Articles to Share – Page 14 – The Real Estate Beat

Don’t Let Student Loans Delay Your Homeownership Dreams

This topic feels timely as many of my clients and my own husband have accumualted some student debt – so I had to share this article.

Don’t Let Student Loans Delay Your Homeownership Dreams

If you’re looking to buy a home, you may be wondering how your student loan debt could impact those plans. Do you have to wait until you’ve paid off your student loans before you can buy your first home? Or could you qualify for a home loan with that debt?

To give you the answers you’re searching for, let’s take a look at what recent data shows. That way, you know what to expect and what to do next to achieve your dream of becoming a homeowner. While everyone’s situation is unique, your goal may be more within your reach than you realize.

Do you have to delay your plans because of student loans?

If you’re worried your student loans mean you have to put your homeownership goals on hold, you’re not alone. In fact, many first-time buyers believe they have to delay their plans. According to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR):

“When asked specifically about purchasing a home, half of nonhomeowners say student loan debt is delaying them from purchasing a home (51%).”

When asked why their student loans are putting their plans on the back burner, three key themes emerged:

47% say their student loans make it harder to save for a down payment
45% say they think they can’t qualify for a home loan because of existing debt
43% say they believe the delay is necessary even though they’ve never applied for a mortgage

No matter which reason resonates most with you, you should know a delay may not be necessary. Here’s why.

Can you qualify for a home loan if you have student loans?

In the same NAR report, data shows many current homeowners have student loan debt themselves:

“Nearly one-quarter of all home buyers, and 37% of first-time buyers, had student debt, with a typical amount of $30,000.”

That means other people in a similar situation were able to qualify for and buy a home even though they also had student loan debt. You may be able to do the same, especially if you have a steady source of income. Apartment Therapy drives this point home:

“. . . buying a home with student loans is possible, experts say. The proof is in the numbers, too: Some 40 percent of first-time homebuyers have student loan debt, according to the NAR study.”

The key takeaway is, for many people, homeownership is achievable even with student loans.

The best way to make a decision about your goals and next steps is to talk to the professionals. A real estate advisor can walk you through your specific situation, your options, and what has worked for other buyers like you. They can also connect you with other professionals in the industry who can help. You don’t have to figure this out on your own – lean on the experts so you have the information you need to make an informed, confident decision.

Bottom Line

Many other buyers with student loan debt are already achieving their homeownership dreams. Maybe it’s time to take the next step toward making yours a reality. Meet with a real estate advisor to discuss your options and find out how close you are to achieving your goal.

SOURCE

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Report Shows ‘Double Trouble’ for Housing

I love sharing articles that discuss the hottest topic in my career – the market.

Record-high home prices and record-low inventories, a combination labeled “double trouble” by analysts, are growing roadblocks for many Americans to achieve homeownership, particularly for Black Americans, according to a new analysis from the National Association of REALTORS® and realtor.com®. The newly released report, The Double Trouble of the Housing Market,”examines the impacts of rapidly rising home prices and low inventories on housing affordability.

About 400,000 fewer affordable homes are available for sale for households earning $75,000 to $100,000 compared to before the pandemic began, according to the study. There’s one affordable listing available for every 65 households, a notable decrease in availability from one affordable listing for every 24 households in 2019 for this income segment, the study says.

Home prices have risen by double-digit gains over the past year. Nationwide, the total home valuation has surged by $8.1 trillion from the first quarter of 2020 through the end of 2021.

“The housing wealth gain has been sizable over the past two years,” says Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “However, due to the ongoing inventory shortage and rising interest rates, homeownership attainment will become especially challenging unless drastically more housing supply is available.”

The low-inventory challenge is “particularly acute for some racial and ethnic groups who have faced greater hurdles to homeownership stemming from, among other things, lower incomes as a group,” adds Danielle Hale, realtor.com®’s chief economist.

Rising home prices and record-low numbers of homes for sale have made it increasingly difficult for Black Americans to achieve homeownership, according to the report. Since 2017, the annual homeownership rate for White Americans has remained above 70%. But the homeownership rate for Black Americans has been only about 40%—some 30 percentage points lower.

