Black Hole Of Real Estate Podcast

Why Showings Are Down...    ...without a doubt its due to Alien Intervention what else could it be? Its certainly not any of the these things, right ? economic uncertainty political unrest global conflict 3rd government shutdown no change in interest rates since December 9 Nope ! Its definitely Aliens A lot of great properties aren't selling and its not necessarily due to price or marketing its a different market than most people have gotten used to So when do showings pick up? when inventory increases after people file their taxes when the end of school year approaches when interest rates go down at next Fed meeting in March when the Aliens go away Tune into today's show for the details on what is really happening

When Is AS IS Not Necessarily AS IS... ...Especially when things go sideways without warning The #1 thing that seems to go wrong are issues that pop up during the inspection period that no one could have predicted upfront the seller may not have been aware the buyer didn't see it during the showing the agents didn't notice it during the showing the issue may have occurred after the showing so does that mean the buyer is "stuck" with that issue or is there some recourse for them if they want it resolved most purchase contracts have an inspection period and a buyer can request items to be repaired/replaced the seller is under no obligation to agree to the requests but many will agree to do some/all of what the buyer asks for as the buyer does have the right to cancel the contract and get their escrow deposit back  as long as they cancel within the inspection period AS IS contracts are used in the majority of home sales understanding the nuances of the agreements is critical today's show breaks it all down for you  

Protecting Yourself When Writing An Offer...    ...so that you don't feel trapped if things go wrong There are number of contingencies that can be put into an offer that would help a buyer feel more comfortable while under contract keep in mind that adding a lot of moving parts might make the deal more complex and less attractive to a seller  if it's a competitive offer siutation it would make sense to limit these some of the basic and somewhat customary contingencies are:   time for seller to accept the offer number of days to make escrow home inspection period appraisal contingency loan approval sale of the buyers home closing date there are a number of other contingency clauses that can be used for special circumstances and in most deals there is some give and take between the buyer and seller where they find common ground tune into todays show for all the details on contingencies  

How To Pay Less Property Tax...      ...by using The Florida Save Our Homes Amendment (SOH) this is a discount available for home owners for their primary residence it was designed to help homeowners with high property value appreciation there is a 3% tax increase cap per year the assessed value of the home is used for the tax calculation not the market value of the home this can save homeowners hundreds of dollars per year the assessed value does reset the following year after a home is sold so future owners will pay more tax in most cases there is also a portability option for those that are selling their homes and want to apply the discount to their next home when you buy a home and close by December 31, 2025 you are able to apply for this up until March 2,2026 you can purchase this year and have a similar timeline to apply as well today's show breaks it all down and gives some resources for more information

Joining The Flipping Game... ...when you are seemingly cash deficient to make it work sometimes you have the $$$ and don't realize it for anyone that bought a property in the last 5+ years there is a real possibility that you have a significant amount of equity that you could unlock to make real estate investments there are definitely a large number of people that just want to pay off their home there is nothing wrong with that others look at that trapped equity as a dead asset investors want to keep their money working and growing a home equity line of credit could be the ticket to purchasing your 1st investment property there is also a way to tap into your 401k to buy real estate definitely contact your plan administrator and your financial adviser for the details on these strategies todays show discusses the path to getting in the game

You Are About To Hire Your Friend To Sell Your Property... ...and it might not be the best decision in a market such as this pretty much everyone has a friend or a family member with a real estate license before you do anything, ask yourself these 4 questions are they active and full time in the business? did they sell more than 1 home last year? do they have a solid track record and a lot of 5 star reviews? do they have a significant marketing budget? It has been reported that 70% of all agents didn't sell a home in 2025 while that number might be a little skewed the majority of homes were sold by the top 10%-20% of all agents In reality - hiring the wrong agent may very well cost you BIG $$$ If you are even able to sell the home at all most agents use the 3 P's to sell home Put it on the mls with low quality photos Put a sign in the ground Pray that it sells if you are even thinking of hiring a friend or family member tune in to today's show for my surprising insights it will be well worth the time and make you more $$$          

Leasing Your Home When The Rent Is Lower Than Your Mortgage Payment...   ... it definitely seems like a MAJOR problem but it doesn't have to be there are a growing number of "Accidental Landlords" out there homeowners that never planned to rent out their home are finding themselves in a precarious situation where they might just have to it usually happens when the owner does not have sufficient equity to sell their home in the current real estate market and most don't want to (or can't) bring cash to closing to make the deal work so they end up trying to rent out the home and list the rental price high enough to cover the mortgage payment in many cases they find that the home sits empty  and they are forced to lower the rent to the market rate every month its unrented is money that is lost forever what if that the rental price ends up being $200 less than the mortgage payment it doesn't have to be the end of the world as there are 3 specific ways to win   1- The mortgage balance is most likely going down by at least that much each month 2- the property value will likely go up 3%-4% over the next year 3- you can get a write off on your taxes for depreciation   tune in to today's show as we break down all the details    

The Fed Is Keeping Rates The Same...       ...and its not at all shocking to me The Fed has lowered rates by .25% 3 meetings in a row for a total of .75% recent interest rate reductions The President recently authorized $2 Billion in bond purchases to add liquidity to the market and encourage more lending by banks it makes sense for the Fed to pause and examine the economy before making more moves There are 2 more meetings before the end of Fed Chair Jerome Powells' term my suspicion is that we will see a rate reduction at 1 of those 2 meetings The real moves will most likely happen once the new Fed Chair is named and we could very well see a more aggressive strategy over the summer months tune in to todays show for more details  

