Black Hole Of Real Estate Podcast

... Is a home buying strategy with many advantages At a time when real estate inventory continues to increase home buyers remain very particular in what they are looking for and there is a real fear of the pressure that exists when they only have a limited time to select a home and its the exact reason that many choose to make their purchase before they ever put their home on the market and if you are open minded to doing so you open the door to possibilities that wouldn't exist otherwise imagine for a moment being able to to renovate your new home before you begin to move in new flooring fresh paint new kitchen cabinets and back splash updated bathrooms all could be done relatively quickly you could selectively begin to move in 1 room at a time while the work is being done and your final move in would be into a new home that will need little, if any work done, for the foreseeable future and in the process, your previous home will be empty and clean making it much easier to complete any repairs or touch ups to get the home ready for a profitable sale that will very likely breeze through the inspection process this opens the door to the widest pool of buyers the hidden bonus is that this option relieves most of the stress involved when trying to sell and buy at the same time and removes the need to purchase with home sale contingencies that can cost you money or even worse cause you to miss out on the home that you really want as most sellers are averse to taking a chance that your home sale doesn't close today's show gives your real life scenarios to guide you through the process  

Did We Just Enter Into A Buyers Market...     ... A lot of home buyers are certainly feeling that way right now We have seen a steady increase in the number of homes for sale And homes are taking longer to sell but does that actually mean that its a buyers market most real estate experts consider 6 months of inventory as the line of demarcation when determining what type of market it is less than 6 months of inventory is a sellers market 6 months of inventory is a balanced market more than 6 months of inventory is a buyers market we are finding that many areas of the country are hovering right around the middle  and when this happens those watching the market are looking for signs of which direction it will be heading in the short and long term and during these times both sides feel like they can win listen in to learn more about what we feel is about to happen

Springtime Tips To Make You More Money At The Closing Table...   ... here are the Top things that you should do before you go on the market start with decluttering the home make decisions to store, sell, or donate any items that are in the home currently then get the home deep cleaned  don't cut corners on this kitchen and bathroom cleanliness can make the difference between getting a solid offer as opposed to a low offer  or even no offers at all then make a repair list list the items can you repair on your own a little to no cost and get that done quickly then list the items do you need to hire out to avoid inspection issues and get those scheduled right away a home that is turnkey will sell for more money  and also create a bigger pool of buyers the exterior of your home should not be forgotten it doesn't matter how nice it is inside if it doesn't have curb appeal outside then buyers may choose not to go inside its super important to have the yard looking its best and the same goes for the house paint, roof, gutters, and trees these are all big ticket items that most buyers would prefer to avoid paying for after closing sellers making it easier and more convenient for home buyers hold the winning ticket to receive the most amount of money in their pocket at the closing table today's show explains what to do and how to do it  

The Fed Interest Rate Move...      ... Wasn't A Move At All Interest rates, once again, remain unchanged In all honesty, the real estate industry doesn't need it right now At a time when market activity historically increases It isn't necessarily important to the real estate industry The time period right after tax season closes out combined with the end of the school year is an annual rewenal of interest for many home buyers and sellers whether they are upsizing or downsizing their home some may be getting ready to buy a retirement property whiles others are seeking an investment property for additional income regardless of the reason this is the season where the most people are in the market most years and with that, there will likely be an increase in new listings which in turn will lead to a spike in home sales most of which will close by the month August According to the National Association of Realtors More than 80% of Metro Markets nationwide (189 of 228) saw home values increase in the 1st quarter of 2025 and there is a belief that this will continue over the summer month today's show is a lively conversation regarding why this is happening  

Delay Your Taxes Even Longer...  ... is something that almost everyone wants to do A 1031 Exchange is something that I have spent a lot of time on over the years Its a tax strategy used when selling a property that allows the seller to defer (delay) the tax due until a subsequent sale has been completed this allows them to put more of the money to work and pay the taxes somewhere down the road I have discussed it in a number of forums recently in the spirtit of contribution to the real estate community there is another layer that can be added when a seller decides that they want to take their profits and use them for something other than a real estate purchase let's suppose that you have a need for some of the money now but not all of it right away and what you would really like  is to have an income from the sale for 10, 20 or even 30 years you could "become the bank" and finance the purchase for your buyer they would give you a down payment and make monthly payments just like they would if they got the money from their bank the difference is that you receive installments each month and would only pay tax on what you receive in a year based on your cost basis and profits from the sale which allows you to spread out the tax due for many years you should definitely talk to your tax planner before you make any moves like this but for some sellers and investors this is the exact right strategy today's show walks you through a number of scenarios

