• Baby Boomers, Demographics, For Buyers, Gen X, Millennials
    Multigenerational Home Buying
    For many homebuyers, multigenerational living used to be considered an option of last resort: it was a route families took only when they needed to ride out a financial storm or care for ailing family members. But that mindset is on the decline: A growing number of families now say that they are embracing multigenerational […]
  • Buying Myths, Downpayments, Financing, For Buyers, Housing Market, Interest Rates
    Top 4 Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Mortgage
    Buckle up, folks. Navigating the East Texas real estate market with today’s home prices and interest rates can feel a bit like trying to herd cats in a windstorm. 🌪️ But don’t let that deter you! 💪 Most homeowners eventually find a mortgage that fits them just right. 👍 In fact, a recent survey showed […]
  • For Sellers, Tips for Listing Your Home
    7 Weekend Projects to Boost Your Property Value
    Whether you’re putting your home on the market in a few weeks or a few years, strategic upgrades can make all the difference. But you don't have to embark on a major remode l to make a significant improvement. Even minor updates can have a big impact on your home’s aesthetic, and certain renovations can even boost its future sale price.
  • First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Housing Market, Interest Rates
    Mid-Year Market Update for 2024: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know
    Last December, when the Federal Reserve projected a series of benchmark rate cuts in the coming year, some analysts speculated that mortgage rates—which had recently peaked near 8%—would fall closer to 6% by mid-2024.1,2,3 Unfortunately, persistent inflation has delayed the central bank’s timeline and kept the average 30-year mortgage rate hovering around 7% so far […]
  • For Sellers
    East Texas! It’s Time To Prepare Your House for a Spring Listing
    If you’re thinking of selling your house this spring, now is the perfect time to start getting it ready. With the market gearing up for its busiest time of year, it’ll be important to make sure your house shines bright among the competition. Here are some valuable tips you can use to get your house market-ready. Declutter and Organize First […]
  • Financing, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market, Interest Rates, Interest Rates
    East Texas: What’s Really Happening with Mortgage Rates?
    Mortgage rates don’t move in a straight line. There are too many factors at play for that to happen. Instead, rates bounce around because they’re impacted by things like economic conditions, decisions from the Federal Reserve, and so much more. That means they might be up one day and down the next depending on what’s going on in the economy and the world as a whole.
  • Financing, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Housing Market, Interest Rates, Move-Up Buyers
    Why Pre-Approval Is Even More Important This Year
    On the road to becoming a homeowner? If so, you may have heard the term pre-approval get tossed around. Let’s break down what it is and why it’s important if you’re looking to buy a home in 2024. What Pre-Approval Is As part of the homebuying process, your lender will look at your finances to figure out what they’re willing to […]
  • For Sellers, Housing Market
    Houses Are Still Selling Fast
    Have you been thinking about selling your house? If so, here’s some good news. While the housing market isn’t as frenzied as it was during the ‘unicorn’ years when houses were selling quicker than ever, they’re still selling faster than normal. The graph below uses data from Realtor.com to tell the story of median days on the market for every January from […]
  • Infographics
    Why It’s More Affordable To Buy a Home This Year
      Some Highlights Home affordability depends on three factors: mortgage rates, home prices, and wages. Mortgage rates are down from their recent peak, home prices are expected to rise at a slower pace, and wages are increasing faster than usual. That’s good news if you want to buy a home because it means affordability is getting better.
  • First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Interest Rates
    2 Factors That Impact Mortgage Rates
    If you’re looking to buy a home, you’ve probably been paying close attention to mortgage rates. Over the last couple of years, they hit record lows, rose dramatically, and are now dropping back down a bit. Ever wonder why? The answer is complicated because there’s a lot that can influence mortgage rates. Here are just a few […]
  • Financing, First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, Interest Rates
    Thinking About Buying a Home?
    If you’re thinking of buying a home this year, you’re probably paying closer attention than normal to the housing market. And you’re getting your information from a variety of channels: the news, social media, your real estate agent, conversations with friends and loved ones, the list goes on and on. Most likely, home prices and mortgage rates are coming up […]
  • For Sellers, Selling Myths
    Why Your House Didn’t Sell
    If your listing expired and your house didn’t sell, you’re likely feeling a little frustrated. Not to mention, you’re also probably wondering what went wrong. Here are three questions to think about as you figure out what to do next. Did You Limit Access to Your House? One of the biggest mistakes you can make when selling […]
  • For Sellers, Housing Market
    Are More Homes Coming onto the Market?
    Are More Homes Coming onto the Market? The number of homes for sale is an essential factor shaping today’s market. And, if you’re considering whether or not to list your house, that’s one of the biggest advantages you have right now. When housing inventory is this low, your house will stand out, especially if it’s priced right. But […]
  • Housing Market
    Where Are People Moving Today and Why?
    Plenty of people are still moving these days. And if you’re thinking of making a move yourself, you may be considering the inventory and affordability challenges in the housing market and wondering what you can do to help offset those. A new report from Gravy Analytics provides insight into where people are searching for homes and what they’re prioritizing most right now. That information could help you plan your own move.
  • For Sellers, Housing Market, Selling Myths
    About 11,000 Houses Will Sell Today
    If you've been waiting to sell because you don't think there are buyers out there, know today's market is active. Every day you wait, around 11,000 other homeowners are selling. In the time it took you to read this, eight homes sold. When you're ready to sell, too, let's connect.
  • Financing, For Buyers, Interest Rates
    How Inflation Affects Mortgage Rates
    Even though a Federal Fund Rate hike by the Fed doesn’t directly dictate what happens with mortgage rates, it does have an impact. As a recent article from Fortune says:
  • Buying Myths, For Buyers, Millennials, Move-Up Buyers, Rent vs. Buying
    How To Know If You’re Ready to Buy a Home
    If you’re trying to decide if you’re ready to buy a home, these questions can help.
  • Uncategorized
    Sellers: Don’t Let These Two Things Hold You Back
      Many homeowners thinking about selling have two key things holding them back. That’s feeling locked in by today’s higher mortgage rates and worrying they won’t be able to find something to buy while supply is so low. Let’s dive into each challenge and give you some helpful advice on how to overcome these obstacles. Challenge #1: […]
  • For Sellers, Pricing
    Pricing Your House Right Still Matters Today
    While this isn’t the frenzied market we saw during the ‘unicorn’ years, homes that are priced right are still selling quickly and seeing multiple offers right now. That’s because the number of homes for sale is still so low. Data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows 76% of homes sold within a month and the average saw 3.5 offers in June.
  • For Sellers, Selling Myths
    Home Inspections for Sellers: What You Need To Know
      Some Highlights The inspection is a major part of the home selling process. Many buyers used to waive inspections to be more competitive with their offer, but recently, inspections and repairs are becoming popular again. Let’s connect so you have an expert on your side who can help you determine the repairs and updates […]