Pivotal Fed Meeting This Week...     ...that will set the tone for the next few months of real estate sales There is a lot of uncertainty as to the Fed's direction at this time They have reduced rates 3 meetings in a row and there is some sentiment that they will hold rates where they are  The meeting will take place January 27-28 if rates remain unchanged, they will be in a holding pattern until the next meeting March 17-18 There are a total of 3 more meetings left  before the current Fed Chairman Jerome Powell's term expires chances are that there will be 1 or 2 rate reductions before the new chair takes over and it is widely anticipated that the new chair will be more aggressive its going to be interesting to see what the fed chooses to do this week

Hidden Inventory About To Hit The Market... ...And you probably don't realize where it's coming from Most people don't recall that a lot of property listings expired on December 31 and it's true that some of them came right back on the market but most have delayed re-entry some are just exhausted from being up for sale some have been too busy catching up from the holidays some are waiting 30 days to reset days on market counters some just wanted to watch football on the weekends in peace but here is what most people aren't seeing delayed re-entry people want to sell and will be back soon more current home owners now have interest rates above 6% than below 6% the 3% interest rate tradeoff concern goes down every month there is a Fed meeting that might just drop rates again January 27-28 The new listings are on the way Today's show packs a lot into a short time - tune in

So I Just Bought A Couple Of Fixer Uppers...       ... with a couple of friends over the last 2 months but get this - we don't plan to flip them  The plan is to follow the BRRRR Method Buy Renovate Rent  Refinance Repeat There is an actual book named that Which I bought a few years back read it cover to cover a few times I just wasn't at a place in my life where I was ready, willing, and able to take action on it now I am and doing it and having some fun with it Now I want to share how it works to buy and hold these homes as opposed to flipping them I also give you a little insight as to how  3 Idiots are succeeding in a tough investor market while others are struggling you will definitely get a few laughs and you might just learn a little bit too You don't want to miss today's show      

Mixed Signals...     ...what are we supposed to believe is really going on in real estate you have heard us talk about how rates have come down into the 5's we are also seeing that most sellers are barely getting any showings so what type of market are we actually in right now? let me do my best to explain it buyers are absolutely looking at more homes online now buyers are excited about lower rates and payments buyers are still waiting to see more homes come on the market sellers that had listings expire on 12/31 are just getting ready to list again most existing sellers haven't made the necessary price adjustments to sell and here is what I am expecting to see in the next few weeks the new listings will show up the new ones that are priced well will sell super fast some new listings will get multiple offers the market pace will pick up and then even more sellers will get off the fence and go on the market the old over priced listings will linger and they will not sell todays show goes deep into explaining how all of this will play out

Why Interest Rates Just Dropped Down Into The 5's...    ...it wasn't due to the Fed lowering the rate The President ordered the purchase of $2 Billion in bonds and it was the catalyst for interest rates to drop 22 basis points almost immediately The Federal Housing Finance Agency leader Bill Pulte posted "We are on it" and will be working Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to execute the plan financial markets are buzzing and so are home buyers as the average mortgage rate hit 5.99% on January 9th affordability just increased monthly payments went down sidelined home buyers are jumping back into the market This also raises the possibility of a rate drop by the Fed at their meeting on January 27-28 given that the Fed has dropped rates by .25% at 3 consecutive meetings there has been talk of pausing rates drops for this meeting to re-evaluate things with regard to things such as GDP and inflation there will not be another Fed Meeting until March 17-18 so this meeting is a big determiner of the rates available to home buyers throughout the 1st quarter of 2026 and tax season keeping in mind that the current Fed Chair Jerome Powell's term will be ending on May 15th  there will be a lot of attention on the hot topic of interest rates tune in to today's show for all of the details    

How Sellers Can Pay Your Closing Costs...     ...when you don't have enough money to close a sale Many Home Buyers are finding it hard to save up for a down payment Let alone have enough $ for the closings on a home purchase Let's Suppose that a buyer wants to purchase a home for $300,000 The down payment for an FHA Loan is 3.5% Most conventional loans require at least 5% down That means a buyer would need between $10,500 - $15,000 saved up Closings cost can vary, but lets use 2% for this example that means and additional $6,000 is needed to make the deal work The buyer will need $16,500 - $21,000 in verifiable cash in the bank Not everyone has that kind of $$$ with the way inflation has been over the past few years and this is the #1 thing that crushes a home buyers dreams There is a way for sellers to pay your closing costs and many will do it in order to get their homes sold Lets suppose a seller is willing to pay 3% towards a buyer closing costs That's $9,000 that can be used by the buyer for closing costs, insurance, interest rate buy downs,etc Some things to know if the purchase price is $300,000 : The home would need to appraise for $300,000 The seller actually nets $291,000 (300k-9k) If the appraisal is low, the deal will need to be re-worked today's show gets down and dirty with the details  

Where did all the listings go... ...Something Just Happened To Real Estate Inventory Every year, the real estate industry seems to set a huge number of listing contracts to expire on December 31 if the property is unsold by that date which means that the number of homes available for sale drops dramatically on January 1 The vast majority of those properties will come back on the market during the month of January many of them will have: new listing agents lower pricing different marketing some renovations completed Along with that  you will see a number of brand new to market listings hit the market from the group of sellers that waited until after the holidays to sell their property the inventory levels will creep upward over the 1st 15 days of the month and by the end of January its very likely that there will be more homes available than on December 31st There will certainly be some listings expiring on January 31st but that number will be much smaller than December 31 For those looking to purchase in the New Year This is good news Tune in for all the details on today's show  