...its the time of year where things go faster and differently tax season is now done and there is an increase in real estate activity level most people have a very clear financial picture documents are readily available for those that will apply for mortgages snowbirds consider selling their homes those nearing retirement are looking for to relocate landlords are looking to cash in investors are looking to add to their portfolio the school year has ended which always add buyers and sellers to the market so this is a time where properties that have lingered unsold we find many sellers will be taking price reductions so they can get a 2nd look from this new audience a large number of home sellers will be looking to purchase a different home and lining up the closing dates can be challenging to say the least the usual speed bumps are more amplified inspections appraisals contingent on selling a property insurance delays due to tropical storms today's show goes super deep into these scenarios  

...1st and foremost, is your home properly insured as I often say It's what you learn, after you know it all, that really counts you may want to examine your declaration page this week look at what the policy covers and more importantly, what is not covered give some thought to how much coverage you want it $$$ think about how big of a deductible you prefer are there riders that you need to put in place you can add flood insurance if you don't have it when a named storm enters in the region near your home insurance companies will stop writing new policies until the storm has passed if you are currently under contract and haven't locked in your policy by binding it you run the risk of not being able to close your home purchase get the yard tools out and trim all of the branches on your trees before the storm comes along otherwise you are stockpiling projectiles that can inflict damage do you have a generator in place if not then give some thought to your food supply and storage while you are outside - get a look at your roof is it missing shingles or has a leak that needs to be fixed today's show gives you a roadmap to your preventative maintenance tips as well as what you should really be stocking up on this season

...and home buyers and investors are winning Let's Face it Most people feel that new homes  cost too much take too long to build What they don't always realize is that there are high production builders out there that release express homes every week and you can purchase them  and move in within 30-60 days given the current real estate market conditions some builders are offering discounts unlike what we have seen in many years at the peak of the market there was little reason for a builder to negotiate that has changed in a big way and if you understand how things work and you know what to ask for the savings can be HUGE! Investors in particular are finding that they can get a great return on their investment if they can close with cash quickly many are using 1031 Exchange funds to complete the deals delaying taxes due on sales and maximizing their profits today's show takes you behind the scenes and gives you the goods on how it works  

...and there are whispers of the market going negative but one has to wonder is it market movement or is it market manipulation we have discussed the big moves made by Rocket Mortgage to acquire Redfin and Mr Cooper and now is the time that we should take a look at Zillow as they just shared their forecast that home prices may go down nearly 2% next year no has knows for sure but I do find it interesting that Zillow has acquired Follow Up Boss and Showing Time in recent years in an effort to become a seamless 1 stop home buying/selling portal and lets face it - negative news gets clicks online and if consumers belived that prices were about to drop it would create new activity in the housing market buyers would check more intently for deals sellers would be more likely to sell quicker if they felt the price would be lower each month ongoing but here's the thing is it smart for a seller to drop their price dramatically when 1% of $400,000 is just $4,000 even 2% is only $8,000 knowing this, it doesn't make finanical sense to drop their listing price 25k unless they were glaringly over priced I am not saying that the zillow forecast is right or wrong thats for consumers decide but I do find it interesting that it appears to move the ball forward in their grand plan  tune in to today's show for the details

...when you were sure that it would quickly sell for top dollar Let's start with the basics There are 3-4 things that really matter most location condition marketing price did you nail down those 4 things ? if you did not you have your answer if you got those 4 things right then we need to dig a little deeper how about the 4 point inspection ? how well did the home do with regard to roof plumbing hvac electrical let's suppose that you did well in all of those areas now what ? what about the wdo inspection (wood destroying organisms) wood rot termites is there a transferrable termite bond any past evidence of flooding in the home? has there been a hurricane claim on your insurance? has a water line ever broken in the home and filled the house with water? did you try to sell it on your own? were you highly responsive when people called? was the home proefessionally cleaned? did you hire a company to pre-inspect the home? I have given you the proverbial tip of the iceberg here listen to today's show to hear whats below the surface        

