Have you heard these crazy things about the real estate market right now? Things like…

• The market is tanking
• We're going into a housing crisis
• Now is the worst possible time to buy and sell
As your local real estate expert, I'm here to give you the real story, backed by data, on home selling or buying in our local market. Let's start with home sellers. 
Is now a good time to sell a home?
This is the question many potential house sellers are pondering, especially following last year's rapid increase in home values. Most experts, including myself, think that NOW is still a good time to sell your house.
Even though the market has cooled in recent months and home prices are decelerating, it continues to be an excellent time to sell. There are several reasons, including continued buyer demand and an ongoing shortage of housing inventory, primarily due to almost 15 years of under-building homes. This won't be the case forever, though. With more homess ...

Buying and Selling a home is a BIG decision. You want good advice from the people you can trust. Your family and friends are the people you can trust the most, but if you’re trusting their advice with all things real estate, they may be giving you outdated or incorrect information.
A Real Estate Agent is a trusted professional who deals with real estate issues every day. I can help dispel myths that could limit your search or unduly influence one of the most important financial decisions you’ll ever make. 
Beware of the following myths:
MYTH: YOU NEED A 20% DOWN PAYMENT
Reality: Though many buyers do put down 20% or more, first-time homebuyers paid a median 6%. There are many types of loans and programs you may qualify for to help you buy a home even if you don’t have a 20% down payment. 
MYTH: YOU HAVE TO HAVE SPOTLESS CREDIT
Reality: You may be able to secure a loan even with a low credit score. There are also steps you can take to improve your credih ...

Is selling your home during the holidays a good or a bad idea?
As the holiday excitement builds, many people hit pause on selling their homes, convinced that nobody is hunting for their next house during the festive season.
But the truth is-no matter the time of year, people are ALWAYS looking to buy a new home.
Here are the five reasons why selling a home during the holidays can unlock lucrative opportunities that would be difficult to find other times of the year.
1. Motivated Buyers: People who take time out of their crazy holiday schedules to look at homes are typically serious buyers about finding a house and are the ones that will be more likely to say "yes" to a sale.
2. Lack of Competition: While everyone's busy with holiday plans, smart sellers are putting their homes on the market. Less competition + serious buyers = more eyes on your listing. This lack of competition during the holidays can translate to a quick sale and sometimes a more lucrative selling price.
3. Takes ...

As our reliance on technology grows, cybersecurity is becoming more critical.  

Last year, after a series of major cyberattacks, the White House issued an executive order declaring cybersecurity a national priority. In 2021, the FBI reported that cybercrimes caused more than $350 million dollars of loss in the real estate sector. This represents more than a 64% increase from 2020. 

Many of these losses were caused by wire fraud. 

This is a major concern in real estate.

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With real estate transactions typically involving large financial transactions, real estate is an attractive target for cybercriminals to steal large sums of money. 

Wire fraud usually involves a cybercriminal compromising a business or personal email account and sending the buyer or another party, at the last minute, convincing yet fraudulent instructions to wire money to the wrong account.  
According to the FBI these scheme; ...

Another interest rate hike.
House prices are 36% more than before COVID hit.
So should you be looking at buying a home? 
Absolutely!
Interest rates are currently at the highest levels since early 2008, during the middle of the Global Financial Crisis. With home prices as high as they are right now, many buyers are wondering if they shouldn't hold off buying until things change.
In short, No, waiting is not the answer. 
Here are just some of the reasons smart investors are hunting for new properties while everyone else “is waiting and seeing".
Yes, rates are climbing right now, but history – and the experts - show that real estate is still one of the safest investments you can make. Waiting means your interest rate and home price may be even higher. And if the rates do fall in the future to lower levels, you can always refinance your mortgage.
Another reason it’s a great time to buy is because with higher rates comes less competition, not among home ia ...