Posts by Deb Hitchcock Gale
Down Payments Are Smaller Than They’ve Been Since 2021
Saving for a down payment can feel like the hardest part of buying a home. And with affordability as tight as it’s been lately, it’s fair to wonder how anyone manages it right now. Here’s something you may not have seen coming. Some people are getting their foot in the door with a smaller down…
Read MoreThe Housing Market Is Stronger Than You Think
You’ve probably heard plenty of doom and gloom about the housing market lately. High rates. Stretched budgets. Headlines that make buying or selling sound like a terrible idea. But the data tells a very different story. This isn’t 2020 or 2021. It was never going to be. Those were the “unicorn years” – historic low…
Read MoreThe 1 Factor That Explains Everything Happening with Home Prices Right Now
You’ve probably heard that home prices are cooling off. And that’s true – nationally. But zoom in on individual markets across the country, and the picture looks completely different depending on where you are. Some areas are still seeing solid price growth. Others have gone flat. A few have actually dipped slightly negative. So, what’s…
Read MoreYour House Didn’t Sell. Here’s How To Turn It Around.
When your house doesn’t sell, it’s not just disappointing. It messes with your timing. Your plans. Your confidence. You start second-guessing everything, including the decision to move in the first place. And that raises 2 big questions: Do you try again? Is that even worth it? Here’s the secret to getting a better outcome the…
Read MoreMore Sellers Are Taking Their Homes off the Market. Here’s What You Need To Know.
You may be hearing that a near-record number of homeowners are pulling their houses off the market. And if that headline has you thinking, “Wait… is something bad about to happen?” You’re not alone. Because when people start stepping to the sidelines, it sounds like a warning sign that something’s coming – or that they…
Read MoreWhen I think about people saving to buy their first house
When I think about people saving to buy their first house, it brings me back to my early working years. My husband and I used a plain old savings account to accumulate our down payment. Today, young people are devising fresh options, including two ideas that happened to converge in our Tech Tuesday newsletter—an app that incentivizes…
Read MoreThat House That’s Been Sitting Could Be Your Best Shot at a Deal
Open up a home search and you’ll see them. Listings that have been on the market for two months. Three. Some longer. Most buyers scroll right past them, assuming something’s wrong with the house. But that instinct could be costing you, since the longer a home sits, the more motivated the seller usually gets. Where…
Read MoreIs It Still a Seller’s Market? Here’s What the Data Says.
Remember a few years back when sellers held all the power and buyers were stuck offering way over asking or waiving inspections just to get a chance at the house? In many markets, those days are behind us. While it’s going to vary by area, more metros are slowly shifting to favor buyers, and the…
Read MoreThink Home Prices Will Crash? Here’s What the Experts Actually Expect.
One of the biggest reasons buyers are still sitting on the sidelines is because they think home prices are going to come down. Some believe a crash is coming and they’ll get a better deal if they hold off. Others worry they’ll buy now and watch their home’s value fall later. And nobody wants to…
Read MoreShould You Pay for Your Buyer’s Closing Costs? What Sellers Need To Know.
A few years ago, sellers could get away with saying “no” to just about everything. No repairs. No concessions. No negotiation. If buyers wanted the house, they pretty much had to take it on the seller’s terms. But now that inventory’s grown, negotiations are becoming a normal part of the process again. That’s why one…
Read More