I recently read an article written by a first-time homebuyer. He writes about all of the unexpected repairs his new home needs.
Every buyer should get a complete home inspection. The seller does not have to make repairs but buyers can always ask. The whole point of inspection is knowing what repairs might be needed before committing to buy the house.
Homeowners do not always know what is broken or what is going to break in the next six months. Even with an inspection something unexpected can and probably will happen.
Some people would rather call the landlord than have to call for repairs and pay for them. Homeownership isn’t for everyone but if it is for you make your offer contingent on a complete home inspection and hire an experienced home inspector. Don’t forget the radon inspection and consider having a sewer line scope.
Keep in mind that repairs that are not needed today may be needed tomorrow and budget accordingly.
AI is all the rage this year. Apparently, it is going to make real estate agents fabulously wealthy just like Facebook and Twitter did. I asked both BARD and ChatGPT to write a Christmas poem about home buyers. The poem that follows is the one I thought was the best:
No more carols sung in rented halls,
No more dreams confined by thin, shared walls.
This Christmastide, a joy most bright,
Your own brick haven bathed in winter’s light.
The stress of offers, papers piled high,
Fades in the glow of hearthfire’s sigh.
Keys jingle soft, a whispered chime,
Your first Yule log, burning bold and prime.
Stars peek through gables, frosted white,
As laughter dances through the halls at night.
Stocking stockings by the cozy fire,
Whispers of wishes rising ever higher.
Cinnamon scents and sugared plums,
Warmth seeping through every room.
Children’s eyes wide with Christmas cheer,
Building worlds on floors, year after year.
No landlord’s grumbles, no paint chipped thin,
This nest belongs to you, within, within.
From porch swing swaying in the frosted air,
To whispered secrets on the bedroom stair.
So raise a glass, let carols sound,
Cheers to your haven, newly found.
May every joy this season bring,
Fill your home with endless winter’s spring.
For this Christmas, wrapped in frosted bliss,
You’ve gifted yourself happiness.
Merry Christmas, new homeowners bold,
May your stories, like snowflakes, forever unfold.
It is kind of cute but there is no mention of the leaky pipe on Christmas eve. or the possibility that the furnace will go out on New Year’s day but I guess most home buyers find out about that soon enough.
I have been reading the predictions for the housing market for 2024. People who work in the real estate industry are predicting another marvelous year. Those predictions are good for the moral of real estate agents everywhere.
Most experts are predicting that mortgage interest rates will go down which will make homes more affordable for many but they are still expensive and too expensive for some. Those who can buy are going to have some challenges because home owners who are locked into mortgages are not going to jump at the chance to sell and end up with a larger mortgage.
In other words next year probably isn’t going to be a great year for most home buyers. Will people buy houses? Absolutely.
For those who managed to bag a house this year before the holidays I have a poem that I wrote thith help from AI:
No more carols sung in rented halls,
No more dreams confined by thin, shared walls.
This Christmastide, a joy most bright,
Your own brick haven bathed in winter’s light.
The stress of offers, papers piled high,
Fades in the glow of hearthfire’s sigh.
Keys jingle soft, a whispered chime,
Your first Yule log, burning bold and prime.
Stars peek through gables, frosted white,
As laughter dances through the halls at night.
Stocking stockings by the cozy fire,
Whispers of wishes rising ever higher.
Cinnamon scents and sugared plums,
Warmth seeping through every room.
Children’s eyes wide with Christmas cheer,
Building worlds on floors, year after year.
No landlord’s grumbles, no paint chipped thin,
This nest belongs to you, within, within.
From porch swing swaying in the frosted air,
To whispered secrets on the bedroom stair.
So raise a glass, let carols sound,
Cheers to your haven, newly found.
May every joy this season bring,
Fill your home with endless winter’s spring.
For this Christmas, wrapped in frosted bliss,
You’ve gifted yourself happiness.
Merry Christmas, new homeowners bold,
May your stories, like snowflakes, forever unfold.
If homeownership is a goal for 2024 now is the time to get started. Talk to a lender today.
It isn’t at all uncommon for people to do a little house hunting during the holidays. People come to town to visit relatives and decide that they want to work with a Realtor. Sometimes they reach out a couple of days before they are due to arrive.
I usually can not accommodate last-minute clients during the holidays. I can work with clients who are already under contract. I have shown houses on New Year’s and the day after Christmas. Christmas is a holiday and in my household, we often celebrate on Christmas Eve. I don’t work either day.
People who are planning on buying a house during the holidays in 2024 should contact a Realtor by November 1st, 2024.
Home buyers who are currently working with a Realtor should be able to show or buy a house during the holidays. Most of us work during December.
Houses are sold during the holidays too. Homeowners who have a plan in place by mid-October will be able to sell their house quickly during the holidays and for top dollar.
Buying or selling a house is like many other things in life in that it is best to plan ahead.
Interest rates on mortgages are trending downward, which is good news for home buyers and the rest of us too. Rates were at around 7.75% a month ago and are currently averaging 7.22%. [FreddieMac Mortgage Rate Surevy]
The rates are still ridiculously high and should give responsible home buyers reason to pause and consider.
In last week’s real estate news, there were a lot of headlines about “falling mortgage payments”. High-interest rates indeed translate into high monthly mortgage payments.
When rates go down so do monthly mortgage payments, however, if you currently have a mortgage your payments are not going to go down. They will stay the same.
Right now there isn’t anything about housing that is affordable or more affordable.
Cyber Monday is for shopping over the internet while at work. Some workplaces monitor employee internet which is why for some today is a good day to work from home.
You can almost buy a house online but not quite. Homes for sale are easy to find online. Buyers who are pre-approved for a loan can make an offer. Easy right?
It should be simple but most home buyers want to see the house before they make an offer. They want to make an inspection contingent offer but they might not know how to do that. It seems simple but there are contracts involved.
Buying real estate isn’t like ordering a TV from Amazon on Cyber Monday.
Maybe that is a good thing because real estate is expensive and buying the right property is important. The consequences of buying the wrong property can linger for a lifetime.
Go ahead and shop but when it is time to buy call your Realtor.
I recently read an article written by a first-time homebuyer. He writes about all of the unexpected repairs his new home needs.