NAR and realtor.com®’s report analyzed housing affordability by racial group to help explain the possible differences in homeownership. They found that 35% of White households but only 20% of Black households have incomes greater than $100,000. However, about half of all homes currently listed for sale—51%—are affordable only to households with at least $100,000 income. A significant and persistent racial homeownership gap exists in America, the report says. Despite the challenges, though, Black Americans are finding a path to homeownership in some markets like Baltimore, Memphis, Tenn., and St. Louis.

“There are affordable markets that still provide opportunities to achieve homeownership as inventory at affordable price points is reasonably available,” says Yun.

NAR Calls for More to Be Done

To increase the nation’s housing inventory, NAR has advocated for lawmakers to:

Include funding for affordable housing construction
Preserve, expand, and create tax incentives to renovate distressed properties
Convert unused commercial space to residential units
Encourage and incentivize zoning reform

Further, expanding new-home construction by an additional 550,000 units a year for 10 years would create 2.8 million new jobs and generate more than $400 billion in economic activity, NAR says. A separate report conducted by NAR and the Rosen Consulting Group, Housing is Critical Infrastructure: Social and Economic Benefits of Building More Housing, examines the causes of America’s housing shortage and provides a range of actions that can effectively address this longtime problem.

SOURCE

The Caton Team loves what we do and would love to help you – please enjoy our resources below and get to know our team at through our clients words.

HOW TO SELL during COVID-19 | HOW TO BUY during COVID-19

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The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.

4 REASONS WE’LL SEE MORE REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY THIS WINTER

Inventory. This one word has a big impact on pretty much every factor of the real estate market.

In the past year, inventory has continued its trend of record low numbers, driving up demand, home prices, and buyer frustration along with it.

But, new data suggests that this winter may see a flurry of new homes for sale. That’s big news for clients who have put off making a move in the last year.

Let’s dive into the four reasons we may see more real estate activity soon and what this means for you and your clients.

There is pent up demand among sellers

For the past 10 years, people have been living in their homes longer than the historical average. Since 2010, the average tenure in a home has been about 10 years. However, we are now seeing that shift.

Plus, new research indicates that homeowners thinking about selling are about to put their homes on the market this winter instead of waiting until the spring.

Of homeowners planning to enter the market in the next year:

65% – Have just listed (19%) or plan to list this winter
93% – Have already taken steps toward listing their home, including working with an agent (28%)
36% – Have researched the value of their home and others in their neighborhood

With all this data, agents should be prepared to help both buyers and sellers navigate another busy winter in 2022.

Homeowners are sitting on record levels of equity

Today’s homeowners are sitting on a whole lot of equity.

According to a recent report, the average homeowner gained about $56,700 in equity over the past year.

That’s a big incentive for many homeowners to make a move into a home that better fits their needs.

Educating your clients on their equity, and the options it gives them to upgrade or downsize their home, might be just the motivation they need to sell their home and buy one that better fits their needs.

Home has taken on a new meaning

There’s no questioning it. Life today looks a lot different than it did in January 2020.

While most of us have spent the better part of the last two years in our homes, it’s made us take a long, hard look at what we really want and need out of our dwellings.

Plus, a recent poll indicates that home has taken on a new meaning for many American homeowners.

According to the study, the top reasons sellers want to move are:

33% – They have realized they want different home features
37% – They say their home no longer meets their family’s needs
32% – They want to move closer to friends and family
23% – They are looking for a home office

And with mortgage rates on the rise, experts anticipate sellers may be more inclined to start the search for that perfect home sooner than later.

It is now cheaper to own than rent

Rental prices have been on a steady incline for the last twenty years, and that isn’t expected to change anytime soon.

According to a recent report by Apartmentlist.com:

“Since January of this year, the national median rent has increased by a staggering 16.4 percent. To put that in context, rent growth from January to September averaged just 3.4 percent in the pre-pandemic years from 2017-2019.”

While most renters think that it’s the cheaper option, we have three words for them: fixed-rate mortgage. As rent continues to appreciate (with no end in sight), homeowners can lock in a payment for the next 15-30 years with little change on their monthly amount due.

However, the biggest incentive for renters to buy comes down to equity. For every monthly mortgage payment made, they’re investing into their financial future. And that equity also continues to build over years of home price appreciation.

To put it plainly, whether you’re a renter or a buyer, you’re paying a mortgage. But you definitely have a lot more financial advantages when it’s your own.

BOTTOM LINE

The 2022 housing market is set to begin with a bang, and the agents who succeed will be the ones who are prepared to take immediate action.

