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    Rethinking Backup Offers

    By Carla Higgins | March 14, 2023

    Like with any professional, there are tools and techniques available to help with particular situations. They might be more popular at certain times and might even be put aside or forgotten at others. For real estate professionals, one of those is the backup offer. In a situation where there are multiple offers, the seller can … Continue reading Rethinking Backup Offers → Read More

    Playing Monopoly Is Good Homework

    By Carla Higgins | March 7, 2023

    If you’ve ever been in a Monopoly game after most of the properties have been purchased and developed, it can be a relief to land on Free Parking, knowing the dice must rotate to the next player giving you a respite from paying rent. Like the game, in real life, it would be nice to … Continue reading Playing Monopoly Is Good Homework → Read More

    Getting Comfortable with the New Normal Mortgage Rates

    By Carla Higgins | February 28, 2023

    The biggest shock to homebuyers is the soaring mortgage rates of 2022 that doubled in one year resulting in approximately 15 million mortgage ready buyers displaced from the market due to affordability issues. As of February 23, 2023, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage was at 6.5%. While that is twice as high as it was … Continue reading Getting Comfortable with the New Normal Mortgage Rates → Read More

    When do you lock your mortgage rate?

    By Carla Higgins | February 21, 2023

    Locking your interest rate protects you from increases due to market conditions. Locking early safeguards your budgeted payment. By locking the rate, if the market goes up, you get the lower rate; if it goes down after the lock, you may be able to pay a fee and lower the rate. Knowing when to take … Continue reading When do you lock your mortgage rate? → Read More

    Get the Buyer Incentives to Act Now

    By Carla Higgins | February 14, 2023

    Sellers, who last year, were not willing to make any concessions, are much more likely to do so this year due to the softening of the market because of inflation and higher mortgage rates affecting affordability for buyers. Concessions can take place in different forms. A seller could offer to pay the buyer’s closing costs … Continue reading Get the Buyer Incentives to Act Now → Read More

    Compare Before Deciding on the Standard Deduction

    By Carla Higgins | February 7, 2023

    The TCJA of 2019 dramatically increased the standard deduction so that many homeowners benefit from taking that rather than itemizing their deductions. Taking the standard deduction may result in a larger deduction even if you have no expenses that qualify for claiming itemized deductions. Another thing reinforcing taking the standard deduction was low rates at … Continue reading Compare Before Deciding on the Standard Deduction → Read More

    Negotiate a Buydown to Get into a Home Now

    By Carla Higgins | January 31, 2023

    If you are a prospective homebuyer, things have changed in the past year. Most notably, mortgage rates have more than doubled which has created an affordability gap that has taken approximately 15 million buyers out of the market. Inventories are growing but it isn’t because more people are deciding to sell their homes; it is … Continue reading Negotiate a Buydown to Get into a Home Now → Read More

    If you’re on the sidelines, at least get ready…

    By Carla Higgins | January 24, 2023

    If you’re on the sidelines to buy a home, there are things you can do to be ready when you do get back in the game. Improve your credit score to qualify for the best mortgage rate available which are reserved for those with the highest scores. Get a copy of your current credit reports … Continue reading If you’re on the sidelines, at least get ready… → Read More

    If you’re on the sidelines, at least get ready…

    By Carla Higgins | January 24, 2023

    If you’re on the sidelines to buy a home, there are things you can do to be ready when you do get back in the game. Improve your credit score to qualify for the best mortgage rate available which are reserved for those with the highest scores. Get a copy of your current credit reports … Continue reading If you’re on the sidelines, at least get ready… → Read More

    Negotiating Your Position

    By Carla Higgins | January 17, 2023

    The seller wants the most for their home and the buyer wants to pay the least possible. From the very beginning of the homebuying process, there are adversarial positions between the principals. If you happen to be in a multi-offer situation, it just complicates things further. Then, there are the emotions that tend to cloud … Continue reading Negotiating Your Position → Read More