The 2026 Crystal Ball Report...   ...everything you need to plan out your real estate strategy for this year we have the receipts from last years forecast back in episode 152 check that out when you are done with this one and let me know how we did here are a few of the things that I see happening:   Interest Rates will start the year hovering in the 6% range They will dip down below 5% shortly after the end of tax season There will be a new Fed Chair in May right after the April 28-29 Meeting Which makes the June 16-17 meeting the one to keep your eyes on   Builders will continue to creatively give incentives to buyers they are paying big $ to buy down interest rates for buyers they are paying most/all closing costs buyers while holding the line on prices to keep sales comps high   The Number Of Accidental Landlords will increase sellers are more willing to pay for buyers closing costs many buyers are using loans with 5% down or less this will create a problem reselling these home the next 2-3 years  many will end up renting out these homes    Home Values Will Go UP 4.1% - not down looking back over the last 5 years prices were predicted to go down by many It didn't happen and buyers hurt themselves by waiting for it to occur a large number of current home owners have low interest rates and big equity relatively few will be forced to sell at a loss market conditions and a rising economy will make this possible   listen in, bookmark this episode, and check my receipts in a year      

The Biggest Day For Expired Listings... ...Is December 31st It has been every year since I have been in the real estate business and it means that on January 1st a few interesting things are likely to happen real estate active listings will drop dramatically some sellers won't realize that they are off the market cold calling agents will be dialing for $$$ on New Years Day home sellers that "expired" will be getting a lot of calls some sellers will choose to "extend their listings" with their current agents the marketing is already in place there could very well be momentum from the end of the year they don't go off the market when buyers jump back in Jan 1 they avoid all those calls on New Years Day the 1st 10-15 days of January will see a lot of change and it will get super competitive for sellers and then perhaps level off a bit in February/ March expired homes will be re-listed with new agents many will take price reductions new marketing will be in place the inventory level will rise back to where it was - maybe higher there is a lot to unpack here tune into todays show for a road map of how to choose the right strategy  

Why Home Buyers Should Close on December 30th...     ...There may very well be a property tax savings by doing so for the buyer it may also be a date that makes sense to the home seller for the very same reason which makes it a win-win situation qualify for the homestead exemption for the buyer start off the New Year in your new home for the buyer save a vacation day for the buyer due to the holiday capital gains tax rate locked in for seller addtional write offs for the seller if that's the case, then why not just close on December 31? its rather simple really numerous unforseen circumstances may cause a delay in a closing date and in this case it would then make the closing take place in the next tax year bank wire doesn't arrive on time overnight closing package delivery delayed banks, title companies and attorney close early many workers on vacation - skeleton crews at offices travel delays for buyer or seller something goes sideways with a double closing there are definitely scenarios where it makes sense to close after the 1st and each of these will create a unique set of circumstances that might just affect the sales price negotiation tune in for some of the crazy things I have experienced over the years      

Home Search Christmas Magic...  ... this is how some people are finding deals this holiday season let's face it - most people aren't looking at homes the week of Christmas and most sellers are facing the fact that their homes probably won't sell before the end of the year so here is how the Magic is happening there are sellers out there that will accept and offer now that they most likely wouldn't have accepted a month ago and most likely won't accept after the 1st of year most sellers just want to get under contract and start the new year off with that taken care of so they can move on with their plans to move many of these sellers have been on the market a super long time and may simply be exhausted from the sales process closure is super important to those sellers there is also the distinct possibility of them being a little kinder and open minded about an offer during this time of the year there really is no downside to testing the waters now tune in for more details on how its all happening  

Your Listing Photos Are Too Nice... ...and there are many times where sellers are overdoing it stay with me here as I explain what I see on a daily basis let's suppose that your home has a blemish or 2 and you think that a little trick photography might help so you choose to creatively avoid those things in the marketing photos it certainly will make your home look more attractive online but consider the fact  that once a buyer enters the home the will notice the very things you didn't want them to see which ultimately creates a negative experience for them we hear comments all the time like it looked bigger in the pictures it looked better online it didn't look dirty online  we couldn't see all the damages probably not what you were hoping for and other the other side of the coin there are times when the home looks better in person but the marketing photos are not done well and people scroll right by for reasons such as: the front photos were taken from inside a car they stand on a chair and shoot downward in the room people and pets are in the photos the home wasn't cleaned and there is stuff everywhere when buyers are spending a quarter of a million $$$ or more a little reality goes a long way  in attracting the right person to buy the home and there are times where bad photos "unsell the home" tune in for the harsh reality of these mistakes

How Long It Takes A Price Change To Make An Impact...   ...there could be immedidate results but what if there isn't a big increase in showings and offers it doesn't necessarily mean that it wasn't effective getting into the right price position is critical then you have only 2 levers left marketing and time and when the right marketing strategy is in place then it truly is just a matter of time with that in mind a price adjustment over the holidays could have a delayed result as we are entering a time where home buyers are making travel plans to go on buying trips right after the holidays and getting your property on their radar can lead to an increase in showings and offers in January tune in for my breakdown on how it will all play out        

Your Carpeting Is Hurting Your Sales Price $$$...   ...I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out on this one I realize that in many parts of the country carpeting is preferred by many homeowners especially as we enter the colder months of the year but I am here to tell you that Florida works differently and there sure seems to be an ever increasing trend where home shoppers are favoring homes with 1 type of flooring throughout the home and they are increasingly moving away from carpeting and towards tile and luxury vinyl options easier to clean doesn't trap pet odors better for those with allergies but if you are getting ready to sell your home and you are going keep or replace the carpets here a few things I have seen recently that you may want to avoid carpeting in the doorway that is so high you can't open the front door carpeting in the entire bathroom is going to get wet by the shower door carpeting in the kitchen is going to prone to staining and food smells carpeting in the garage is going to increase dirt traveling into the home all of this is feedback that I have received from home shoppers that have recently toured homes with me sometimes your friend or real estate agent want to be nice to you and not hurt your feelings or they are afraid to tell you what you need to know tune in to today's show for a little humor about carpets    

