Angie's Tips February 21, 2025

Chili-Lime Salmon

Real Estate News February 21, 2025

Smart Moves for First-Time Buyers

Breaking Into the Market: Smart Moves for First-Time Buyers

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If you’re like a lot of aspiring homebuyers, there’s a major hurdle standing in your way — the cost of living. From groceries to gas, eggs, and just about everything else, prices have gone up. And that rings true for home prices, too.

But even when everything feels expensive, there are still ways to make homeownership more than an item on your wish list. You may just need to think about where you plan to buy a bit differently.

Think of Your First Home as a Stepping Stone

One of the biggest misconceptions among buyers is that their first home has to be their forever home – or that it has to check all the boxes of what they want right out of the gate. In reality, it’s just a starting point.

Once you own a home, you start to build equity, which grows over time as home prices rise. Down the road, if you want to move — whether to a larger space, a better location, or both — the equity you’ve gained can help you do just that.

So rather than waiting until you can afford your dream home in your ideal neighborhood, consider starting with something that works for now.

Expand Your Search To Find More Affordable Options

If high home prices in your favorite area are holding you back, it’s time to cast a wider net. By keeping an open mind and being flexible with location, you may be surprised at what’s possible within your budget. Many buyers find success by looking in surrounding areas – and some even choose to move out of state.

If you want to stay local, looking just outside your preferred neighborhood could help you find something you can afford that’s still close to your favorite restaurants, shops, and activities. Sometimes, moving as little as 10 minutes away makes a big difference.

The best way to see what’s available is to work with a real estate agent who understands the local market and can help you identify hidden gems nearby. Debbie and Angie, your local REALTORS®, know the ins and outs of the area and can guide you to communities you may not have considered yet. These neighborhoods may have lower price tags right now but are steadily gaining value and appeal. With their expertise, you can buy your first home and set yourself up to gain equity over the years.

Bottom Line

Today’s cost of living is a challenge for many homebuyers. But by exploring different areas and working with Debbie & Angie, you can take that first step toward owning a home — and building equity for your future.

Angie's Tips February 16, 2025

Looking for an easy dinner tomorrow night…

Shredded Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Mexican meets Italian in this lasagna-like casserole. Zero Carb tortillas replace noodles and traditional marinara sauce is swapped out for an enchilada sauce, made super quick by using the crock-pot. Feed a crowd this cheesy delight filled with TASTY ingredients. A dollop of sour cream will add the cool zing to each of the 12 hearty servings. Serve this alone or get a bag of angel hair coleslaw and dress it with some lime juice and cilantro for a crunchy side salad, or some Cilantro Lime Rice.😋

Ingredients
Cooking spray -2 spray(s)
Table salt – 1 1⁄2 tsp, divided
Cooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s)
12 oz, shredded with two forks
Reduced-fat Mexican shredded cheese – 7 oz
Mission Zero Net Carbs Original Tortillas -10 tortilla(s)
Canned black beans – 1 can
Yellow Corn – 1 can
Ortega Beans, refried, fat free – 1 can
Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce, Medium – 2 cup
Herdez Salsa Verde, Mexicana Picante – 16 oz
Sour cream – to top
Cilantro – to top
Instructions
Top 3 chicken breast with the jar of Verde sauce in the crock-pot and cook on low for 6 hrs.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat 13-by-9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Shred the chicken with 2 forks and set aside. Pour 1/2 c of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking dish (or enough to cover), place a layer of the tortillas in the bottom of the dish, and top with a layer of refried beans, black beans, corn, chicken, cheese and drizzle a few Tbs of the enchilada sauce. Do a second layer of the above ingredients.
Finish with a layer of tortillas, and 1/2 c of enchilada sauce to the top with a little more cheese… Bake until golden and bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes.
Serving size: 1/12 of casserole and 1 tbsp sour cream
Notes
Garnish with cilantro, and sour cream if desired.
Real Estate News February 2, 2025

Quick Tips To Prepare To Buy A Home

If you’ve asked yourself any of these questions, then you’ll want to keep reading.

“How do we know if we’re ready to buy a home?”
“Should we buy a home? It’s a pandemic.”
“Is now really the best time to buy a home?

The thing is: there is no right or wrong answer here. Of course, I am so passionate about homeownership and would love to get you into that dream home. But, the truth is everyone’s situation is unique.

The answer depends on a few things:
➡️ Do you know your credit score?
➡️ Do you have a sense of how much home you can afford (including closing costs)?
➡️ Do you have money saved for a down payment?
➡️ Do you have savings to cover emergency maintenance?
➡️ Do you feel ready to put down roots in a community?

These are the practical considerations. You’ll, of course, want to factor in your employment status, family circumstances, and lifestyle factors too.

If you’re holding off on buying, what is holding you back? Message me anytime if you’d like to talk through different options.

