Hope Leitner, Realtor®, CRS

Spring is here! If you haven't taken a drive into the desert to see the flowers, try to do it soon. As soon as the hot sun comes out it will only be a short time before the flowers are gone. Below are many more ideas for maximizing the fun in the sun that we have in San Diego.    April - Ponder this -   “Love life. Engage in it. Give it all you’ve got. Love it with a passion because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it.” — Maya Angelou   I am here for you, your family, and your friends. Whether you own a home or you are looking to buy or sell one, I'm here to help.   If you know anyone who might be interested in receiving this event calendar every month, please have them sign up at this  link.   Your Forever Agent,    Hope Leitner, CRS, CalDRE #01874321 Hope Opens Doors   Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, California Properties Christie D. Horn and Associates 3790 Via de la Valle, Suite 201, Del Mar, CA 920...

Spring's arrival heralds a warming trend in the real estate market, signaling the onset of a hot sales season ahead.   Below you'll find the housing report for the current month along with data from the preceding two months. Notably, there's a surge in the number of properties hitting the market in the last two months, indicating a growing pool of sellers. However, it's crucial to recognize that buyer demand remains robust. Despite this uptick in listings, San Diego County continues to grapple with an inventory shortage. The average cost of a home has risen, but that doesn't mean there aren't still some affordable properties out there.    Whether you're contemplating a purchase or sale, I invite you to reach out. Let's discuss your options within the dynamics of our distinctive housing market, ensuring your decisions align with the current trends and realities.   If you know anyone who might be interested in receiving this market update every month, plea...

    Are you aware of the settlement reached by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in a class action lawsuit last week?   This settlement could potentially have significant implications for the real estate market, particularly in regions with high property prices, like ours.   The lawsuit alleged that NAR's rules and practices regarding the sharing of commission between buyers' and sellers' agents stifled competition and inflated housing costs. As part of the settlement, NAR agreed to make changes to its rules and practices, including allowing greater transparency in commission rates and providing more information to consumers.   In high-priced regions like ours, where housing costs are already a concern for many buyers and sellers, any changes resulting from this settlement could have notable effects. Greater transparency in commission rates might lead to increased competition among real estate agents and potentially lower costs for consumers. However, it's e...

  TRENDS, NEWS, FINANCE, HOMEBUYERS, HOME SELLERS Is the Housing Market Turning? The U.S.  avoided a recession in 2023 , and some say it will have a  soft landing  in 2024. Inflation has hovered in the 3% range for many months—higher than the central bank would prefer, but at 2.6% for personal consumption expenditures (PCE), it’s closer to the target range of 2% and far from the double-digit highs since the pandemic began. Most sources cite the “core” PCE, which excludes volatile energy and food prices which sat at 3.2% by year’s end—the lowest level since March 2021. Meanwhile, existing home sales volume began to edge higher by the end of 2023, and prices rose 4.0% year over year to a median of $387,600.  Mortgage interest rates  ended the year at 6.61% for a benchmark 30-year fixed-rate conventional home loan. Existing housing inventory remains tight with approximately 3.5-months’ supply on hand at the current sales pace. Due to the improvement in market ...

Welcome to a curated selection of the latest real estate insights—handpicked just for you. As your dedicated agent for life, I believe in empowering you with the knowledge you need to navigate the world of homeownership with confidence. Sit back and absorb the compelling narratives that await in this issue. Whenever you find yourself pondering the next steps in your real estate journey, remember that I am only a conversation away. My commitment to you, your family, and friends is unwavering, and I'm ready to assist with tailored, strategic advice whenever you need it.   Your Forever Agent,    Hope Leitner, CRS, CalDRE #01874321 Is the Housing Market Turning? The U.S.  avoided a recession in 2023 , and some say it will have a  soft landing  in 2024. Existing home sales volume began to edge higher by the end of 2023, and prices rose 4.0% year over year to a median of $387,600.  Read more HERE Private Lands in U.S. National Parks: What You Need to Know ...

  HOMEBUYERS, RURAL REAL ESTATE, FUN FACTS Private Lands in U.S. National Parks: What You Need to Know Believe it or not, there are  over four million acres of private land  in U.S. national parks, about three percent of total public lands. Grandfathered in are homesteads established generations ago by the Homestead Act of 1862 when the country was young and settlers were willing to cross the country enduring numerous perils to claim farm and ranch land. As national parks were established, homesteaders were allowed to keep their lands, or they could sell their properties back to the government. Private properties within national park boundaries are called  inholdings,  and their owners have the same rights as all private property owners, including the right to sell their homes to whomever they wish. Homeowners may be subject to  Federal agency regulations “regarding access to their homes and use of their lands by their Federal agency neighbors.” Under the...

  HOME SELLERS, TAXES, SELLING A HOME Tax Tips for Selling a Residence According to the  Internal Revenue Service , the primary residence you sold in 2023 may have federal tax benefits that can help you avoid capital gains on the sale, if you meet certain criteria for ownership and use of the home. To claim a tax exclusion, you must have owned the home for at least two years and lived in the home for at least two out of no more than five years of ownership. The tax gain exclusion that’s available is $250,000 if you’re single, or $500,000 if you’re married and use a joint tax return. If you sell at a loss, such as a short sale, you can’t deduct the loss from your income, likely because of the many homeownership benefits subsidized by the government, including loan programs, first-time and low-income homebuyer grants, energy star appliance credits, and so on. Tax exclusions are also subsidized by the government. To maximize your gain and lessen your tax bill, you can adjust the...

  Let’s get one thing clear. Context in content is  always  important. But when it comes to the housing market, especially the one we’ve seen the last few years, it’s even more crucial. Why? Because the market trends in recent years are anything but normal. So, when you’re answering questions or dodging objections, context matters even more. Let’s break down an example. This is a recent headline a major news outlet published: We’re all guilty of seeing headlines and jumping to conclusions. We’re especially guilty of not diving in and reading the entire article to understand the full context of how that statement came to be. But words like “price drop” are alarming when it comes to the housing market. They give the impression that home prices will fall, possibly significantly, this year. Opinions are formed, conclusions are made, and misinformation is spread. However,  this headline  couldn’t be further from the truth. That’s where context comes in. If you look a...