Interest Rates To Dip Below 6%...      ...its about to happen this week we have been saying this for over a year on this podcast and its all playing out as we have consistently projected  here is how its going to happen The Fed is going to meet December 9-10 It is widely anticipated that they will drop rates by .25% and markets will be pricing that into current mortgage rates last week, the average rate for a 30 year fixed rate mortage was 6.19% and a 15 year note was at an average of 5.44% so with the Fed about to make a move of 25 basis points its likely that some lenders at get below 6% over the next few days keeping mind that the figures above are averages it means that some lenders were most likely very close to 6% last week and some of those very same lenders will be aggressive and push through the psychological barrier of 6%  this sets the stage for a very interesting end of the 2025 year as the President has signaled that he will be naming the new Fed Chair soon and its likely to be someone that has a track record of pushing rates lower tune in for my thoughts on how things are about to play out  

How Home Buyers Are Winning in December... ...at a time when most have taken themselves out of the market For those that want to buy before the end of the year Or those that have buy right away There is a very simple winning formula So simple that most overlook it And they end up turning the process into a complicated science project Let's begin with the building blocks Have Your $$$ ready to go If you are a cash buyer Have your Proof Of Funds available If you are going to using a home loan for the purchase Get Pre Approved By A Reputable Lender Not just prequalified online with minimal information provided But rather a full blown approval where you provide all of your financial documents and an underwriter examines your application and issues the approval letter Now that you have the MONEY part in place Many sellers are READY TO SELL NOW There may a tax reason to close by December 31 They may need the money for a different purchase There may be a life circumstance They may have lingered on the market and are tired of the process They know that there will be more competition starting January 1st When it comes time to writing the offer - KISS IT (Keep It Simple Stupid) Be sure that your offer price might make sense to the seller limit the number of contingencies  home inspections and appraisals are not usually deal breakers sales contingent on the sale of your home are not ideal but can be ok excessive demands or verbiage in the additional terms should be avoided A buyer that wants a deal should keep this in mind The more layers of complexity The greater the likelihood for each moving part to be negotiated which ultimately causes good deals to fall apart Too often home buyers think they need to devise a super tricky plan and its the exact wrong way to do it Tune in for my time tested strategy with proven results  

Why A Home Seller Is Putting Their Home On The Market Now...     ...When most home sellers are waiting until after the holidays For many people, this decision is a real head scratcher So let me walk you through their mindset on this and then you can decid if they are a bit crazy or if they are actually on to something smart and savvy Going live the 1st week of December has its advantages less competition as most people wait a month a chance to stand out to motivated December Buyers more feedback and time to make adjustments some just need to sell right now What happens after January that might affect your sales price? All of the sellers that waited will be competing against you December 31st is the biggest day for exprired listings Expired listings come back on the market as "new listings" Unsold homes will be taking price reductions that week you can easily get "lost in the shuffle" Ask yourself these questions: When will you be better positioned to get Top $$$ for your home? Is there a chance that you don't sell and linger on the market? Will you sell in the time that you want to sell? Will you need to take multiple price reductions? will you eventually have to sell for less than you want? Every situation is different and there isn't a wrong decision, right? Or is it possible that you might have just gotten clarity on the right timing for your sale?      

Pricing Your Home With Room To Negotiate Loses You 5%...    ...and its a bitter reality for many home sellers Sure, it's very tempting to price your home high thinking that you allow yourself room to negotiate and that you can always lower the price later Unfortunately, its the exact wrong thing to do in this market The National Association Of Realtors (NAR) is reporting that homes not sold within the 1st 2 months of a listing ultimately sell for 14% below the list price  compared to the homes that do sell in the 1st 2 months that are selling at 9% below the listing price the difference of 5% is a significant gap and translates into an unnecessary loss of $$$ for sellers its completely avoidable savvy home sellers are now heeding the data message and pricing their homes close to the expected sales price some other data points in the news for consideration the typical price reduction currently is $25,000 as reported by zillow and a record number of homes have delisted in the last 3 months 47% of those taking their home off the market purchased it within the last 5 years 13% of those purchased it in the last 2 years or less all this at a time when 70% of homes on the market are taking longer than 60 days to go under contract and there will only be more competition among sellers as 8% more listings have hit the market in 2025 than in 2024 and that number is expected to increase in 2026 if you even thinking of selling, listen in for the news that you need to hear       

NAR Projects Home Sales To Increase 14% in 2026... ...for many this is going to be a bit of a surprise They are also projecting a 5% increase in new home sales  The other significant projection by NAR is that they see home prices rising 4% There has been a segment of the home buyer market That has been on the sidelines the past few years waiting and hoping for home prices to come down That hasn't materialized as prices have continued to climb within all of this is the likelihood of a real estate "comeback year" more homes will be put on the market for sale which is good news for home buyers that have struggled to find the right home we are a couple of weeks away from the December 8-9th Fed Meeting and it appears that their will be another .25% rate reduction on the way affordability will increase as monthly mortgage payments will go down providing a catalyst for increased sales as we head into the new year tune in for all the details in today's show    

Fannie Mae Gets Rid Of Credit Score Minimum...   ...which might have slid past a lot of people with so much other news recently Loans submitted after November 15, 2025 are subject to the new rule Prior to that, a minimum score of 620 was required and for borrowers on the fringe of that number this is really, really good news the credit score models heavily weight collection items and as "new credit events" they can dramatically drop scores 50-100 points taking seemingly well qualified loan applicants out of the home buying game and the crazy part is that it might just something like a forgotten cable bill or medical billing for less than $100  the componenent of the mortage application that continues to matter most is the debt to income ratio (DTI) which is a comparison of a borrowers income (before taxes) and their recurring monthly bills such as student loans, car loans, and credit card debt 45% DTI is the line in the sand for most loan programs there are some compensating factors that may allow a 50% ratio a qualified lender can be a real asset for those in that situation lower interest rates would definitely help those with high DTI  as it would reduce the housing payment portion of the calculation I don't see a downside to all of this it's just great news  tune in for my tips to take advantage of this big change for home buyers  