Today’s market conditions mean that we’re probably headed for yet another busy winter season, with real estate experts suggesting there may be even more activity in 2022.

Read this article HERE

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HOW TO SELL during COVID-19 | HOW TO BUY during COVID-19

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The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.

Sellers: Don’t Wait Until Spring To Make Your Move

Sellers: Don’t Wait Until Spring To Make Your Move

As you plan out your goals for the year, moving up to your dream home may top the list. But, how do you know when to make your move? You want to time it just right so you can get the most out of the sale of your current house. You also want to know you’re making a good investment when you buy your new home. What you may not realize is, that opportunity to get the best of both worlds is already here.

You don’t want to wait until spring to spring into action. The current market conditions make this winter an ideal time to move. Here’s why.

1. The Number of Homes on the Market Is Still Low

Today’s limited supply of houses for sale is putting sellers in the driver’s seat. There are far more buyers in the market than there are homes available, and that means buyers are eagerly waiting for your house. Listing your house now makes it the center of attention. As a seller, that means when it’s priced correctly, you can expect it to sell quickly and get multiple strong offers this season. Just remember, experts project more inventory will come to market as we move through the winter months. The realtor.com 2022 forecast says this:

“After years of declining, the inventory of homes for sale is finally expected to rebound from all-time lows.”

Selling now may help you maximize the return on your investment before your house has to face more competition from other sellers.

2. Your Equity Is Growing in Record Amounts

Current homeowners are sitting on record amounts of equity thanks to today’s home price appreciation. According to the latest report from CoreLogic, the average homeowner gained $56,700 in equity over the past 12 months.

That much equity can open doors for you to make a move. If you’ve been holding off on selling because you’re worried about how rising prices will impact your own home search, rest assured your equity can help fuel your next move. It may be just what you need to cover a large portion – if not all – of the down payment on your next purchase.

3. While Rising, Mortgage Rates Are Still Historically Low

In January of last year, mortgage rates hit the lowest point ever recorded. Today, rates are starting to rise, but that doesn’t mean you’ve missed out on locking in a low rate. Current mortgage rates are still far below what they’ve been in recent decades:

In the 2000s, the average mortgage rate was 6.27%
In the 1990s, the average rate was 8.12%

Even with mortgage rates rising above 3%, they’re still worth taking advantage of. You just want to do so sooner rather than later. Experts are projecting rates will continue to rise throughout this year, and when they do, it’ll cost you more to purchase your next home.

4. Home Prices Are Going To Keep Rising with Time

According to industry leaders, home prices will also continue appreciating this year. While experts are forecasting more moderate home price growth than last year, it’s important to note prices will still be moving in an upward direction throughout 2022.

What does that mean for you? If you’re selling so you can move into a bigger home or downsize to the home of your dreams, you want to consider moving now before rates and prices rise further. If you’re ready, you have an opportunity to get ahead of the curve by purchasing your next home before rates and prices climb higher.

Bottom Line

If you’re considering selling to move up or downsize, this may be your moment, especially with today’s low mortgage rates and limited inventory. Reach out to a local real estate professional today to get set up for homebuying success this year.

Read this post HERE.

How can The Caton Team help You?

We truly enjoy helping our clients sell their home. The Caton Team loves what we do and would love to help you – please enjoy our resources below. Get to know us at through our clients words.

HOW TO SELL during COVID-19 | HOW TO BUY during COVID-19

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HOW TO SELL during COVID-19 – HOW TO SELL – HOW TO BUY during COVID-19- – HOW TO BUY – MOVING MID PANDEMIC – TRUST AGREEMENTS and HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES – OUR TESTIMONIALS

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The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

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Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

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The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.

What’s Going To Happen with Home Prices This Year? By Keeping Current Matters

What’s Going To Happen with Home Prices This Year?

After almost two years of double-digit increases, many experts thought home price appreciation would decelerate or happen at a slower pace in the last quarter of 2021. However, the latest Home Price Insights Report from CoreLogic indicates while prices may have plateaued, appreciation has definitely not slowed. The following graph shows year-over-year appreciation throughout 2021. December data has not yet been released.

As the graph shows, appreciation has remained steady at around 18% over the last five months.