About 11,000 Houses Will Sell Today

By BILLY COGAR | August 10, 2023

If you’ve been waiting to sell because you don’t think there are buyers out there, know today’s market is active. Every day you wait, around 11,000 other homeowners are selling. In the time it took you to read this, eight homes sold. When you’re ready to sell, too, let’s connect.

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How Inflation Affects Mortgage Rates

By BILLY COGAR | August 3, 2023

Even though a Federal Fund Rate hike by the Fed doesn’t directly dictate what happens with mortgage rates, it does have an impact. As a recent article from Fortune says:

Read More

How To Know If You’re Ready to Buy a Home

By BILLY COGAR | August 2, 2023

If you’re trying to decide if you’re ready to buy a home, these questions can help.

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Sellers: Don’t Let These Two Things Hold You Back

By BILLY COGAR | August 2, 2023

  Many homeowners thinking about selling have two key things holding them back. That’s feeling locked in by today’s higher mortgage rates and worrying they won’t be able to find something to buy while supply is so low. Let’s dive into each challenge and give you some helpful advice on how to overcome these obstacles. Challenge #1: […]

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Pricing Your House Right Still Matters Today

By BILLY COGAR | July 31, 2023

While this isn’t the frenzied market we saw during the ‘unicorn’ years, homes that are priced right are still selling quickly and seeing multiple offers right now. That’s because the number of homes for sale is still so low. Data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows 76% of homes sold within a month and the average saw 3.5 offers in June.