There Is A Noticeable Difference in FSBO...  ...and the data results are quite interesting In market such as this One might think that homes sold "for sale by owner" Would be setting records - with regard to how many are doing it The fact is that records are being set just not the ones that you would expect The NAR - National Association of Realtors reports that in 2024 there was a record LOW set for FSBO sales Only 7% homes sold in America sold their own home A record was also set for homes sold by agents at 91% All of this despite a robust set of tools available for people to sell on their own what's even more suprising is that the numbers are even lower in 2025 the year to date data available shows FSBO sales at a mere 5% so why aren't more people selling on their own? digging deeper into the data we find the median sales price of a FSBO home is $360,000 the median sales price of a home sold by an agent is $425,000 40% of FSBO sellers invested $0 in marketing their homes these numbers on their own don't tell the whole story but they are certainly eye opening what's becoming very clear right now for most is that it's much easier to sell on your own when the market is hot and trending upward than it is to sell in a netural or a buyers market listen to today's show for the down and dirty details as I give some tips to those thinking about selling on their own    

Here's What No One Is Telling You About 50 Year Mortgages... ...and the reasons that you may not want to dismiss the idea There are plenty of negative ideas out there that argue against this product And they have merit 50 years is a long time you may never pay it off in your lifetime 20 more years of interest to pay much slower equity buildup but let's examine a few things that may change your mind most people do not keep their homes 30 years about 95% of payments on a 30 year mortgage goes toward interest in 1st 5 years lower monthly payments help buyers qualify for the homes they really want buyers can pay extra each month as their income increases over time to reduce interest more money available to start a family less dependency on other forms of credit there is more than meets the eye on 50 year mortgages listen in to hear more details to help you make the right choice    

BRRRR Your House vs Flipping It...  ...a guide to making the right decisions to maximize profits Most people are aware of the home flipping process It's hard to miss all of those shows that have been created on the subject BRRRR is something that is far less familiar  but is definitely worth a little investigation Buy - Rehab - Rent - Refinance - Repeat Let's face it pretty much everyone has at least imagined doing a house flip it sure looks like fun on tv and there is $$$ to be made what could be better? but when you take a closer look BRRRR might be a superior option lower taxes on profits total ROI is higher per property long term wealth strategy income for life playing with the "houses $" starting with taxes - I am not a CPA so do your own research just keep in mind that if you flip a home before you own it for 1 year and a day the tax due is based on your ordinary income rate which is most likely higher than the 15% long term capital gains tax by renting out the property you will have monthly cash flow profits that you can reinvest in more homes each property that you own will most likely increase in value in the long run and the rents should only go up over time the most interesting part is that when you refinance you may very well get all of the money back that you put into the property which provides the cash needed to do it all over again tune in to today's show to learn more about how to get started    

This is NOT The Time To Be On The Sidelines...    ...The Real Estate market is heating up in ways that some are just in complete denial of while others simply aren't sure of the dynamics in play It's actually a great time to buy homes and it's also a great time to sell homes This isn't just theory I am personally actively buying and selling in this market 2 properties sold in the past month 1 purchase closed and another offer in play right now to close in November and more of each to come before the end of the year and here's why... this is the most opportune time to make a purchase I have been saying this consistently over the past few months while the majority of home buyers are stilll hesitant there is a very active segment of early adopters making deals buyers are getting homes under contract with very little competition so why is this also a good time for sellers ? its simple - inventory is still low and prices are up in year over year comparisons I am not saying that the market is fully recovered what I am saying is that we are in the bottom of the trough and leading indicators are beginning to show an upturn if you are watching the right data and not relying on reports that are based only on emotions it might help you decide if its the right time to get off the fence tune into today's show for all the down and dirty details    

More Home Sales Contracts Are Being Cancelled... ...and the very few things that are causing this to happen Recently released statistics have shown a slight increase of 1.5% in buyers backing out of home sale contracts  when comparing year over years numbers for September 2024 13.5% of contracts were cancelled 2025 15.0% of contracts were cancelled the most common reasons for this taking place: increased repair costs from home inspections  increased homeowners insurance costs  increased flood insurance concerns hurricane season and other natural disasters job concerns and inflation in an uncertain economy and with the government shutdown entering its 2nd month we may see more sales being cancelled now before we send everyone into a panic mode 85% of all contracts are closing compared to 86.5% last year so the vast majority are still getting to the closing table intact and it very well be that things are not all that different than last year tune into today's show to hear my breakdown of what is really happening  

How To Maximize The Interest Rate Drop...     ...as Fed Chair Jerome Powell threw us a cuverball this week rates were lowered .25% at the October 28-29 FOMC meeting which was largely expected to happen what surprised many economists is the forecast that a rate drop at the December 9-10 meeting is no longer guaranteed due uncertainty caused by the 30+ day government shutdown scanning the financials this morning shows the average rate is about 6.125% down slightly from 6.19% last week as markets were pricing in the Fed drop something that I have consistently predicted since the last Fed Meeting and if a home mortage rate shopper was trying to time the market there are 2 scenarios that will play out over the next 6 weeks The Fed holds rates at the December Meeting: rates will hover between 6.125%-6.25% The Fed lowers rates by .25% at the December Meeting: rates will hover between 5.875%-6% My prediction is that the government will reopen next week military pay and SNAP benefits are running out of funds rapidly key elections on November 4 will be over public pressure will reach a boiling point and that will lead to a rate reduction in December and rates will dip below 6% to 5.875% as I have talked about for over a year the question for consumers remains will a .125% rate difference keep you on the sidelines? or have we reached the magical number on rates to move forward? tune in to today's podcast for all of the nitty gritty details