...will bring increased activity to the real estate market Home buyers and sellers create artificial deadlines every year New Years - Elections - Tax Season - End of School Year The "wait and see crowd" typically activate themselves the weeks before and after the April 15 tax season finish line its the time of year where most people have their greatest clarity of their financial picture and with this increased activity comes opportunity new homes will hit the market with greater frequency short term rentals may be sold or converted to long term rentals investors will adjust their portfolio holdings families will move to different school districts new "empty nesters" will downsize the recently retired will be making their relocation plans today's show provides and a road map to succeed and some tax strategies     

...aren't coming at least in the way that you might think that they are There won't be some new "tax" on real estate sales But there will be an impact to the market as many people are pausing their real estate activities and with that, many may cost themselves a lot of money we only need to look at the numerous recent distractions to understand that making the choice to do nothing is a choice covid rising interest rates buyer broker agreements elections none of these caused the real estate markets to crash despite a plethora of prognosticators insisting that they would prices have remained stable despite all of the "noise" and my suspicion is that the market will be more than fine in fact, the tariffs may actually push the market forward in a big way as countries begin to make deals with the U.S.A that lower trade barriers and help businesses grow it wouldn't shock me to see interest rates come down over the summer and I anticipate that home sales will increase significantly while property values also increase before the end of the year listen in to hear the details on how I think its all going to play out      

...Rocket Mortgage is making some big moves They are in the process of acquiring Redfin They are also in the process of acquiring Mr Cooper They are quickly becoming The proverbial 10,000 pound gorilla Its such an interesting play A Gigantic mortgage company adds on a large real estate company with a super sized online presence and then goes a step further by also adding on the largest mortgage servicing company clearly they are looking to be the most complete end to end service provider in the combined real estate/mortgage space which can be really good or not so good for consumers for those looking for these services Rocket is wagering that people will want a 1 stop shopping platform I sense that there will be a segment of that audience that will prefer to create their own experience and select each provider on their own and avoid the bundled service package today's show talks about the impact of this move

... begins with understanding a few simple strategies The method that every individual has the most control over Is to increase their credit score paying down debt usually increases a score but not always let's suppose that you have $4,000 that you can use to pay off a credit balance and you have a credit card with a 4k balance  with a monthly payment of $100 per month and a car payment with a 4k balance with a monthly payment of $500 per month which would you pay off ? most people would be tempted to pay off the car and I can understand why but what if the car loan is a 5 year old trade line and the credit card was only a few months old paying off the car closes out that tradeline which can significantly reduce your average trade line age and might actually cause your score to go down so now you have a decision to make getting rid of a $500 payment helps your mortgage pre-qualification more than getting rid of a $100 payment but what if you can have your cake and eat it too? typically - a car loan that has 10 months or less of repayment time left on the loan is not counted against a borrowers application so now you get the best of both worlds each situation is different and we always recommend  that you consult with the professional that you are working with listen in to today's show to learn the other 2 strategies

...The are reports of some abrupt changes in real estate 1st Quarter Trends are showing some surprises The inventory had been increasing steadily until a precipitous drop of about 30% of homes for sale hit over the last 7 days Another report states that Interest Rates will drop to 4% within the next 2 weeks which would be amazing for home buyers A different report that really shocked me shows that home values are down 37% since the 1st of the year the market is about to go bonkers we will be watching things very closely to see what is actually about to happen next listen in to my April 1 podcast      

...is the week right before or after April 15 this is the time of year when most taxpayers are acutley aware of the financial picture and have had conversations with their financial advisors regarding large purchases and investments the documents the need for mortgage qualification are easily accessible to provide to lenders for approval its also a time where those with children in school are preparing for a summer move that takes place between the end and start of the school year so now that we know the best time to sell it becomes more important than ever  to be "in the market" with your home sale pricing timing the market is never easy but the data has shown mid April to be the most advantageous time to sell todays podcast talks about the forced multiplier of this savvy home sales strategy

... And The Real Estate Market Didn't Crumble Once again the Fed didn't drop interest rates And while there is a perception  that home buyers will not buy right now there is a growing number of buyers buying admittedly many are cash buyers that are largely unaffected by interest rates but there is also a signifcant amount that are making purchases despite the rates there are a number of ways to reduce the rate including a refinance down the road when people are going to move its common that they will do so  regardless of interest rates I do believe that interest rates will gradually go down over the couse of the year for the moment concerns of inflation and other uncertainty will cause the rate drops to be slow at first and increase over time today's show breaks down how and when it will happen  

