Hope Leitner, Realtor®, CRS

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 Believe it or not, there are

  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  basis  o

  The Role of Access in Selling Your House March 21, 2023 For Sellers Housing Market Updates Selling Myths Once you’ve made the decision to  sell  your house and have  hired  a real estate agent to help, they’ll ask how much access to your home you want to give potential buyers. Your answer matters more now than it did in recent years. Here’s why. At the height of the buying  frenzy  seen during the pandemic, there was a rise in the number of homebuyers who put offers on houses sight unseen. That happened for three reasons: Extremely low housing inventory A lot of competition from other buyers wanting to take advantage of historically low mortgage rates And general wariness of in-person home tours during a pandemic Today, the market’s changing, and buyers can usually be more selective and take more time to explore their  options . So, in order to show your house and  sell  it efficiently, you’ll want to provide buyers with as much access as you can. Before letting your agent know what