Interest Rates Set To Drop Again.. ...and the window of opportunity is opening wider for home buyers last week the national average was down to 6.19% for a 30 year mortgage and the 15 year note was down to 5.44% The Fed Meeting October 28-29 is likely to see another .25% rate drop Keep in mind that lenders have begun pricing in the rate drop in anticipation of the acutal move this week so its likely that rates go down a little more this week but not by .25%  I anticipate that there will be another .25% drop at the December 8-9 meeting and there is a big possibility that at some point between now and then a 5.875% interest rate will be available to home buyers This is causing some real movement in the real estate market Year over year single family home sales for the month of September are up 13.6% condos and townhome sales are up 8% for the same time period Tune into today's show for the details on how to maximize your savings as I break down an interest saving strategy that is simple and effective  

The Luxury Condo Market... ...Is Super Interesting Right Now Residential Single Family Homes are selling faster than condos in general this year and higher end condos have been the slowest selling in that segment a number of things contribute to that and when you think about it it makes complete sense * most people cannot afford to purchase one * many condos are 2nd homes * high end rental market is down * HOA Fees have increased * Special Assessments All of this creates an environment of opportunity for condo buyers looking for the best possible price and owners that absoutely need to sell even in a market such as this there is a price that will make sense for sellers even if its less than what they would accept in a different market today's show goes deep into how deals are being made

This May Be The Most Opportune Time To Buy Real Estate...  ...which might seem crazy given the current market environment the market has been quiet everything in the sales process is taking longer interest rates are higher than most people would like the economy has prolonged uncertainty the government is currently shut down so why now? think about all of the above things in reverse when most people are running in 1 direction away from something there is great opportunity going in the opposite direction and yes there is also some risk involved if you choose to do that history has shown that the greatest transfer of wealth occurs in a down market  not an upward market lets suppose that you were waiting for a magical interest rate ask yourself if we are actually that far from that number right now the same goes for home prices the price you may be able to get today may be lower than at any time in the next few years as interest rates are likely to be much lower and the economy and inflation will likely be better and people will be buying homes more quickly and more often there is a real reason to examine this further todays show breaks down all the details and then you can decide if its time to make the next move      

Pre Approval vs Pre Qualification And Why 1 Might Not Be Helping You...  ...there is a decided difference between the 2 and you need to know what that is A Pre Qualification letter is a rough estimate of what you can qualify for based on limited information provided to a lender: that may/may not have verified a credit report or seen any financial documents it most definitely has not been reviewed and approved by an underwriter in many ways, it may not be "worth the paper that its printed on" and a savvy listing agent will know what questions to ask the lender to see if their seller should even consider this buyers offer A pre approval is typically provided after: the lender has reviewed the credit report reviewed the income and asset documents calculated the debt to income ratio prepared an application package for underwriter review received any stipulations needed for final underwriting approval It quickly becomes very clear which is more attractive to a home seller but that doesn't mean that a buyer should always choose to get pre approved especially if they are in the very early stages of the home buying process a pre qualification letter may be sufficient to get started keep in mind that limiting hard inquiries will be important to keep your credit scores as high as possible and that when applying for a mortgage all inquiries during a 45 day rate shopping window only count as 1 inquiry pro tip: its rarely a good idea to make big purchases such as a new car when you are also trying to buy a home where you will need a mortgage its also a good idea to avoid applying for a bunch of credit cards while holiday shopping tune in to today's show for a whole bucket full of tips to increase your scores and give yourself the maximum opportunity for great rates and worry free approvals

3 Step Process To Sell Your Haunted House...    ...a much different way to market you home during the holidays Typically you will hear that the best things to do are deep clean de-personalize de-clutter curb appeal But what if you wanted to have a little fun AND also attract buyers that loves your home for the same reasons that you do Stay with me on this I think we can keep deep clean on any list list and then pivot to a full on halloween decorating mission inside and outside you would certainly create noticeable curb appeal many cities/towns have house decorating contests entering this will create and audience of people to show off your home to and among them will be people considering a move to a new home wouldn't it always make sense to have a captive audience when you market your home to sell? It's hard not to notice the long lines of cars  driving around to see all the homes that entered these contests defintitely make sure that you have some great things ready for Trick or Treaters once thing that you may want to do during the planning stage is have your photographer take pictures of the home before you decorate so that you will be able to transition to post Halloween market quickly or book them to come back a few days after if your home isn't under contract you can do the same thing with other holiday themes such as Fall Harvest, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and of course Pumpkin Spice Listen in to today's show for more tips for success  

The Next Interest Rate Drop...      ...will begin to take place after Columbus Day The Fed released their meeting minutes this week from the September meeting of the FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee) Much of the statement was focused on their signaling  of 2-3 rate drops by the end of 2025 1 of those rate drops happened at the September meeting and its very likely that they will announce another rate drop  at the October 28-29 meeting the question then becomes will the drop .25% as they did at the last meeting or will they be more aggressive and drop .5%? I believe that it will be .25% and that they will also drop .25% at the December 9-10 meeting I am watching this very closely and my belief is that banks will start pricing in the rate drop very soon and that it will play out the same way as last month where the whole .25% rate drop will be priced in before the actual announcement the same will likely happen in December and if you have been following this show you will know that I have been saying for over a year that rates will get as low as 5.875% by the end of 2025 and probably bounce back up to 6% we will be watching closely to see if the Fed's and Banks patterns of rate drops and bumps up continue tune into today's show for the details on how it will happen