... and the difference between being "in the market" or "out of the market" home sellers are faced with a choice when they put their home on the market and their fate will come down to 3-4 things location condition marketing price position and if they nail these things then they will be "in the market" and having showings - offers - and contracts if not then they will be "out of the market" and their homes will linger on the market for far longer than they should and almost always sell for less than if they were in the market from day 1 similarly, home buyers also have a choice some key factors in a successful purchase proof of funds readily available a well written offer purchase price based on market facts flexible terms based on seller needs without these in place a buyer will be "out of the market" and struggle to purchase a home a buyer that submits lowball offers on day 1 of a listing most likely poisons their own water and creates unnecessary friction with seller complicated offers with numerous moving parts and endless continegencies almost never work out listen in to get the details on the strategies that are working    

... The 3 words that no one wants to here these days whether it is during the inspection period of a home sale or during an insurance renewal application more and more times we are finding that there is work to be done and since the cost of roofing materials as well as construction labor has risen dramatically it can be a pricey problem during a home sale buyers and sellers are quite often forced to do some sort of renegotiation of price and terms other times the sale simply gets cancelled and the roofing problem is temporarily unresolved the owner is then left to sell the home AS IS or do the repairs/replacement on their own with the belief that they will net more money at the closing table for the time and effort to address the roof concerns once the roof has been completed its likely that the roof portion of the insurance policy will be less costly and provide some future benefit to the homeowner but living in the times instant gratification and the savings accumulating slowly over time not everyone feels that the cost/benefit is ideal for them today's show talks more about the scenarios that unfold   

...is easy when you know what you are looking for 3 things to look for: condos that are over 100 days on market condos with special assessments pending short term rental condos in the off season 3 things to know: street view is least desirable side view is more desirable direct ocean front views are most desirable all of these things affect the market price the least expensive condos are typically condotels think of a hotel room size place that you can purchase stay there when you want rent it out when you are away these are typically cash purchases as most of these are "non warrantable condos" which means that more than 50% of the units are non owner occupied rentals if you are planning to use a mortgage when you purchase you can still find a deal finding a motivated condo seller is much easier when you are flexible if you have super specific needs and desires you will limit your options today's show give you an insiders view of the condo market

...and are affecting home buying opportunities the greates impact on the real estate market is uncertainty and it can absolutely lead to gridlock  for buyers and sellers alike interest rates have continued to bounce up and down in a relatively small range and since the Fed hasn't not signaled rate reductions its leaving buyers trying to predict the best time to buy sellers are noticing that its taking longer for homes to sell and that prices have not gone up in most areas and while there isn't a rapid decline there are some sellers that need to sell and might just take a little less to make that happen Today's Show Talks about some of the market indicators  that we are watching      

... isn't necessarily what you are thinking right now its a lose-lose situation renters are definitely feeling the squeeze as everything costs more these days but there is a twist landlords are also feeling the pinch the cost of insurance is up dramatically the property taxes have gone up repairs are more expensive as labor and materials are cost more and if they were in a hurricane area its even worse and this is causing an interesting thing to happen renters are actually renewing leases at a high rate its expensive and disruptive to move and landlords are keeping rents about the same despite the additional cost of ownership as they realize that its expensive to have a vacancy as they have no income during a tenant turnover which further exacerbates the problem oddly enough renters and landlords are forming marriages of convenience today's show walks you through what is taking place    

...is far more possible than it has been for many years but it has to make sense to both parties a buyer's offer is far more compelling to a seller when it contains a few key elements 1st and foremost is demonstrating quickly that the funding in unquestionable and verifiable a cash buyer should supply proof of funds a buyer that is using a mortgage for the purchase at a minimum should have a pre qualification letter even better is a letter stating their loan has been pre underwritten the 2nd most important item is writing a clean deal with concise terms with few, (if any) moving parts a short inspection period is definitely favorable to a seller and a quick or flexible closing date is also preferrable when a seller is going to knowingly give ground on price something has to make up for that and the right terms can make all the difference buyers also need to consider whether they are positioned as a lowball offer as there is risk that the seller will not enage with them another complication for a buyer is an aggressively low offer when a home is just hitting the market timing is everything in real estate and a sellers motivation can change over time today's show gives you the formula for success    