In addition, the latest S&P Case-Shiller Price Index and the FHFA Price Index show a slight deceleration from the same time last year – it’s just not at the level that was expected. However, they also both indicate there’s continued strong price growth throughout the country. FHFA reports all nine regions of the country still experienced double-digit appreciation. The Case-Shiller 20-City Index reveals all 20 metros had double-digit appreciation.

Why Haven’t We Seen the Deeper Deceleration Many Expected?

Experts had projected the supply of housing inventory would increase in the last half of 2021 and buyer demand would decrease, as it historically does later in the year. Since all pricing is subject to supply and demand, it seemed that appreciation would wane under those conditions.

Buyer demand, however, did not slow as much as expected, and the number of listings available for sale dropped instead of improved. The graph below uses data from realtor.com to show the number of available listings for sale each month, including the decline in listings at the end of the year.

Here are three reasons why the number of active listings didn’t increase as expected:

1. There hasn’t been a surge of foreclosures as the forbearance program comes to an end.

2. New construction slowed considerably because of supply chain challenges.

3. Many believed more sellers would put their houses on the market once the concerns about the pandemic began to ease. However, those concerns have not yet disappeared. A recent article published by com explains:

“Before the omicron variant of COVID-19 appeared on the scene, the 2021 housing market was rebounding healthily from previous waves of the pandemic and turned downright bullish as the end of the year approached. . . . And then the new omicron strain hit in November, followed by a December dip in new listings. Was this sudden drop due to omicron, or just the typical holiday season lull?”

No one knows for sure, but it does seem possible.

Bottom Line

Home price appreciation might slow (or decelerate) in 2022. However, based on supply and demand, you shouldn’t expect the deceleration to be swift or deep.

Shared from HERE

How can The Caton Team help You?

We truly enjoy helping our clients sell their home. The Caton Team loves what we do and would love to help you – please enjoy our resources below. Get to know us at through our clients words.

HOW TO SELL during COVID-19 | HOW TO BUY during COVID-19

How can The Caton Team help You?

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

HOW TO SELL during COVID-19 – HOW TO SELL – HOW TO BUY during COVID-19- – HOW TO BUY – MOVING MID PANDEMIC – TRUST AGREEMENTS and HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES – OUR TESTIMONIALS

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: Mobile Real Estate by The Caton Team

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

DRE # |Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 |Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.

Remote Work Has Changed Our Home Needs. Is It Time for Your Home To Change, Too?

Sharing this article from Keeping Current Matters.

Over the past year, many homeowners realized what they need in a home is changing, especially with the rise in remote work. If you’re longing for a dedicated home office or a change in scenery, now may be the time to find the home that addresses your evolving needs.

Working from Home Isn’t a Passing Fad

Before the pandemic, only 21% of individuals worked from home. However, if you’ve recently discovered remote work is your new normal, you’re not alone.

Remote Work Has Changed Our Home Needs. Is It Time for Your Home To Change, Too? | Keeping Current Matters

A survey of hiring managers conducted by Statista and Upwork projects 37.5% of U.S. workers will work remotely in some capacity over the next 5 years (see chart below):

Working from Home Gives You More Flexibility and More Options

If you fall in that category, working from home may provide you with opportunities you didn’t realize you had. The ongoing rise in remote work means a portion of the workforce no longer needs to be tied to a specific area for their job. Instead, it gives those workers more flexibility when it comes to where they can live.

If you’re one of the nearly 23% of workers who will remain 100% remote, you have the option to move to a lower cost-of-living area or to the location of your dreams. If you search for a home in a more affordable area, you’ll be able to get more house for your money, freeing up more options for your dedicated office space and more breathing room. You could also move to an area you’ve always dreamed of vacationing in – somewhere near the beach, the mountains, or simply an area that features better weather and community amenities. Without your job tying you to a specific location, you’re bound to find your ideal spot.

If you’re one of the almost 15% of individuals who will have a partially remote or hybrid schedule, relocating within your local area to a home that’s further away from your office could be a great choice. Since you won’t be going into work every day, a slightly longer commute from a more suburban or rural area could be a worthy trade-off for a home with more features, space, or comforts. After all, if you’ll still be at home part-time, why not find a home that better suits your needs?

