Hope Leitner, Realtor®, CRS

  If you’re  planning to sell  your house and move, you probably know there’s been a shortage of options available. But here’s the good news: the supply of  homes for sale  has grown in a lot of markets this year – and that’s not just existing, or previously-owned, homes. It’s true for newly built homes too.  So how do you decide which route to go? Do you buy an existing home or a brand-new one? The choice is yours – you just need to figure out what’s most important to you. Perks of a Newly Built Home Here are some benefits of buying a newly built home right now: Have brand new everything  with never-been-used appliances and materials Use energy efficient options  to save money and leave a smaller footprint Minimize the need for repairs  and benefit from builder warranties Take advantage of builder concessions  that can help with affordability In today’s market, a lot of builders are focusing on selling their  current inventory  before they add more homes to their mix. And some of them

  Do Elections Impact the Housing Market? The 2024 Presidential election is just months away. As someone who’s thinking about potentially   buying   or   selling   a home, you’re probably curious about what effect, if any, elections have on the housing market.   It’s a great question because   buying   or   selling   a home is a major decision, and it’s natural to wonder how such a major event might impact your plans.   Historically, Presidential elections have only had a small, temporary impact on the housing market. Here’s the latest on exactly what’s happened to home sales,   prices , and   mortgage rates   throughout those time periods. Home Sales During the month of November, in years when the Presidential election takes place, there’s typically a slight slowdown in home sales. As Ali Wolf, Chief Economist at  Zonda ,  explains : “Usually, home sales are unchanged compared to a non-election year with the exception being November.  In an election year, November is slower than norma

According to the latest data from  Fannie Mae , 23% of Americans still think  home prices  will go down over the next twelve months. But why do roughly 1 in 4 people feel that way? It has a lot to do with all the negative talk about home prices over the past year. Since late 2022, the media has created a lot of fear about a  price crash  and those concerns are still lingering. You may be hearing people in your own life saying they’re worried about home prices or see on social media that some influencers are saying prices are going to come tumbling down. If you’re someone who still thinks prices are going to fall, ask yourself this:  Which is a more reliable place to get your information – clickbait headlines and social media or a trusted expert on the housing market? The answer is simple. Listen to the professionals who specialize in residential real estate. Here’s the latest data you can actually trust. Housing market experts acknowledge that nationally, prices did dip down slightly l

  The housing market’s been going through a lot of change lately, and there’s been uncertainty surrounding what will happen this spring. You may be wondering if more homes will go on the market, what’s next with  home prices  and  mortgage rates , or what the best advice is for someone in your position right now. Here’s what industry experts are saying right now about the spring housing market and what it means for you: Selma Hepp , Chief Economist,  CoreLogic : “ We see more competition among buyers . . . Housing supply also tends to grow during the spring months.  And this is also the time of year when relatively more migration happens, as people graduate and move elsewhere looking for jobs.” Greg McBride , Chief Financial Analyst,  Bankrate : “I don’t expect big moves in prices in the span of a month, but like the flower buds of spring,  the housing market is showing signs of improvement . A pick up in activity with inventory still low does bode well for home prices.” Rick Sharga ,