...communication breaks down and sales that should be closing easily can end up with a lot of unlnecessary friction and anxiety and ultimately fall apart despite the fact that both the buyer and seller actually wanted to complete the sale missed deadlines a difference in expectations unclear contract terms uncontrolled emotions are the leading causes of sales not closing and when there are agents are involved  its critical for them to remain the messengers for their clients needs and desires and not necessarily the decision makers there is always a danger when agents choose to negiotiate with each other and then bring the results back to their clients too many times agents "work something out" that one (or both) parties involved do not agree with and it sure gets messy at that point today's show talks about how things can go sideways and offers proven strategies on how to get things back on track  

...Is that the money didn't make it to the closing agent Usually the keys are handed over at the closing table unless something goes sideways and it can get extremely stressful to all parties involved let's face it everyone there has the same goal they all want the sale to close buyers - sellers - agents - lenders - closing agents alike the reasons that the money doesn't arrive all revolve around planning an execution did the buyer send the wire transfer soon enough did the lender send the wire in a timely manner was there a 1031 exchange intermediary involved was there a 401k loan being used all of the money has to arrive - not most of it - all of it or the sale is not considered closed and there is no reasonable expectation to get the keys when this situation occurs that means sellers don't get any part of the proceeds which can mess up their plans for that money that could very well be needed for the purchase of their next home and could set off a domino effect on subsequent deals that are tied together today's show goes deeper into the reasons why this happens and some best practices to help avoid these situations  

...and what you should be paying attention to with regard to home prices Many home sellers have listed their homes that were overly optimistic in what buyers would pay there are certainly real estate agents that will allow their sellers to test "their price" for 30 or 60 days to see what happens quite often these home owners get amnesia and never get around to reducing the price down to where the market was all along eventually these homes sell for well below the original price so the buyers can feel like they got a great deal as the negotiated a price that seems like a steal of a deal when in actuality, they paid current market price not every situation is the same and there are certainly sellers that are more highly motivated the wholesale buyers are consistently making lowball offers in the hopes that they can find a seller that has to take whatever they can get it remains to be seen if the market is actually dropping or if we are in a space where we are experiencing some occassional dips in the market today's show explains the details

... is the most common strategy to invest in real estate and it makes sense why there are 3 ways to make money when you play the long game monthly cash flow increase in property value depreciation of the property for tax savings it's been proven for to be the best return on investment for more than 100 years even outpacing the stock market and while its "less sexy" than flipping and less exhilirating than short term rentals the consistent gains over the long haul require the least amount of work as you not required to be an expert in renovations or set up a team for the constant move in/move out whether you buy 1 home with cash or finance several homes to leverage your cash buy and hold is the strategy that most investors start with today's show discusses the reasons how and why it works 

... are what savvy real estate investors are focused on right now The conversations taking place are exciting Whether it's planning a purchase or sale for 2025 or using capital in their invesment account carried over from 2024  from property - stocks - bonds - other sales there is a significant amount of activity in real estate that is on the brink of taking place knowing that investors are opportunistic there will be wins and losses along the way while everyone wants to make a quick buck the real money is made by those that are students of the game Today's show shares several profitable strategies     

...isn't always profitable just because you can get a property below the list price does not mean that you are getting a steal of a deal understanding price and value in today's market is where the money is made knowing how to evaluate what the home  will eventually sell for factoring in the unknown market conditions several months down the road is what separates the pro's from the joe's material and labor costs monthly carrying costs commissions and closing costs erode profits every day taking too long to complete the project can wipe out all of your profits market seasonality is also a big factor to watch for today we explore the opportunities and pitfalls of flipping   

... and why you may be paying more and getting less The Insurance Industry has lost billions over the past few years due to a series of natural disasters and tragedies and similar to Las Vegas they don't like to lose money keep in mind that insurance is designed to mitigate risk and depending how risky your condo building is the cost to insure can go up dramatically the only way to pay for this is to raise the HOA fees which can make them unaffordable to many owners some condo associations have made a decision to carry insurance that is lower than full replacement cost which means that if there is a disaster where the building cannot be repaired and must be demolished and ultimately rebulit there would not be enough insurance money available to put up the new building the owners would then need to pay a special assessment to complete the new building and if that is not possible  the owners, in essence, own a share of the dirt where the condo once stood we go over the nitty gritty details in today show  