According to the latest Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate from The Counselors of Real Estate (CRE), many homebuyers are already taking advantage of their newfound flexibility:

“. . . after years of apparent but variant trends towards urbanization, the pandemic universally caused a movement away from urban cores, particularly for those with higher incomes who could afford to move and for lower-income individuals seeking lower costs of living.”

Bottom Line

If you’ve found what you’re looking for in a home has changed due to remote work, it may be time to make a move. Talk to your local real estate advisor today to start prioritizing your home needs.

How can The Caton Team help You?

We truly enjoy helping our clients sell their home. The Caton Team loves what we do and would love to help you – please enjoy our resources below. Get to know us at through our clients words.

HOW TO SELL during COVID-19 | HOW TO BUY during COVID-19

How can The Caton Team help You?

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

HOW TO SELL during COVID-19 – HOW TO SELL – HOW TO BUY during COVID-19- – HOW TO BUY – MOVING MID PANDEMIC – TRUST AGREEMENTS and HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES – OUR TESTIMONIALS

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: Mobile Real Estate by The Caton Team

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

DRE # |Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 |Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.

Why Housing Market Potential May Build on Momentum from Historic 2020

My phone is ringing off the hook and I’m happy to chat about the hottest topic – where the already amazing Real Estate Market is going… so here’s a great article from First American.

In the final month of 2020, the market potential for existing-home sales reached its highest point since 2007, rising to a 6.18 million seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of sales. While the winter months are traditionally real estate’s slow season, the housing market had one more surprise for us in 2020 as our measure of the market potential for existing-home sales showed the housing market again broke with traditional seasonal patterns during this unprecedented year.

“Twin housing market accelerants — record low mortgage rates and the demographic boost from millennials, the largest generation in U.S. history, aging into their prime homebuying years – super-charged demand. Yet, the housing market also faces a historic and worsening inventory impasse you can’t buy what’s not for sale.”

Twin housing market accelerants – record low mortgage rates and the demographic boost from millennials, the largest generation in U.S. history, aging into their prime homebuying years – super-charged demand. Yet, the housing market also faces a historic and worsening inventory impasse – you can’t buy what’s not for sale. In 2020, the growth in house-buying power fueled by low mortgage rates was the primary driver of housing market potential, while existing homeowners choosing not to list their homes for sale was the biggest headwind. Fortunately, the potential sales increase from house-buying power was more than the loss from rising tenure length in 2020.

House-Buying Power, Millennials Super-Charge Housing Market Demand

House-buying power, how much home one can afford to buy given their income and the prevailing mortgage rate, is a key driver of home-buying demand. The primary reason for the increase in house-buying power in 2020 was falling mortgage rates. Since December 2019, the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage fell by slightly more than one percentage point. Holding household income constant at its December 2019 level, that means potential home buyers gained nearly $60,000 in house-buying power from falling mortgage rates alone. If you factor in the growth in household income, home buyers gained approximately $87,000 of total house-buying power in 2020. Because an increase in house-buying power allows a potential home buyer to purchase more home for the same monthly payment or purchase the same amount of home for a lower monthly payment, increased house-buying power helped super-charge housing market potential. Compared with one year ago, falling mortgage rates and rising incomes for those still employed resulted in nearly 389,000 potential home sales in December.

Rising Tenure Squeezes Housing Market Supply

Existing-home sales make up approximately 90 percent of all sales, so the rising tenure length of existing homeowners means fewer and fewer homes for sale and is the primary reason for the lack of housing supply. As existing homeowners have increasingly chosen not to list their homes for sale during the pandemic, average tenure length – the amount of time someone lives in their home – has soared to a historic high of approximately 10.5 years, up from an average of 10 years just one year ago. In last month’s existing-home sales report, months’ supply hit a historic low of 2.3 months. That means it would take just over two months to run out of homes for sale at the current pace of sales. The lack of homes for sale caused by the increase in tenure length reduced the potential for existing-home sales by 170,200 in December compared with a year ago.

What should we expect in 2021? More of the same, but in a more positive economic environment. The successful dissemination of a vaccine should put an end to the “stop-start” pattern of restrictions imposed on businesses, which should help the economy recover. Low mortgage rates will continue to support strong house-buying power as more and more millennials age into homeownership, keeping demand robust. While the supply-demand imbalance will persist, existing homeowners who were hesitant to sell amidst the worst of the pandemic may be encouraged to bring their homes to market, relieving some of the supply shortage. Swelling demand and the potential for greater supply means housing market potential in 2021 is likely to remain strong and build off a historic 2020.

