to move.

Reasons To Sell Your House Today [INFOGRAPHIC] Not sure if selling your house is the right move today? You should know there are a number of reasons it still makes sense to sell now.Your house will stand out because inventory is low. That’s why the number of offers on recently sold homes is on the rise. And most homeowners have a lot of equity...

It May Be Time To Consider a Newly Built Home

If you’re looking to buy a house, you may find today’s limited supply of homes available for sale challenging. If you need to open up your pool of options, it may be time to consider a newly built home.

According to the U.S. Census, there’s positive news when it comes to new home construction. More new homes were completed and are ready to sell. Builders broke ground and started construction on more single-family homes. And the number of permits for building new single-family homes ticked up.

There are other perks that come with considering a newly built home:
>>Customization
When you buy a new home under construction, you can tailor it to your unique needs and taste.

>>Brand New Everything
Another perk of a new home is that nothing in the house is used. It’s all brand new and uniquely yours from day one.

>>Minimal Repairs
And, because everything is new, you’ll likely...

It May Be Time To Consider a Newly Built Home If you’re looking to buy a house, you may find today’s limited supply of homes available for sale challenging.

Here are just some of the financial benefits that come with owning your own home. Homeownership enables you to stabilize your housing payment via a fixed rate mortgage, helps you build your net worth, and gives you an asset that typically gains value over time. DM me so we can start your homebuying journey today.

How Homeowners Win When They Downsize

Downsizing has long been a popular option when homeowners reach retirement age. But there are plenty of other life changes that could make downsizing worthwhile. Homeowners who have experienced a change in their lives or no longer feel like their house fits their needs may benefit from downsizing too.

And when inflation has made most things significantly more expensive, saving money where you can has a lot of appeal. So, if you’re thinking about ways to budget differently, it could be worthwhile to take your home into consideration.

When you think about cutting down on your spending, odds are you think of frequent purchases, like groceries and other goods. But when you downsize your house, you often end up downsizing the bills that come with it, like your mortgage payment, energy costs, and maintenance requirements.

If you’re thinking about downsizing, ask yourself these questions:...

How Homeowners Win When They Downsize Downsizing has long been a popular option when homeowners reach retirement age.

Here’s some good news for sellers in today’s housing market: the average number of offers on recently sold homes is rising. One reason why is because there are still more buyers looking to buy than homes for sale. If you’re ready to move, DM me so we can work together to get your house on the market and in front of eager buyers.

Want to sell your house for the best final sale price possible? Then make sure your house shows well and is priced competitively for today’s market. Let’s work together when you sell to make sure your house will stand out to buyers in our local market.

Buyer Activity Is Up Despite Higher Mortgage Rates

If you’re a homeowner thinking about making a move, you may wonder if it’s still a good time to sell your house. Here’s the good news. Even with higher mortgage rates, buyer traffic is actually picking up speed.

The first two months of 2023 saw a noticeable increase in buyer traffic. That’s likely because the limited number of homes for sale kept shoppers looking for homes even during colder months. To help tell the story of why the latest ShowingTime report is significant, let’s compare foot traffic this February with each February for the last six years. It shows this was one of the best Februarys for buyer activity we’ve seen in recent memory.

The uptick in buyer traffic is even more noteworthy considering the increase in mortgage rates this February. The Freddie Mac 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose from 6.09% during the week of February 2nd to 6.50% in the...

Buyer Activity Is Up Despite Higher Mortgage Rates If you’re a homeowner thinking about making a move, you may wonder if it’s still a good time to sell your house.

Homeownership is one of the best ways to grow your net worth. Why? Because when you own a home, you develop equity as you pay down your home loan and as home prices grow with time. And, that equity can help you reach other goals in life or fuel a future move later on. Let’s chat more about the benefits of .

A Recession Doesn’t Equal a Housing Crisis

Everywhere you look, people are talking about a potential recession. And if you’re planning to buy or sell a house, this may leave you wondering if your plans are still a wise move. To help ease your mind, experts are saying that if we do officially enter a recession, it’ll be mild and short. As the Federal Reserve explained in their March meeting, “. . . the staff’s projection at the time of the March meeting included a mild recession starting later this year, with a recovery over the subsequent two years.”

While a recession may be on the horizon, it won’t be one for the housing market record books like the crash in 2008. What we have to remember is that a recession doesn’t always lead to a housing crisis.

To prove it, let’s look at the historical data of what happened in real estate during previous recessions. That way you know why you shouldn’t be afraid of what a...

A Recession Doesn’t Equal a Housing Crisis Everywhere you look, people are talking about a potential recession.