Read More

Home Inspections for Sellers: What You Need To Know

By BILLY COGAR | April 17, 2023

  Some Highlights The inspection is a major part of the home selling process. Many buyers used to waive inspections to be more competitive with their offer, but recently, inspections and repairs are becoming popular again. Let’s connect so you have an expert on your side who can help you determine the repairs and updates […]

Read More

Think Twice Before Waiting for Lower Home Prices

By BILLY COGAR | April 17, 2023

As the housing market continues to change, you may be wondering where it’ll go from here. One factor you’re probably thinking about is home prices, which have come down a bit since they peaked last June. And you’ve likely heard something in the news or on social media about a price crash on the horizon. […]

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The Big Advantage If You Sell This Spring

By BILLY COGAR | April 11, 2023

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) confirms today’s housing inventory is low by looking at the months’ supply of homes on the market. In a balanced market, about a six-month supply is needed. Anything lower is a sellers’ market. And today, the number is much lower:

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Homebuyer Activity Shows Signs of Warming Up for Spring

By BILLY COGAR | April 11, 2023

Buyers are coming this spring, which is typically the busiest time of the year in real estate. And as Realtor.com tells us, if you’re a seller, you need to prepare

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Why Aren’t Home Prices Crashing?

By BILLY COGAR | April 10, 2023

A lot of people expected prices would crash this year thanks to low buyer demand, but that isn’t happening. Why? There aren’t enough homes for sale. If you’re thinking about moving this spring, let’s connec

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Two Reasons You Should Sell Your House

By BILLY COGAR | April 5, 2023

Wondering if you should sell your house this year? As you make your decision, think about what’s motivating you to consider moving. A recent survey from realtor.com asked why homeowners are thinking about selling their houses this year. Here are the top two reasons

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How Changing Mortgage Rates Can Affect You

By BILLY COGAR | April 4, 2023

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate has been bouncing between 6% and 7% this year. If you’ve been on the fence about whether to buy a home or not, it’s helpful to know exactly how a 1%, or even a 0.5%, mortgage rate shift affects your purchasing power.

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Facts About Closing Costs

By BILLY COGAR | March 31, 2023

If you’re thinking about buying a home, be sure to plan for closing costs.
Closing costs are typically 2% to 5% of the total purchase price of a home, and they can include things like government recording costs, appraisal fees, and more.
Let’s connect so I can answer your questions about the homebuying process.

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4 Key Tips for Selling Your House This Spring

By BILLY COGAR | March 30, 2023

Spring has arrived, and that means more and more people are getting their homes ready to sell. But with recent shifts in real estate, this year’s spring housing market will be different from the frenzy of the past several years. To sell your house quickly, without hassles, and for the most money, be sure to follow these four simple tips:

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What Past Recessions Tell Us About the Housing Market

By BILLY COGAR | January 16, 2023

It doesn’t matter if you’re someone who closely follows the economy or not, chances are you’ve heard whispers of an upcoming recession. Economic conditions are determined by a broad range of factors, so rather than explaining them each in depth, let’s lean on the experts and what history tells us to see what could lie […]

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Is It Time To Sell Your Second Home?

By BILLY COGAR | January 12, 2023

During the pandemic, second homes became popular because of the rise in work-from-home flexibility. That’s because owning a second home, especially in the luxury market, allowed those homeowners to spend more time in their favorite places or with different home features. Keep in mind, a luxury home isn’t only defined by price. In a recent article, Investopedia shares […]

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The Truth About Negative Home Equity Headlines

By BILLY COGAR | January 11, 2023

The Truth About Negative Home Equity Headlines

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Home Equity: A Source of Strength for Homeowners Today

By BILLY COGAR | November 14, 2022

Home Equity: A Source of Strength for Homeowners Today Experts agree there’s no chance of a large-scale foreclosure crisis like we saw back in 2008, and that’s good news for the housing market. As Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, says: “. . . don’t expect a housing bust like the mid-2000s, as lending standards in this housing […]

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VA Loans Can Help Veterans Achieve Their Dream of Homeownership

By BILLY COGAR | November 10, 2022

VA Loans Can Help Veterans Achieve Their Dream of Homeownership For over 78 years, Veterans Affairs (VA) home loans have provided millions of veterans with the opportunity to purchase homes of their own. If you or a loved one have served, it’s important to understand this program and its benefits. Here are some things you should know […]

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Key Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today

By BILLY COGAR | November 8, 2022

Key Factors Affecting Home Affordability Today Every time there’s a news segment about the housing market, we hear about the affordability challenges buyers are facing today. Those headlines are focused on how much mortgage rates have climbed this year. And while it’s true rates have risen dramatically, it’s important to remember they aren’t the only […]

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