December 2020 Potential Home Sales

For the month of December, First American updated its proprietary Potential Home Sales Model to show that:

Potential existing-home sales increased to a 6.18 million seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR), a 2.3 percent month-over-month increase.
This represents a 77.1 percent increase from the market potential low point reached in February 1993.
The market potential for existing-home sales increased 11.9 percent compared with a year ago, a gain of nearly 658,628 (SAAR) sales.
Currently, potential existing-home sales is 683,971 million (SAAR), or 10.0 percent below the pre-recession peak of market potential, which occurred in April 2006.

Market Performance Gap

The market for existing-home sales underperformed its potential by 1.2 percent or an estimated 73,142 (SAAR) sales.
The market performance gap increased by an estimated 21,960 (SAAR) sales between November 2020 and December 2020.

First American Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi contributed to this post.

What Insight Does the Potential Home Sales Model Reveal?

When considering the right time to buy or sell a home, an important factor in the decision should be the market’s overall health, which is largely a function of supply and demand. Knowing how close the market is to a healthy level of activity can help consumers determine if it is a good time to buy or sell, and what might happen to the market in the future. That is difficult to assess when looking at the number of homes sold at a particular point in time without understanding the health of the market at that time. Historical context is critically important. Our potential home sales model measures what we believe a healthy market level of home sales should be based on the economic, demographic and housing market environments.

About the Potential Home Sales Model

Potential home sales measures existing-home sales, which include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate based on the historical relationship between existing-home sales and U.S. population demographic data, homeowner tenure, house-buying power in the U.S. economy, price trends in the U.S. housing market, and conditions in the financial market. When the actual level of existing-home sales are significantly above potential home sales, the pace of turnover is not supported by market fundamentals and there is an increased likelihood of a market correction. Conversely, seasonally adjusted, annualized rates of actual existing-home sales below the level of potential existing-home sales indicate market turnover is underperforming the rate fundamentally supported by the current conditions. Actual seasonally adjusted annualized existing-home sales may exceed or fall short of the potential rate of sales for a variety of reasons, including non-traditional market conditions, policy constraints and market participant behavior. Recent potential home sale estimates are subject to revision to reflect the most up-to-date information available on the economy, housing market and financial conditions. The Potential Home Sales model is published prior to the National Association of Realtors’ Existing-Home Sales report each month.

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HOW TO SELL during COVID-19 – HOW TO SELL – HOW TO BUY during COVID-19- – HOW TO BUY – MOVING MID PANDEMIC – TRUST AGREEMENTS and HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES – OUR TESTIMONIALS

I read this article HERE

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: Mobile Real Estate by The Caton Team

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

DRE # |Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 |Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.

Are Some Buyers Going ‘Too Far’ to Win a Bidding War?

Hello The Real Estate Beat readers, I thought I’d share this article not to instill fear in buying but to show how competitive it is. Which is nothing new around here. Instead of throwing just money at the situation – The Caton Team has some great tools to make your offer stand out – contact us any time.

Facing an upsurge in housing demand across the country, many home buyers are finding themselves in bidding wars for the limited inventory on the market. To win, buyers are trying to find ways to entice sellers beyond price—and at times are taking it too far, real estate professionals say.

Mary Lou Wertz of Maison Real Estate in Charleston, S.C., talked to The Wall Street Journal about one couple relocating from New York who fell in love with a $1.2 million, four-bedroom home online. The seller had already accepted another offer, however. The New York couple offered to pay $10,000 more than the other buyers as well as offer their competitors $25,000 to walk away from the home. They also told the seller that they would make a $30,000 donation toward a hospital for cancer research since the seller had recently lost his wife to cancer.

Ultimately, the New York couple’s offer was not accepted. The offer seemed “a little over the top” to the seller, Wertz told the Journal.

Another couple shared with the Journal how they toured 50 Los Angeles homes, submitted 16 offers—sometimes above the asking price—and were outbid every single time. But they weren’t about to lose out on a three-bedroom home listed for $735,000 in the Northridge area. “We were turning up at showings, and there would be a line of people who were there before us,” Andrea Kissling of Los Angeles told the Journal. “These houses were getting 30 or 40 offers and going $100,000 over asking.”