...is your 1st step to wealth building through real estate This is the time tested number one way to make money for more than 100 years it has even outperformed the stock market during this time most investors start out small with 1 property many times it is a current residence that they no longer want to live in but don't want to sell (or can't sell for some reason) some do it on their own others hire a property manager and do much less work all month long they do sacrifice a little money but save a lot of time along the way and those landlords just watch for direct deposits each month today we discuss several strategies and a checklist of items to get you started on your journey to becoming a real estate investor    

...is a growing segment of the real estate market Most often it occurs when timelines have changed those needing to sell a year or 2 after a home purchase where property values are less than desirable to sell a home create the largest category of of home owners in this situation home buyers that had low down payments or none at all and factor in that the sellers may have helped with closing costs there simply may not be enough equity in the home today to facilitate a sale where the owner would get a profit check or even worse...paying money at the closing to complete the sale recent FHA and VA Loan buyers are particularly vulnerable so what if there was a different view of this seemingly troublesome situation renting a home as opposed to selling it would mean a transition from owner to investor becoming a landlord paves the way for a renter to pay off the owners mortgage over a period of time there is likely some positive cashflow and the mortage balance comes down every month which opens the door to selling down the road when prices are higher and the loan balance is lower but what if you had to pay $100-$200 per month for the mortage in the long run it would be a small amount of money invested to control an assset worth $250,000-$500,000 where else can you buy into to something like that so cheaply? listen in as we go over the math in todays show

...Can be done by using a 1031 Exchange Real Estate investors often use this strategy when they want to be able to purchase more real estate now and pay the taxes from the sale in the future I am definitley not a CPA or an attorney but here are some examples of why a 1031 Exchange is attractive capital gains tax is due when selling most properties short term capital games occurs when  a property is bought and sold in less than 1 year the profit from the sale is considered ordinary income it is added to the rest of your income and taxed at that bracket long term capital gains occurs when a property is sold when ownership is longer than 1 year that tax rate is currently 15% of the profits a 1031 exchange delays the taxes due by placing the proceeds of the sale into a 1031 Exchange Intermediary the money must be left in there until a subsequent purchase is made you mjust identify 2 properties within 45 days of the closing and complete a purchase within 180 days we discuss several scenarios in todays show detailing how things work out and why certain decisions are made  

...many home improvements that you want to make roofing hvac plumbing  electrical work fences are prime examples of work that often needs a permit and if you knowingly (or unknowingly) do some work as a DIY project or hire a handyman to perform work that requires a permit and/or needs to be done by a licensed contractor you may very well fly under the radar for many years and it may just come back to bite you when you sell the home many times during the home inspection non-permitted work is detected and then things can get messy we give several examples of what might happen next and the solutions that may "fix" the problem  

...to add more square footage is worth considering the time and cost of the project is often more than most want to take quite often the homeowner elects to do 1 of 2 things keep the existing footprint in their home sell the home and buy one that has the size that they want but if you were going to add space to your home what would give you the best bang for you buck especially if you plan to sell the home at some point adding an extra bedroom is the safest choice a bonus room would be the 2nd option in that scenario now lets suppose that this is your forever home then the door opens much wider  a fitness room a sports bar a home theater room relocate the kitchen an outbuilding garage and loft the best return on your investment will be based on the timeline that you will remain in the home we dig in today to guide you through the decision process    

...do you really need to look at before making an offer 10 ? 20 ? 50 ? the actual number may surprise you I believe that today's buyers typically look at more than 100 now stay with me on this given the amount of information available online buyers are able to research properties in great detail and rule out dozens of them based on their findings this pre-work has greatly reduced the number that they see in person now with that said buyers may still do multiple home tours often over an elongated period of time which in turn means that some of those homes go under contract with a different buyer and the search then takes longer there isn't a right or wrong way to shop it just depends on your timeline and your goals we expand upon these thoughts in today's show  

