• What To Know About Credit Scores Before Buying a Home

    What To Know About Credit Scores Before Buying a Home,Monet Yarnell

    If you want to buy a home, you should know your credit score is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to qualifying for a mortgage. Lenders review your credit to see if you typically make payments on time, pay back debts, and more. Your credit score can also help determine your mortgage rate.

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  • Why We Aren't Headed for a Housing Crash

    Why We Aren't Headed for a Housing Crash,Monet Yarnell

    If you’re holding out hope that the housing market is going to crash and bring home prices back down, here’s a look at what the data shows. And spoiler alert: that’s not in the cards. Instead, experts say home prices are going to keep going up. Today’s market is very different than it was before the

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  • Why You Want an Agent’s Advice for Your Move

    Why You Want an Agent’s Advice for Your Move,Monet Yarnell

    No matter how you slice it, buying or selling a home is a big decision. And when you’re going through any change in your life and you need some guidance, what do you do? You get advice from people who know what they’re talking about. Moving is no exception. You need insights from the pros to help yo

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  • Why Today’s Housing Supply Is a Sweet Spot for Sellers

    Why Today’s Housing Supply Is a Sweet Spot for Sellers,Monet Yarnell

    Wondering if it still makes sense to sell your house right now? The short answer is, yes. And if you look at the current number of homes for sale, you’ll see two reasons why. An article from Calculated Risk shows there are 15.6% more homes for sale now compared to the same week last year. That tells

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  • The Truth About Down Payments

    The Truth About Down Payments,Monet Yarnell

    If you’re planning to buy your first home, saving up for all the costs involved can feel daunting, especially when it comes to the down payment. That might be because you’ve heard you need to save 20% of the home’s price to put down. Well, that isn’t necessarily the case. Unless specified by your lo

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  • Expert Home Price Forecasts for 2024 Revised Up

    Expert Home Price Forecasts for 2024 Revised Up,Monet Yarnell

    Over the past few months, experts have revised their 2024 home price forecasts based on the latest data and market signals, and they’re even more confident prices will rise, not fall. So, let’s see exactly how experts’ thinking has shifted – and what’s caused the change. 2024 Home Price Forecasts: T

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  • Some Experts Say Mortgage Rates May Fall Below 6% Later This Year

    Some Experts Say Mortgage Rates May Fall Below 6% Later This Year,Monet Yarnell

    There’s a lot of confusion in the market about what’s happening with day-to-day movement in mortgage rates right now, but here’s what you really need to know: compared to the near 8% peak last fall, mortgage rates have trended down overall. And if you’re looking to buy or sell a home, this is a big

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  • Strategic Tips for Buying Your First Home

    Strategic Tips for Buying Your First Home,Monet Yarnell

      Buying your first home is a big, exciting step and a major milestone that has the power to improve your life. As a first-time homebuyer, it's a dream you can make come true, but there are some hurdles you'll need to overcome in today’s housing market – specifically the limited supply of homes for

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  • It’s Time To Prepare Your House for a Spring Listing

    It’s Time To Prepare Your House for a Spring Listing,Monet Yarnell

    If you're thinking of selling your house this spring, now is the perfect time to start getting it ready. With the market gearing up for its busiest time of year, it'll be important to make sure your house shines bright among the competition. Here are some valuable tips you can use to get your house 

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  • Don’t Let the Latest Home Price Headlines Confuse You

    Don’t Let the Latest Home Price Headlines Confuse You,Monet Yarnell

    Based on what you’re hearing in the news about home prices, you may be worried they’re falling. But here’s the thing. The headlines aren’t giving you the full picture. If you look at the national data for 2023, home prices actually showed positive growth for the year. While this varies by market, an

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  • Why So Many People Fall in Love with Homeownership

    Why So Many People Fall in Love with Homeownership,Monet Yarnell

    Chances are at some point in your life you’ve heard the phrase, home is where the heart is. There’s a reason that’s said so often. Becoming a homeowner is emotional. So, if you’re trying to decide if you want to keep on renting or if you’re ready to buy a home this year, here’s why it’s so easy to f

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  • Bridging the Gaps on the Road to Homeownership

    Bridging the Gaps on the Road to Homeownership,Monet Yarnell

    Homeownership is a major part of the American Dream. But, the path to achieving this dream can be quite difficult. While progress has been made to improve fair housing access, households of color still face unique challenges on the road to owning a home. Working with the right real estate experts ca

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  • What’s Really Happening with Mortgage Rates?

    What’s Really Happening with Mortgage Rates?,Monet Yarnell

    Are you feeling a bit unsure about what’s really happening with mortgage rates? That might be because you’ve heard someone say they’re coming down. But then you read somewhere else that they’re up again. And that may leave you scratching your head and wondering what’s true. The simplest answer is: t

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  • Home Equity Can Be a Game Changer When You Sell

    Home Equity Can Be a Game Changer When You Sell,Monet Yarnell

    Are you on the fence about selling your house? While affordability is improving this year, it’s still tight. And that may be on your mind. But understanding your home equity could be the key to making your decision easier. An article from Bankrate explains: “Home equity is the difference between you

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  • Why Pre-Approval Is Even More Important This Year

    Why Pre-Approval Is Even More Important This Year,Monet Yarnell

    On the road to becoming a homeowner? If so, you may have heard the term pre-approval get tossed around. Let’s break down what it is and why it’s important if you’re looking to buy a home in 2024. What Pre-Approval Is As part of the homebuying process, your lender will look at your finances to figure

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  • Houses Are Still Selling Fast

    Houses Are Still Selling Fast,Monet Yarnell

    Have you been thinking about selling your house? If so, here’s some good news. While the housing market isn't as frenzied as it was during the ‘unicorn’ years when houses were selling quicker than ever, they’re still selling faster than normal. The graph below uses data from Realtor.com to tell the

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  • Why Having Your Own Agent Matters When Buying a New Construction Home

    Why Having Your Own Agent Matters When Buying a New Construction Home,Monet Yarnell

    Finding the right home is one of the biggest challenges for potential buyers today. Right now, the supply of homes for sale is still low. But there is a bright spot. Newly built homes make up a larger percent of the total homes available for sale than normal. That’s why, if you’re craving more optio

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  • Don’t Wait Until Spring To Sell Your House

    Don’t Wait Until Spring To Sell Your House,Monet Yarnell

    As you think about the year ahead, one of your big goals may be moving. But, how do you know when to make your move? While spring is usually the peak homebuying season, you don’t actually need to wait until spring to sell. Here's why. 1. Take Advantage of Lower Mortgage Rates Last October, the 30-ye

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  • Foreclosure Activity Is Still Lower than the Norm

    Foreclosure Activity Is Still Lower than the Norm,Monet Yarnell

    Have you seen headlines talking about the increase in foreclosures in today’s housing market? If so, they may leave you feeling a bit uneasy about what’s ahead. But remember, these clickbait titles don’t always give you the full story. The truth is, if you compare the current numbers with what usual

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  • 2 of the Factors That Impact Mortgage Rates

    2 of the Factors That Impact Mortgage Rates,Monet Yarnell

    If you’re looking to buy a home, you’ve probably been paying close attention to mortgage rates. Over the last couple of years, they hit record lows, rose dramatically, and are now dropping back down a bit. Ever wonder why? The answer is complicated because there’s a lot that can influence mortgage r

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