The buyers noticed memorabilia around the house of the Harry Potter films. So they produced a Harry Potter-themed video for the sellers (one of the buyers provides design services for Warner Bros.). The video fawned over the home and showed the couple reading Harry Potter books to their children. The couple also offered to buy the sellers VIP passes to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Despite all the work, the couple still lost out to a higher offer for the home.

Chris Furstenberg of Nourmand & Associates in Los Angeles told the Journal that one of his clients—a filmmaker—once made an offer that came with the promise of tickets to the Academy Awards. Still, the seller went for a higher offer.

Furstenberg says such enticements often only work to settle a tie in a bidding war. But if there’s a higher price, that usually always wins out in the end—no matter how much buyers try to sweeten the deal with other offerings.

The Caton Team is proud to say – most of our clients get their first house when they follow our best practices. We’re beaming when we say – we’ve had a total of $200,000 since 2019 of sellers who left money on the table to take OUR Buyers offer – which was NOT the highest offer due to our Amazing Offer Package. Contact us anytime about The Caton Team Advantage.

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

HOW TO SELL during COVID-19 – HOW TO SELL – HOW TO BUY during COVID-19- – HOW TO BUY – MOVING MID PANDEMIC – TRUST AGREEMENTS and HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES – OUR TESTIMONIALS

I read this article HERE

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: Mobile Real Estate by The Caton Team

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

DRE # |Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 |Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.

Carpet Cleaning Tips – Since We’re All At Home… A Lot

Lewis Carpet Cleaners – our go to call when we need it – sent us a great email I thougth I’d share. Here are some tips on spot removal for your carpets,area rugs, upholstery and floors.

Often times when professional carpet cleaners are called upon to take care of stains or spots in carpets the first question will inevitably be “can you get it out”? If the first response out of the tech’s mouth is a resounding “yes”, then you might want to look into hiring someone else. The truth of the matter is not all stains are removable. We always have a “let’s take a look at it and if it can be removed” mindset. If it can be removed, we have what it takes to get it out”.

Sugar and oil based stains

Most dark colored, brown or black, spots are sugar or oil based. These can be removed 90% of the time. Stains in this category include colas, tea, coffee, and non-red juices. With cola stains a traffic lane cleaner is usually the way to go and will take care of the problem almost always. Tea and coffee are sometimes a little more difficult and may require an acid rinse in conjunction with the traffic lane cleaner. Juices like apple or orange are relatively easy to get out. The problems occur when you get into the red juices such as grape or cranberry, especially on light carpets. Red juices fall into the red dye category and sometimes the only way to get those out is a heat transfer dye process. This process is usually reserved as a last resort and even then there are no guarantees.

Body fluids

So what about stains such as blood, vomit, and urine? Well these, like all stains, need to be addressed quickly. The sooner you get them removed the better. The trick with blood is to not clean it with hot water or alkaline cleaning products. You might think you’re helping the carpet tech out by trying to remove some of the stain yourself but these treatments will actually set the blood into the carpet. Your best bet is to leave it to the professional. Vomit and urine are similar in that they are removed through a process. And it is very important to get urine up as soon as possible. The longer it stays the more it will continue to deteriorate the carpet. These types of spots are usually removed by utilizing a pre-treatment that breaks down the stain. Then the spot is thoroughly extracted. These steps will be repeated as necessary and afterwards an enzyme is sprayed that will continue to break the spot down.

Mystery stains

Sometimes you can get stains through no fault of your own. These would include stains from yellowing, water rings, and filtration soiling. Yellowing is one of those stains that can either be easily neutralized or impossible to remove. It is very common and can be treated with citric acid or an acid rinse. Water rings are also sometimes hit or miss. They are treated with traffic lane cleaner or an acid rinse. Filtration soiling is usually found in hallways near air conditioning units or where the carpet meets the baseboards. These are black lines that are caused by the carpet “filtering” soil. Getting rid of these stains requires using a special spotter and manually scrubbing the area with a towel. Due to the extra labor involved, this process may cost a bit more than you would like.

Remove it FAST!

The bottom line is that there are no guarantees with spot removal. What seems like an easy to remove stain could prove terribly difficult, and vice versa. But SPEED is your friend. Remove spots and stains FAST and you’ll have better luck in removal.