Real Estate News January 26, 2025

Why It Makes Sense To Move Before Spring

Spring is usually the busiest season in the housing market. Many buyers wait until then to make their move, believing it’s the best time to find a home. However, that isn’t always the case when you factor in the competition you could face with other buyers at that time of year. If you’re ready to buy a home, here’s why it makes sense to move before the spring market picks up.

Spring Should Bring a Wave of Buyers to the Market

In most years, the housing market goes through predictable seasonal trends in activity. Winter is typically a quiet point in the year, while spring sees a surge of buyers begin their search. And experts project that this year will be no exception.

Right now, buyer demand is low due to a combination of normal seasonal trends and a reaction to last year’s rise in mortgage rates. But rates have started to come down since last November, which has more and more potential buyers planning to jump into the market. That means right now is a sweet spot if you’re in a good position to buy, before more buyers reappear. Affordability is beginning to improve, but demand is still low — for now. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), shares:

“. . . expect sales to pick up again soon since mortgage rates have markedly declined after peaking late last year.”

If you’re ready to buy a home, right now is the best time to do so before your competition grows and more buyers enter the market.

Today’s Sellers Are Motivated

Low demand from buyers often means sellers are more motivated to work with you, and that can set you up to buy a home on your terms. In fact, sellers have been more willing to negotiate this winter because there are fewer buyers in the market. According to a recent article from Forbes:

“. . . sellers gave concessions to buyers in 41.9% of home sales in the fourth quarter of last year.”

But keep in mind, the advantages buyers have this winter won’t last forever. The competition you face could be greater if you wait until spring to make a move, and increased buyer demand means sellers will have less motivation to negotiate with you. Be sure to work with a trusted real estate professional to learn what you can expect in your local market right now.

Bottom Line

If you’re in a good position to make a move, it may make sense to move before spring. Working with Debbie & Angie is the best way to learn about the current market and what it means for you. Let’s connect today to determine the best plan to achieve your homebuying goals.

Angie's Tips January 24, 2025

Creamy Chicken Soup

Real Estate News January 24, 2025

Want To Sell Your House? Price It Right.

Last year, the housing market slowed down in response to higher mortgage rates, and that had an impact on home prices. If you’re thinking of selling your house soon, that means you’ll want to adjust your expectations accordingly. As realtor.com explains:

“. . . some of the more prominent pandemic trends have changed, so sellers might wish to adjust accordingly to get the best deal possible.”

In a more moderate market, how you price your house will make a big difference to not only your bottom line, but to how quickly your house could sell. And the reality is, homes priced right are still selling in today’s market.

Why Pricing Your House Appropriately Matters

Especially today, your asking price sends a message to potential buyers.

If it’s priced too low, you may leave money on the table or discourage buyers who may see a lower-than-expected price tag and wonder if that means something is wrong with the home.

If it’s priced too high, you run the risk of deterring buyers. When that happens, you may have to lower the price to try to reignite interest in your house when it sits on the market for a while. But be aware that a price drop can be seen as a red flag by some buyers who will wonder what that means about the home.

To avoid either headache, price it right from the start. A real estate professional knows how to determine that ideal asking price. They balance the value of homes in your neighborhood, current market trends, buyer demand, the condition of your house, and more to find the right price. This helps lead to stronger offers and a greater likelihood your house will sell quickly.

Bottom Line

Homes that are priced at current market value are still selling. To make sure you price your house appropriately, maximize your sales potential, and minimize your hassle, let’s connect.

Angie's Tips January 19, 2025

BBQ Bacon Chicken Kabobs

Tasty Kabobs
Real Estate News January 16, 2025

Today’s Housing Market Is Nothing Like 15 Years Ago

Today’s housing market is nothing like the real estate market 15 years ago. If you’re a buyer right now, this may be the chance you’ve been waiting for.

There’s no doubt today’s housing market is very different than the frenzied one from the past couple of years. In the second half of 2022, there was a dramatic shift in real estate, and it caused many people to make comparisons to the 2008 housing crisis. While there may be a few similarities, when looking at key variables now compared to the last housing cycle, there are significant differences.

In the latest Real Estate Forecast Summit, Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), drew the comparisons below between today’s housing market and the previous cycle:

Today’s Housing Market Is Nothing Like 15 Years Ago | MyKCM

Looking at the facts, it’s clear: today is very different than the housing market of 15 years ago.

There’s Opportunity in Real Estate Today

And in today’s market, with inventory rising and less competition from other buyers, there’s opportunity right now. According to David Stevens, former Assistant Secretary of Housing:

“So be advised…this may be the one and only window for the next few years to get into a buyer’s market. And remember…as the Federal Reserve data shows…home prices only go up and always recover from recessions no matter how mild or severe. Long term homeowners should view this market…right now…as a unique buying opportunity.”

Angie's Tips January 13, 2025

Greek Chicken Bowls

Easy Greek Chicken Bowls