Have Home Values Hit Bottom?

A house with two windows and a sky background

Kevin Brierton – 1.18.2023 Whether you’re already a homeowner or you’re looking to become one, the recent headlines about home prices may leave you with more questions than answers. News stories are talking about home prices falling, and that’s raising concerns about a repeat of what happened to prices in the crash in 2008. One of the questions that’s on…

Read More

Think Twice Before Waiting for 3% Mortgage Rates

A man sitting at a table with papers and a laptop.

Kevin Brierton – 1.17.2023 Last year, the Federal Reserve took action to try to bring down inflation. In response to those efforts, mortgage rates jumped up rapidly from the record lows we saw in 2021, peaking at just over 7% last October. Hopeful buyers experienced a hit to their purchasing power as a result, and some decided to press pause on their…

Read More

What Past Recessions Tell Us About the Housing Market

A wooden model of houses sitting on top of a table.

Kevin Brierton – 1.16.2023 It doesn’t matter if you’re someone who closely follows the economy or not, chances are you’ve heard whispers of an upcoming recession. Economic conditions are determined by a broad range of factors, so rather than explaining them each in-depth, let’s lean on the experts and what history tells us to see…

Read More

Is It Time To Sell Your Second Home?

A group of people standing in front of a house.

Kevin Brierton – 1.12.2023 During the pandemic, second homes became popular because of the rise in work-from-home flexibility. That’s because owning a second home, especially in the luxury market, allowed those homeowners to spend more time in their favorite places or with different home features. Keep in mind, a luxury home isn’t only defined by…

Read More

What Experts Are Saying About the 2023 Housing Market

A woman holding a baby and another person with a tablet.

Kevin Brierton 1.9.2023 If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home soon, you probably want to know what you can expect from the housing market this year. In 2022, the market underwent a major shift as economic uncertainty and higher mortgage rates reduced buyer demand, slowed the pace of home sales, and moderated home prices. But what about 2023?…

Read More

Understanding the Steps of the Homebuying Process

A man sitting at a table with papers in front of him.

Kevin Brierton – 1.8.2023 So you’re ready to buy a house, but you aren’t sure how the whole process works. While each real estate deal is different and can vary in a multitude of ways, for the most part, buying a house is pretty straightforward and follows the same timeline. It’s important to keep a…

Read More

3 Best Practices for Selling Your House This Year

A brown house with red shutters and white garage door.

Kevin Brierton – 1.5.2023 A new year brings with it the opportunity for new experiences. If that resonates with you because you’re considering making a move, you’re likely juggling a mix of excitement over your next home and a sense of attachment to your current one. A great way to ease some of those emotions and…

Read More

Avoid the Rental Trap in 2023

A red brick building with fire escape stairs.

Kevin Brierton – 1.4.2023 If you’re a renter, you likely face an important decision every year: renew your current lease, start a new one, or buy a home. This year is no different. But before you dive too deeply into your options, it helps to understand the true costs of renting moving forward. In the…

Read More

Wondering How Much You Need To Save for a Down Payment?

Three small plants are growing in a row.

Kevin Brierton – 1.3.2023 If you’re getting ready to buy your first home, you’re likely focused on saving up for everything that purchase involves. One cost that’s likely top of mind is your down payment. But don’t let a common misconception about how much you need to save make the process harder than it could…

Read More

What Are Your Goals in the Housing Market This Year?

A woman holding a pill bottle and smiling.

Kevin Brierton – 1.2.2023 If buying or selling a home is part of your dreams for 2023, it’s essential for you to understand today’s housing market, define your goals, and work with industry experts to bring your homeownership vision for the new year into focus. In the last year, high inflation had a big impact on the…

Read More

Planning To Sell Your House? It’s Critical To Hire a Pro.

A group of people sitting around each other.

Kevin Brierton – 12.29.2022 With higher mortgage rates and moderating buyer demand, conditions in the housing market are different today. And if you’re thinking of selling your house, it’s important to understand how the market has changed and what that means for you. The best way to make sure you’re in the know is to work with…

Read More

Applying For a Mortgage? Here’s What You Should Avoid Once You Do.

A living room with chairs and tables in it

Kevin Brierton – 12.28.2022 While it’s exciting to start thinking about moving in and decorating after you’ve applied for your mortgage, there are some key things to keep in mind before you close. Here’s a list of things you may not realize you need to avoid after applying for your home loan. Don’t Deposit Large Sums of Cash Lenders need to…

Read More

Confused About What’s Going on in the Housing Market? Lean on a Professional.

A yellow paper cut out of a head with question marks on it.

Kevin Brierton – 12.27.2022 If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, you probably want to know what’s really happening with home prices, mortgage rates, housing supply, and more. That’s not an easy task considering how sensationalized headlines are today. Jay Thompson, Real Estate Industry Consultant, explains: “Housing market headlines are everywhere. Many are quite sensational, ending with exclamation points or…

Read More

Financial Fundamentals for First-Time Homebuyers

A woman sitting on the ground using her laptop.

Kevin Brierton – 12.26.2022 Are you prepping to buy your first home? If so, one of the steps you should take early on is making sure you’re financially ready for your purchase. Here are just a few of the financial fundamentals you’ll need to focus on as you set out to buy a home. Build Your Credit…

Read More

What To Expect From the Housing Market in 2023

A view of an aerial photo of a city.

The 2022 housing market has been defined by two key things: inflation and rapidly rising mortgage rates. And in many ways, it’s put the market into a reset position. As the Federal Reserve (the Fed) made moves this year to try to lower inflation, mortgage rates more than doubled â€“ something that’s never happened before in a calendar year. This…

Read More

Mortgage Rates Are Dropping. What Does That Mean for You?

A yellow calculator is sitting on the floor.

Kevin Brierton – 12.19.2022 Mortgage rates have been a hot topic in the housing market over the past 12 months. Compared to the beginning of 2022, rates have risen dramatically. Now they’re dropping, and that has to do with everything happening in the economy. Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist and Director of Forecasting at the National Association of…

Read More