Steady as She Goes: Predictions for Florida Real Estate in 2025
The interesting thing about life is we don’t know what will happen next. My hope is that we will see a steady and balanced market this year. These predictions are based on the data out there, here’s where I think real estate has been this year, and where I think it’s headed: Steady Mortgage Rates […]
Regular Home Maintenance Saves Dollars, Time, and Sanity
Recently, I came across some shocking stats on the cost of home maintenance. The average home in the US costs $18,000 a year to maintain (including taxes, insurance, HOA fees, utilities, and cable or internet). That’s a whopping amount, especially considering the average age of a home is 43 years old in the US. Of course, some […]
We’re Shifting into a Buyers Market
How to Navigate the Buyers Market in the Coming Months You’ve probably seen houses for sale around town with the real estate signs up for what seems like forever. Currently, Homes in Central Florida are on the market for a whooping average of 58 days before going under contract. (If you’re really into stats, here’s […]
The Fed Has Dropped Interest Rates!
The Fed (Federal Reserve Board) decided on Sept. 18 to drop its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point. After yesterday’s announcement, today’s 30-year mortgage rate is 6.09%. That’s quite a large drop considering rates have been as high as 7.8% in recent years. Rates had already begun to creep down some before the […]
Commissions look different now, making transactions more transparent for buyers and sellers.
An Update on the August 17th National Association of Realtors (NAR) Settlement Without getting into too much detail (and there’s A LOT of detail), the NAR was a defendant in a class action lawsuit – Burnett v. NAR. The suit alleged antitrust violations, including price-fixing and a lack of transparency in commission rates. The NAR […]
Hurricane Prep in Florida: How to Handle a Water Emergency
With hurricane season upon us, I’ve researched ways to prepare for emergencies, including emergencies with your home. I interviewed a water and mold remediation expert, Marco DeJesus, owner of All Dry Services of Orlando, about what to do in a water emergency, including how his services work with homeowners’ insurance. I hope none of you […]
Trees Might Grow Money, For Homeowners
Why plant trees? There are so many answers to that question: shade, privacy, energy savings, biodiversity, air quality, water conservation, and more. When homeowners plant a tree or small forest, they may be growing a little money and well-being as well. Trees Add Value to Your Home There are multiple groups out there who have […]
My Thoughts on Current Real Estate Market Trends
So what’s up with the state of the real estate market and interest rates? Real estate is like many things in life – connected to many things.
Is the Buyer’s Agent a Thing of the Past?
The NAR Settlement Could Change Real Estate It’s been an interesting few weeks for us realtors to wrap our heads around how the NAR settlement will shake out. In a nutshell: a buyer’s agent commission can no longer be advertised in the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). In the past, the seller would agree to pay […]
Closing Costs Explained
Closing costs for a home buyer can seem like a bit of a mystery. Here’s what a buyerpurchasing with a mortgage pays for: Inspection Fees Several different inspections examine the condition of a property: general inspection, 4-point inspection (roof, plumbing, electrical, a/c), WDO inspection (wood destroying organism), and wind mitigation inspection. Inspections are optional for […]