...is "almost never" a good idea  even for veteran home buyer even for contractors even if its a brand new home Its not that the sellers are always hiding something or that home builders are doing sub standard work intentionally hidden defects happen and construction works can make mistakes home inspections can find those things or confirm that everything is ok with the home both are good outcomes for the home buyer writing offers with no inspections may help negotiate the price but may come back to bite you  when you need a wind mitigation and 4 point to get insurance as the seller doesn't have to allow it savvy home sellers may choose to pre-inspect their homes before going on the market as part of a sales strategy that lets the buyers know upfront what an independent expert thinks about the home condition here are some the most popular inspections whole home report 4 point inspection wind mitgation report well and septic wdo report also known as the termite inspection  

... your life situation demands it We all know the reasons to buy vs rent a home home ownership build equity have a place of your own but what doesn't often get enough attention are the reasons why it makes sense to rent change in family situation long hours at work lifestyle choices frequent traveler today we discuss real life circumstances where renting is the right choice and when it becomes compelling to buy a home  

....and how it impacts the market value of your home   new homes are far more energy efficient than those built in years past   adding in a solar energy system in addtion to that   can reduce monthly energy costs even further   the trick is to right size your decision   based on the timeline that you plan to own your home   solar energy has not proven to be   a dollar for dollar increase in a homes value   and for those that plan to be in their home for just a few years   there may not be enough time for the cost to make financial sense   for those that plan to be in the home long term   and want to own a green home   a whole house solar system may be the exact right thing to choose   if you are an investor considering solar options   spending some time crunching the numbers is advisable   we go deep into solar energy products today    and provide some thought provoking conversation   

...and its coming up more and more water is the main culprit in most situations It can be a simple fix such as adding gutters it may be more complex and require adding more drainage or it could be something major such as lower elevations than the neighboring properties where all the water runs downhill toward the property today we discuss a number of things to look for as you look at properties before you make an offer and also what to watch for during the inspection period after you go under contract there is more than meets the eye and we want you prepared for any situation  

...and there are some twists in the plot around 60% of licensed real estate agents did not sell a home in 2024 most stopped working long ago and are not likely to pay the upcoming dues Here are my fearless predictions for 2025  30% of agents will exit the business home sale prices will increase 3.4% home inventory available will increase 15% interest rates will decrease to 5.875% by the end of 2025 these are the most important numbers for most home buyers listen in for my road map for 2025 with several strategies to get the best possible price and terms next year      

... May Not Help You Out If you are watching and waiting for lower interest rates before you buy a home the banks are not dropping mortgage rates  for reasons such as  the economy job reports inflation consumer confidence uncertainty so when do rates finally go down? or will they actually go up ? what if there was a way to "defeat high interest rates" today we go over our solutions  for those that are tired of waiting  

It's been a struggle for so many people in the real estate industry in 2024 with so much focus on how many agents had tough years we can easily forget that there are those that were very successful today we discuss some things that have me feeling optimistic about 2025 interest rates are likely to come down home inventory is increasing  which provides more opportunity for buyers people are ready to move and willing to trade their current interest rate for todays rates, knowing that there are some protections in place a 2-1 buy down is a great strategy in this market and combining that with an eventual refinance there is a path to getting the right house now at todays pricing as opposed to future prices and payment that makes a lot sense  at the end we talk about what real estate agents  will be facing in the year ahead    

...Without An Agent Representing You Can be easy and hard at the same time experienced home buyers may be able to navigate the process on their own and yet some will choose to hire an agent in this new market among those buying for the 1st Time we have noticed that the vast majority are choosing to hire an agent today we go over some of the effects of the "new rules" the required buyer representation agreements  that are now mandatory to provide any real estate services have caused some discomfort for buyers as well as real estate agents today we share some thoughts on what we are seeing we are not attorneys and we always advise to do as much research as necessary to understand everything to your satisfaction      

...to purchasing a home in a market that is really stacked against them right now The monthly cost of renting a home is quite often more expensive than owning the very same home this is a problem the 1st part of the solution is earning the highest possible credit score car loans - student loans weigh heavily into the score calculation new credit inquiries over the holidays to "save 10% on your store purchase" can also negatively affect your credit score much more than most realize understanding how to calculate the debt to income ratio will serve almost everyone well as they prepare to buy a home down payments can be as low as zero for buyers that served in the military For Non-Veterans, FHA loans only require a 3.5% down payment Interest Rate Buy downs can provide lower monthly payments for the 1st 2 years of the home loan and the home seller can help the buyer pay for it many lenders are offering future refinances with no lender costs think of this as interest rate protection as mortgage rates decrease down the road todays show gives you the details on how to master these essential steps    

