As we prepare for the heat this holiday weekend, I wanted to take a moment to share some updates with you. From real estate inventory to lending market changes, and even some helpful air conditioning efficiency tips, there's plenty to cover. Rates aren’t where we anticipated… Unfortunately, the anticipated decrease in rates hasn't materialized as we had hoped. Despite the recent pause … [Read more...]
NEW: Upcoming Loan Program for First Responders
Exciting news for our valued first responders! A new loan program is currently in development, specifically tailored for police officers, firefighters, nurses, doctors, and more. This program aims to provide low or no down payment options and competitive interest rates, making homeownership more accessible to first responders. For those with less than 20% down, there will be little to no mortgage … [Read more...]
Improve Your Credit Score While You Wait Out Market Conditions
In today's financial and real estate market, many buyers are adopting a "watch and wait" approach, hoping for a more balanced landscape. This is also an excellent opportunity to improve your credit score while you hit pause. By taking simple steps now, you can enhance your creditworthiness and position yourself for a favorable home financing outcome when it's time to get pre-approved. Don't … [Read more...]
Navigating the Competitive Under $500K Home Market & Lending Rates: Top Tips from Local Experts
Our mild, sunny California weather has finally arrived for spring! Below I have put together some financial and real estate market updates about what is happening in our greater Sacramento area. Current Rate Trends & Financial Markets Rates are slowly rising (and sometimes slightly falling) once again. However, financial markets are still filled with uncertainty including the Fed … [Read more...]
6 Springtime Home Maintenance Chores to Protect and Improve Your Home
As the warmer weather approaches, it's a great time to tackle some home maintenance projects to help keep your home top condition. Many of these tasks can be done easily, even if you're not particularly handy. #1 Clean Downspouts and Gutters While cleaning downspouts and gutters may not be the most glamorous task, it's an essential one that is much easier to do in dry weather and can prevent … [Read more...]
Bumpy Rates, Banking Failures & What You Must Know About Down Payments
The lending and real estate markets are constantly changing and lately a bit of a bumpy ride. As an ongoing commitment to you as a past client, I want to keep you informed and share what’s going on in these markets. Lending Rates and what’s happening? You may have noticed that interest rates have been quite volatile lately. Despite some slowdown in inflation this year, it continues to be a … [Read more...]
Easy Cost Free Way to Make a Home Purchase Offer Shine
In today’s market, meeting with a lender before looking for a home is an absolute MUST. Deals happen fast these days and sellers may have several offers to choose from. Many sellers won’t settle (because they don’t have to) for an offer with less than stellar financing support and verification. In many cases, a pre-approval or pre-qualification is simply not enough for sellers to feel confident … [Read more...]
Buy Now or Wait to Purchase a Home? – My Advice if Considering a Home in the Sacramento Area
Less Homes are Selling for Over Asking In the last couple of weeks, less homes are selling for over asking and more homes have price reductions. Home sales are beginning to slow down from a burning hot market. As the real estate market stabilizes, we may see a slight decrease in home prices to accommodate higher mortgage rates. Our Area is Still in Demand Sacramento and the surrounding areas … [Read more...]
When Will Home Prices Come Down? – The Top Question Buyers are Asking Me
The number 1 question I have gotten lately is "when are housing prices going to come down?" That is indeed a great question…and an answer anyone who is considering buying, now or in the future, will want to know. We need to reach stabilization first Using my 35 years of lending experience, I have watched financial markets go from one extreme to the other and then back again. With … [Read more...]
Today’s Rising Rates Compared to History – Are They Still a Good Deal?
The home financing market looks much different now than it did just 6 months ago. The rock bottom rates from the last couple years are gone. Conventional interest rates are now 4.25%, pushing 4.5% soon! The Fed just made the 1st of 6 rate increases for this year. My guess is mortgage rates could be pushing 5% by summer 2022. I am seeing more people looking at the 5-year and 7-year … [Read more...]