For tips on spot removal visit our website at:
http://www.LewisFloorCare.com
or call now
(800) 23-Lewis(800) 235-3947

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Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: Mobile Real Estate by The Caton Team

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

DRE # |Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 |Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.

4 MEETINGS EVERY FAMILY OUGHT TO HAVE

An unexpected crisis draws families together–it’s almost inevitable. But families should also meet regularly to discuss important topics, both fun and serious. These meetings give each family member the opportunity to contribute and be invested in outcomes that consider everyone’s needs. They make your family stronger, happier, and more harmonious. They make it second nature to come together in crisis, as well as help avoid stress in more mundane matters. Here are four meetings your family should regularly have.

Gift Giving Guidelines. Is excessive gift giving causing strain from the desire to reciprocate? Meet on this topic with extended family members. The goal is to reduce the tsunami of gifts that come to your children on birthdays and holidays. Try meeting on this at the end of a visit. Suggest that you all put a limit on the value of gifts you exchange, or have each family member give only one gift to only one other family member. While you can’t force anyone to gift the way you’d like, you can set some limits that will keep things under control. Here are some other strategies to keep gift giving gracious, instead of stressful.

Family Safety. A simple conversation can save lives, so make safety issues a regular topic of discussion. Review what to do in case of a fire and agree on a place to meet outside. Decide what to do if separated during a storm, flood, or other natural disaster, and make sure all family members agree on the plan. Remind family members of home safety hazards, such as watching videos in the tub while charging your phone. Kids have more access than ever to questionable pranks they see online, so discuss the dangers these pranks can pose. Empower older kids with a plan of action if they’re home alone and accidentally start a fire, and what to do if someone has a medical emergency. Post emergency numbers in the kitchen, put them on all phones, and touch base with neighbors you could call in an emergency. Because emergencies can still happen while away from home, it’s important for everyone in the family to memorize each other’s phone numbers. Remind kids if something happens when you’re not around, they must listen to a police officer or other first responder, teacher, or other adult in charge. Ask extended family members for backup contacts if you can’t reach them. By having these discussions, you’ll be better prepared if disaster strikes.

Family Vacations. Meeting as a family to decide on a vacation is a great way to keep everyone happy. Share ideas about what a vacation means to each person, and what they think were their best vacations. Keep the focus away from where they went, but instead on how they felt there. Let everyone share the one thing they’d really like to do, then see what vacation choices could satisfy all family members. If nothing satisfies all, have each person make a list, and keep searching for the trip that checks a box for everyone. When taking a vacation with extended family members, be honest and up front about sharing your budget limit, keep in regular contact as plans are made, and be ready to compromise.

Your Parents’ Future. Discussing the future with aging parents can be stressful, but the earlier you know their desires, the better you can plan to fulfill them. Meet with your parents to make sure they’re set for the future. Meetings can be by texts, emails, or online video conferences. First meet with siblings, so you’re together on questions and issues. With Mom and Dad, check that they’ve written a will, appointed an executor, and created an advance healthcare directive (living will). Find out where they keep important documents, and get contacts for their lawyer and financial person. See if there are any health or safety concerns, and how they plan to cover costs if they need care later on. If parents need assistance now, meet with siblings to coordinate caretaking support. By approaching these topics and discussing personal considerations and desires before choices become urgent, you and your family will save a lot of headaches and heartaches.

I also posted about TRUST AGREEMENTS and HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES – two topics that are intertwined in Real Estate. If you have any questions please reach out to The Caton Team and the appropriate professionals.

Get exclusive inside access when you follow us on Facebook & Instagram

Other posts you may be interested in – HOW TO SELL during COVID-19 – HOW TO SELL – MOVING MID PANDEMIC – HOW TO BUY – HOW TO BUY during COVID-19 –

Got Real Estate Questions? The Caton Team is here to help.

The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina
A Family of Realtors
Effective. Efficient. Responsive.
What can we do for you?

Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: Mobile Real Estate by The Caton Team

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties

DRE # |Sabrina 01413526 | Susan 01238225 | Team 70000218 |Office 01499008

The Caton Team does not receive compensation for any posts. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Third party information not verified.

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There is pent up demand among sellers

Homeowners are sitting on record levels of equity

Home has taken on a new meaning

It is now cheaper to own than rent

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Working from Home Isn’t a Passing Fad

Working from Home Gives You More Flexibility and More Options

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