...because it happens every year home buyers that are looking at properties intently over the holidays are typically more motivated than at other times of the year whether their goal is to buy a snowbird second home buy their retirement home with possible rental income or the typical upsize, downsize, job relocation, or changes in family situations its a time of very focused activity for this group and with that is an opportunity gained (or lost) for home sellers for those that have their homes up for sale its a golden opportunity to attract a buyer its a fact that most home sellers think "that no one buys over the holidays" and most will wait until after January 1 to go on the market which might be a critical error  there is far more competition after the holidays for this reason home buyers are searching online now and making plans and they are unaware of any homes that aren't currently on the market and its the exact reason why savvy home some sellers will go on the market in mid December  as they know it increases their odds for a quick sale at the right price we provide some tips at the end of todays show   on how to best position a property for a holiday sale    

...and what you should be watching for that isn't readily apparent       Beach House Bungalows are my favrorite properties   They are quirky - charming - and unique in their own way   hardwood flooring - fireplaces - old school tile are common   some will consider renting out their bunglaows part time   and they may create their own theme within their home   and getting the chance to see these creations is a super exciting thing   most of all - remember to let the whole experience be fun   here are some things to keep in mind as you search for the right one   they may be 50-100 years old    its close to sea level - is it prone to flooding or susceptible to wind damage   many are pier and beam construction - with crawl space area below the home   several additions - enclosed carports and lanai areas are common   roof designs - tile - metal - shingle   plumbing - does it have cast pipes that need replacement    electrical system- older panel boxes - fuse box - cloth wiring may need attention   central air vs mini splits options based on available duct work   I could go on and on   enjoy the journey      

... can absolutely be found between $100k-$200k if you know where to look what should you be looking for? and what do you need to know that you may not know right now? many people see inexpensive condos and get excited they usually are looking at condotels online and don't always realize that they are different than your typical condo think of them as a condo hotel - efficiency units in most cases quite often they have very few rental restrictions and can bring in cash when you arent using them its low barrier to entry and almost always a cash purchase there are definitely 1-2 bedroom condos available under 200k these can usually be financed but they almost always have some rental restrictions to be honest some people have a bigger budget and for that group, a 500k condo may seem like a budget condo its an interesting time of year as the snowbirds are arriving and the condo market is starting to heat up      

...and it's harder than you thought it would be to get it done Let's face it - it sounds like a simple thing to do today we discusss what to look out for (and look out for) It is possible to find a lot to do what you want it to do for you but when you peel back the layers of the onion you discover that much of the raw land may/may not have improvements such as city water - or a well city sewer - or a septic electric to the property a driveway in place and road frontage to actually get to the property a survey map of the boundaries so you can add fencing  an elevation certificate to see if you can build on the property does the city/county zoning allow the specific use of the property you want and is there a Home Owners Association that has its own set of rules today we take a deep dive on how to accomplish your goals  

...And The 3-4 Things that you absolutely need to know   before you interview an agent about selling your home     are you trying to time out the market ?   waiting until after the holidays?   waiting for interest rates to go down ?   Interestingly enough -  the things that cause sellers wait to sell   can work for them and against them at the same time   there are less homes on the market in December   than in January almost every year   while there are less buyers in December   they are much more motivated   buyers that are planning trips for January to see homes   are looking at homes available now   and for those that need to sell    it makes sense to be visible in December   today we go super deep on what you need to know     

... can be financially difficult in the current real estate envirnoment   Many home owners are dealing with unplanned sales of their homes   For those that purchased in the last year or 2   and financed their purchase with a low down payment program   Such as a VA or FHA Mortgage   There may be very little equity in their home   And if there were also some of the buyers closing costs paid by the seller   Then its a good possiblity that their equity is even lower   Factor into the equation that home values are no longer rapidly appreciating   And you begin to see the problem unfold   The closings costs and commissions at closing   Take a big bite out the sellers proceeds   and create a scenario where the check they receive at the table   is smaller than they had been anticipating   and there is real possibility that some may need to write a check   to cover a shortfall if their equity isn't sufficient to pay of the loan balance   which means that some sellers will need to get creative to make it work