You Can Get Flood Insurance During The Government Shutdown...   ...but you will need to seek an alternative to the typical policy there is a lot of chatter about this that is incorrect and its causing people to believe that their real estate deals are doomed its untrue and its causing a lot of unnecessary stress for people the most popular flood insurance policies are government backed they are realtively easy to obtain and they are almost always less expensive  with the goverment shut down those are not currently available what I would like people to know is that there are alternative coverages available that will satisfy most lenders requests and allow financed home sales to close on time its always recommended to review the policy limits and copays and yes these coverages will probably cost you more $$$ and if a buyer knows upfront they have the information to make an informed decision on how to proceed I have rarely heard from a home buyer 5 years post closing that was at all concerned about paying $1000 or so more for something unexpected at closing what they remember most is that they got the home that they wanted I cannot say with certainty what the acutal cost difference might be but I do know that there are at least 3 ways to pay for that cost 1 - The buyer can just pay it so that they can move in sooner 2 - The seller might pay it to close the sale and unlock the proceeds 3- The buyer and seller can agree to share the cost The 1 thing to watch for is the possibility of a named tropical storm entering into the area in such a way that insurance lines are shut down keep in mind that you do not need to keep an alternative coverage forever you can replace it with traditional coverage once the government reopens there may be some termination fees or restrictions but I don't think that it would prevent anyone from having options that make sense tune in for the rest of the details

The Government Shutdown Just Affected Some Home Sales... ...and you are worried that it will affect the purchase of your home Let's start by saying that most people believe that the shutdown will not last long and if that is the case, most home purchases will be largely unaffected But let's suppose that it does drag on for a couple of weeks or if it continues even longer than that home buyers that are using a mortgage to finance the property would have the most concern in these areas homeowners insurance flood insurance qualifying income if the job is furloughed cash to close if they needed to use their savings while out of work any of these could delay  or completely derail their loan application and with that the home seller may also be affected if they were making a subsequent purchase with the proceeds of this sale there is a real domino effect that can cascade into a world of pain and problems for those that aren't under contract now its a real possibility that they pause their search and home sellers that are not on the market may delay putting their home up for sale until the situation normalizes into a more stable environment today's show lays out the details of the most important challenges buyers will encounter  

Choosing The Right Agent In A Market Like This... ...is going to take some deep thought to get it right and it may not be the right time to hire a friend a family member a part time agent the neighborhood expert yourself and sell FSBO most people know someone that may have done really well a few years ago when the market was VERY different the majority of those agents are struggling this year  and many now work a full time job in a different industry agents that have made a good living selling in a neighborhood or condo building that they live in are seeing mixed results as the market has been on pause for quite some time here are the questions that you should include  when selecting the agent to sell your property now track record of recent sales online reviews quality of website and tools size of database of buyers  marketing system to sell for top dollar negotiation tactics proven pricing strategy podcast and you tube presence today's show is real and raw - listen in and definitely hit the subscribe button  

Weren't Interest Rates Supposed To Come Down? well...actually...they did right before the Fed Meeting announcement of a .25% rate drop on September 17 but the market had already priced in that .25% anticipated rate drop so when the Fed chose to stick with the that and not get more aggressive with a .50% drop the market went in the only direction that it could which was a slight rise in rates in the days after now before everyone goes off the deep end I think we are all gonna be alright rates are near the lowest that they have been in the last year and its very likely that the Fed will reduce rates again twice more before the end of the year watch for a .25% rate drop in October 28-29 and again December 9-10 that should casuse rates to be in the 5.875% range  which we have been forecasting on this podcast for the past year if you are the gambling type and trying to time the market for the lowest possible rate keep a close eye on things right before the next Fed Meeting if you believe that the same thing will happen as last week where the rate drop was followed by a slight bump up that would be your sweet spot to lock in for most people - the idea of rates in the low 6's is welcome news and very few will attempt to time the market this could very well lead to new inventory hitting the market as the gap between the mortgage rates for home purchased in the last 5-10 years is narrowing with the current rates available most of the leading indicators are showing that rates will continue to drop tune in to today's show for the down and dirty details    

Renting Out Your Current Home Without Positive Cashflow...    ...Might actually make sense for many home owners I know, I know No one wants to lose money each month or pay for someone to live in their house but what if we took a closer look at things we might just find out that there is actually a gain in your net worth let's suppose that you mortgage payment is $2000 per month and your goal is to rent it out for $2200 per month so that you have $200 positive cash flow if you rent it on your own or hire a property manager to handle everything and at least break even sounds pretty good, right ? but what if the current rent is $2000 per month you would break even doing it on your own but not "make any $$$" and if you hired a property manager you would actually "lose $$$"  a closer look at things might change your opinion a bit each month, the rent coming in would make the most of the mortgage payment and you would cover the rest of it by contributing around $200 its likely that your mortgage balance would come down more than $200 in this example, lets say the balance comes down $700 per month so you are now making $500 per month in equity, which is $6000 per year which only gets higher with each mortgage payment made then consider that your property is likely to go up in value 3%-4% each year for a $300,000 home, that is another $9,000-$12,000 in equity each year most people will have their CPA depreciate the property on their taxes which could also save you thousands of dollars each year add it all up and you are in the ballpark of a $15,000-$20,000 gain in your net worth  and not really losing money at all I hope that this math helps tune into today's show for the rest of the details      

The Cost Of Buying A Home Just Went Down ... ...As The Fed finally reduced interest rates at this weeks meeting which will lower monthly payments for home shoppers the .25% drop is the 1st one in almost a year it was a highly anticipated move and most banks had lowered interest rates in advance of the meeting so the rate reduction is already priced in for most lenders due to that we may not see rates drop futher in the next few weeks what I found really interesting is that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell signaled to everyone that the Fed is aligned to drop interest rates by .25% at each of the last 2 Fed Meetings of 2025 circle October 28-29 and December 9-10 on your calendar if you are trying to time the market for a home purchase oddly enough the rate drop also caught the attention of home sellers watch for an increase in new homes hitting the market as sellers will be more willing to trade their current low rate as today's rates are getting closer to what they have now if there is any downside to all of this it might be that those waiting for home prices to drop may actually see them continue to go higher as purchasing power just increased for most buyers check out today's show for all the details  

