• Homeownership Helps Protect You from Inflation [INFOGRAPHIC]

    Homeownership Helps Protect You from Inflation [INFOGRAPHIC],Michael Bempah

    Some Highlights Wondering if it makes sense to buy a home today even when inflation is high? When other costs go up due to inflation, buying a home helps you keep your monthly housing expense steady. Rents typically increase with inflation. Maybe that’s why, according to a recent survey, 65.1% of la

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  • What Homebuyers Need To Know About Credit Scores

    What Homebuyers Need To Know About Credit Scores,Michael Bempah

    If you’re thinking about buying a home, you should know your credit score’s a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to qualifying for a home loan. Lenders review your credit to assess your ability to make payments on time, to pay back debts, and more. It’s also a factor that helps determine you

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  • Eco-Friendly, Energy-Efficient Homes Attract Buyers

    Eco-Friendly, Energy-Efficient Homes Attract Buyers,Michael Bempah

    Are you planning to sell your house? If so, you may be surprised to hear just how much buyers value energy efficiency and eco-friendly features today. This is especially true as summer officially kicks off. In fact, the 2023 Realtors and Sustainability Report from the National Association of Realtor

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  • Why the Median Home Price Is Meaningless in Today’s Market

    Why the Median Home Price Is Meaningless in Today’s Market,Michael Bempah

    The National Association of Realtors (NAR) will release its latest Existing Home Sales (EHS) report later this week. This monthly report provides information on the sales volume and price trend for previously owned homes. In the upcoming release, it’ll likely say home prices are down. This may feel

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  • Saving for a Down Payment? Here’s What You Need To Know.

    Saving for a Down Payment? Here’s What You Need To Know.,Michael Bempah

    If you’re planning to buy your first home, then you’re probably focused on saving for all the costs involved in such a big purchase. One of the expenses that may be at the top of your mind is your down payment. If you’re intimidated by how much you need to save for that, it may be because you believ

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  • How Owning a Home Grows Your Wealth with Time [INFOGRAPHIC]

    How Owning a Home Grows Your Wealth with Time [INFOGRAPHIC],Michael Bempah

    Some Highlights If you’re thinking of buying a home this year, be sure to factor in the long-term benefits of homeownership. Over time, homeownership allows you to build equity. On average, nationwide home prices appreciated by 290.2% over the last 32 years. That means your net worth can grow signif

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  • Why Buying or Selling a Home Helps the Economy and Your Community

    Why Buying or Selling a Home Helps the Economy and Your Community,Michael Bempah

    If you’re thinking about buying or selling a house, it’s important to know that it doesn’t just affect your life, but also your community. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) releases a report every year to show how much economic activity is generated by home sales. The chart below illustrate

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  • A Drop in Equity Doesn’t Mean Low Equity

    A Drop in Equity Doesn’t Mean Low Equity,Michael Bempah

    You may see media coverage talking about a drop in homeowner equity. What’s important to understand is that equity is tied closely to home values. So, when home prices appreciate, you can expect equity to grow. And when home prices decline, equity does too. Here’s how this has played out recently. 

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  • Your Needs Matter More Than Today’s Mortgage Rates

    Your Needs Matter More Than Today’s Mortgage Rates,Michael Bempah

    If you’re thinking about selling your house right now, chances are it’s because something in your life has changed. And, while things like mortgage rates are a key part of your decision on what you’ll buy next, it’s important to not lose sight of the reason you want to make a change in the first pla

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  • Keys to Success for First-Time Homebuyers

    Keys to Success for First-Time Homebuyers,Michael Bempah

    Buying your first home is an exciting decision and a major milestone that has the power to change your life for the better. As a first-time homebuyer, it’s a vision you can bring to life, but, as the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shares, you’ll have to overcome some factors that have made i

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  • Today’s Real Estate Market: The ‘Unicorns’ Have Galloped Off

    Today’s Real Estate Market: The ‘Unicorns’ Have Galloped Off,Michael Bempah

    Comparing real estate metrics from one year to another can be challenging in a normal housing market. That’s due to possible variability in the market making the comparison less meaningful or accurate. Unpredictable events can have a significant impact on the circumstances and outcomes being compare

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  • Remember and Honor Those Who Gave All

    Remember and Honor Those Who Gave All,Michael Bempah

    We remember and honor those who gave all.

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  • Moving Now Can Give Your House Its Day in the Sun [INFOGRAPHIC]

    Moving Now Can Give Your House Its Day in the Sun [INFOGRAPHIC],Michael Bempah

    Some Highlights If you want to sell your house, consider doing it this summer. The days are longer, the weather is warmer, and it’s a great time for sellers. If your needs have changed, now’s the time to capitalize on the low inventory and multiple offers in today’s sellers’ market. Connect with a l

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  • The Benefits of Selling Now, According to Experts

    The Benefits of Selling Now, According to Experts,Michael Bempah

    If you’re trying to decide if now’s the time to sell your house, here’s what you should know. The limited number of homes available right now gives you a big advantage. That’s because there are more buyers out there than there are homes for sale. And, with so few homes on the market, buyers will hav

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  • Owning a Home Helps Protect Against Inflation

    Owning a Home Helps Protect Against Inflation,Michael Bempah

    You’re probably feeling the impact of high inflation every day as prices have gone up on groceries, gas, and more. If you’re a renter, you’re likely experiencing it a lot as your rent continues to rise. Between all of those elevated costs and uncertainty about a potential recession, you may be wonde

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  • Why Buying a Vacation Home Beats Renting One This Summer

    Why Buying a Vacation Home Beats Renting One This Summer,Michael Bempah

    For many of us, visiting the same vacation spot every year is a summer tradition that’s fun, relaxing, and restful. If that sounds like you, now’s the time to think about your plans and determine if buying a vacation home this year makes more sense than renting one again. According to Forbes:  “. .

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  • Why Buyers Need an Expert Agent by Their Side

    Why Buyers Need an Expert Agent by Their Side,Michael Bempah

    The process of buying a home can feel a bit intimidating, even under normal circumstances. But today’s market is still anything but normal. There continues to be a very limited number of homes for sale, and that’s creating bidding wars and driving home prices back up as buyers compete over the avail

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  • The Impact of Changing Mortgage Rates [INFOGRAPHIC]

    The Impact of Changing Mortgage Rates [INFOGRAPHIC],Michael Bempah

    Some Highlights If you’re looking to buy a home, you should know even a small change in mortgage rates has an impact on your purchasing power. These charts show how rates generally affect your monthly payment. The best way to navigate changing mortgage rates and make an informed buying decision is t

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  • Powerful Job Market Fuels Homebuyer Demand

    Powerful Job Market Fuels Homebuyer Demand,Michael Bempah

    The spring housing market has been surprisingly active this year. Even with affordability challenges and a limited number of homes for sale, buyer demand is strong, and getting stronger. One way we know there are interested buyers right now is because showing traffic is up. Data from the latest Show

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  • What You Need To Know About Home Price News

    What You Need To Know About Home Price News,Michael Bempah

    The National Association of Realtors (NAR) will release its latest Existing Home Sales Report tomorrow. The information it contains on home prices may cause some confusion and could even generate some troubling headlines. This all stems from the fact that NAR will report the median sales price, whil

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