Closing A Condo Sale With Special Assessments Involved...        ...is quite common these days Taking the time to understand how they work and why they come about opens the door to the widest possible array of properties for a buyer to consider when condo hunting condo associations have monthly assessessments (HOA Fees) they cover common items such as water, sewer, building insurance, common area maintenace and may also include pest control, electric, cable tv, internet, among other things a portion of that monthly fee is allocated toward long term maintenence items such as the roof, balconies, elevators, exterior paint, parking areas that money is place into reserve fund accounts so that its available when those repairs need to completed quite often, these work orders come sooner than anticipated and there is a shortfall in the reserve accounts meaning additional money is needed the most common way to resolve the matter is to divide the cost among the owners let's suppose that there was a $500,000 shortfall for a major repair and there are 100 condo units in the building then each unit is assessed a $5,000 special assessment fee  in some cases, the condo association may select to borrow the money needed this usually happens when an assessment would be more costly than most unit owners would want to pay all in 1 shot SBA loans are popular in these situations where the payment can be spread out over a number years $15,000 assessment could be paid for about $125 per month over 7 years while unpopular, special assessments are a very effective solution tune in to todays show for all the details   

For Sale Buy Owner In Today's Market...   ...is a strategy that can absolutely work for some home sellers most of which want to save the cost of real estate commissions long term data has shown that 12%-14% of FSBO sellers are successful they are typically very good at sales can pinpoint home values excellent marketers experts are negotiation proficient with real estate contracts but what about the other 85%+ of FSBO sellers? they fall into 3 categories those that linger on the market in perpetuity those that take the house off of the market while the majority hire a real estate professional oddly enough, there is solid data readily available  that shows that sellers net significantly more $$$ at the closing when they hire an agent to sell the home the reasons that FSBO sellers quit is simple no one wants to pay their price they tire of the process  they don't like lowball investor offers they don't like hearing negative feedback they get tired out people wasting their time listen in to today's show for all of the details if you prefer to watch a video this show Click Here    

The Jobs Report Just Changed The Direction Of The Market...   ...and interest rates are dropping faster than at any time this year A ton of news dropped on Friday 9/5/25 regarding the new job report numbers estimates as high as 70,000 new jobs were anticipated the actual number came in at 22,000 jobs created and the market went a little crazy almost immediately if you are considering a home purchase using a mortgage this is really big news as interest rates have dropped noticeably since job creation is down sharply this may be the catalyst for the Fed to finally drop rates for the 1st time in almost a year but they won't be doing it to save the housing market they will do it because new jobs that pay well are a pressure point and with a lack of them available, unemployment figures may climb inflation might also increase despite the Fed's year long fight against it the real news is that no matter how you slice it it's going to lower the monthly payment for most buyers that are buying now watch for the Fed to drop interest rates at their September 16-17 meeting most economists are predicting a .25% drop but my research is showing that the markets have already adjusted rates downward and since the rate drop is already "priced in" I believe that we will actually see a .5% rate drop by the Fed otherwise there will be little or no effect in the days after the meeting listen in to get the details on my data research    

This Real Estate Market Isn't Unique...     ...In fact it reminds Me of the post recession markets 2010-2012 Buyers are once again taking their time buying a home similar to back during those troubled times Which absolutely makes sense as the current market is seeking direction It's the biggest purchase most people will ever make And prices are much higher than the last time current owners bought a home its not easy for most to overcome the indecision and inactivity The Great Recession ran from December 2007 to June 2009 We clearly are not currently in a crisis level market like that one But rather we are in a market very similar to the 2010-2012  when it took a long time for properties to sell it took a few years of stagnant activity for the market to recover Which is the common bond between these 2 markets BUT here is where the markets are different and the reason that I don't see this market heading into another massive downturn back then - close to 70% of the homes were short sales or foreclosures traditional sellers that had solid equity in their homes and no financial issues were forced to sell at distress sale prices or they wouldn't be able to sell today a very small percentage of the homes are foreclosures and the majority of homeowners have significant equity as values have risen sharply over the last 5 years so there simply aren't a lot of homes that would be distress sales today 15 years ago, interest rates were lowered to 3%-5%  in an attempt to get the economy going now interest rates at 6%-7% are much higher in an effort to control inflation that is a key differentiator with the anticipated interest rate drop at the September Fed Meeting we may very well be seeing the 1st signs of a market revival where an uncertain market slowly begins to take a new direction and with that, a lot of hesitant sellers will begin to consider putting their homes on the market which will get the wheels turning in a positive direction today's podcast lays out the scenarios that are in play  

Here's Why Some Feel It's Better To Just Rent For 1 More Year...   ...and are giving up on buying a home right now Time and Money it always comes down to those 2 things price and value always need to make sense on a BIG purchase and timing is a huge part of any decision for those that are renting right now and have an affordable place to live that works for them they could absolutely be tempted to avoid the time and cost of moving rent + security deposit + moving truck can add up quickly and it can cause a lot of people to feel stuck where they are the question then becomes when will the circumstances ever be 100% perfect to make the big leap? the answer is that its unlikely that things will ever be pefect there is a 1 time pain to own a home and it involves some change, in order to break a cycle of renting despite all of the challenges, there are still some that are focused on buying let's take a deeper look at the true cost of things 1st month rent can be similar to 1st mortgage payment security deposit from your current rental is refunded at move out you may have friends with trucks to avoid the cost of a moving truck you typically don't have a mortgage payment due the 1st month there are a number of scenarions where the cost owning a home is about the same as it costs to rent a home there are still people that believe that you need a 20% down payment to purchase a home with a mortgage when in fact that are a variety of options avaialable with 0%-5% down payments and in many cases, a monthly mortgage payment is similar to renting today's podcast get's down and dirty with the numbers and breaks down the financial impacts of renting vs buying