Keys to the Market

Unlocking Insights, One Door at a Time

Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Expect the Unexpected: Anticipating Volatility in Today’s Housing Market

Today's housing market exhibits notable volatility, driven by economic reports, Federal Reserve decisions, and geopolitical events, impacting mortgage rates and home prices. Engaging with a professional agent can provide essential guidance through market fluctuations, ensuring informed decisions whether buying or selling.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Is a Fixer Upper Right for You?

Considering a fixer upper could open the door to homeownership, especially in a tight market. These homes, needing varying degrees of repair, often come at lower costs, offering a unique opportunity to create value by customizing and upgrading over time. Essential tips include focusing on location, budgeting for unexpected costs, prioritizing repairs, and getting a thorough home inspection to ensure the investment is sound.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Q&A: How Do Presidential Elections Impact the Housing Market?

Even if you’re not looking to move right away, you may have questions about how the election will impact the housing market. When we look at historical trends, combined with what’s happening right now, we can find your answers. Based on historical data, mortgage rates decrease in the months before and home prices and sales increase the year after the election. The facts show Presidential elections only have a small and temporary impact on the housing market.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

How Real Estate Agents Take the Fear Out of Moving

Real estate agents play a crucial role in alleviating the fears associated with moving by providing expertise, debunking misleading market information, guiding clients through each step, advocating for their interests, and solving unexpected problems. This support turns the moving process into a more manageable and enjoyable experience.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Avoid These Top Homebuyer Mistakes in Today’s Market

No one likes making mistakes, especially when they happen in what's likely the biggest transaction of your life -- buying a home.

Here's a sneak peek at the most common missteps buyers are making in today's market and how a great agent will help you steer clear of each one.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Why Home Sales Bounce Back After Presidential Elections

Election years typically see a slight dip in home sales due to uncertainty, with many buyers pausing major decisions. Historically, the market rebounds strongly post-election, with projections for 2025 suggesting a significant increase in home sales, continuing past trends.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Debunking Scary Myths About Buying a Home

There are a number of scary myths about homebuying in today's market. Here's what you need to know. Prices are not expected to crash, it is possible to buy even with student loan debt, and there are programs that can help you save for a down payment. Don't let scary myths delay your homebuying plans. Let's connect so you have a pro to help you separate the facts from your fears.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Why Today’s Foreclosure Numbers Won’t Trigger a Crash

Current foreclosure numbers are low compared to historical data, and nowhere near the rates seen in the 2008 housing crisis. The rise in foreclosure filings since 2020 reflects the end of pandemic-era moratoriums rather than a market decline. Today's homeowners typically have substantial equity, providing a buffer against foreclosure. This equity allows many to sell rather than lose their homes to foreclosure, ensuring the market remains stable despite economic pressures.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

How Long Will It Take To Sell Your House?

Understanding how long it will take to sell your house depends on various factors including local market conditions. Currently, homes are staying on the market slightly longer due to an increase in inventory, averaging about 55 days to close. However, this is still faster than the pre-pandemic norm of over 60 days. Working with a knowledgeable local real estate agent can help optimize your selling strategy, ensuring your home stands out in a competitive market. They can guide you on pricing, staging, and marketing to attract buyers quickly and effectively.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Planning To Sell Your House in 2025? Start Prepping Now

If you're planning to sell your house in 2025, starting preparations now is crucial. Early preparation allows you to tackle necessary repairs and updates one at a time, ensuring your home is market-ready by year-end. Key areas to focus on include making essential repairs, decluttering, and considering value-adding updates. Partnering with a local real estate agent is vital; they can provide insights into which improvements are most impactful in your specific market, helping your home sell quickly and for a higher price.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Mortgage Rates and Home Prices Forecast for 2025: What to Expect

Experts predict a promising outlook for the housing market in 2025, with mortgage rates expected to ease and home prices projected to rise moderately. This trend suggests improving affordability and a balanced market, encouraging both buyers and sellers to engage more actively. As mortgage rates potentially lower, demand from buyers could increase, which in turn might lead to a slight rise in home prices, although at a more sustainable pace than previous years. Understanding these trends, especially in your local area, will be crucial for making informed decisions in the real estate market.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Why Buying Now Is Worth It

You may be torn between buying a home now or waiting. But don't forget to factor in the equity you'll gain as prices rise. Experts forecast prices will climb over the next 5 years -- and based on those forecasts, you could gain about $90k in equity in that time. So, you could wait, but you'll miss out on a lot of equity if you do. If you're ready and able to buy, let's connect so you can start growing your wealth now.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Why Did More People Decide To Sell Their Homes Recently?

In a break from the usual seasonal trend, the number of homes listed for sale in September rose by 11.6% compared to last year, driven by a mid-August dip in mortgage rates. This uptick in listings provides potential homebuyers with more options and indicates a shift influenced by recent mortgage rate fluctuations. As rates continue to impact market dynamics, buyers have a unique opportunity to find diverse housing options this fall.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

The Benefits of Using Your Equity To Make a Bigger Down Payment

Leverage your home equity to enhance your next home purchase! With home equity at all-time highs, learn how using it for a larger down payment can decrease your borrowing amount, reduce monthly payments, and possibly eliminate PMI. Discover the financial benefits of a substantial down payment and see how you can save more in the long run.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Unlocking Homeownership: Why a Condo is an Ideal First Home

An agent is crucial when buying a new home. They ensure you get a fair deal, navigate complex contracts, and coordinate inspections. Agents advocate for your interests, not the builder's, helping you understand market trends and builder reputations, and can often secure better terms and incentives.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Why a Condo Could Be Your Perfect First Home

Considering your first home purchase? Discover why a condo might be the perfect choice for you. With a lower entry cost, built-in amenities, and less maintenance, condos offer a smart way to build equity and enjoy homeownership. Learn about the rising popularity of condos and townhomes and explore how this could be your gateway to the real estate market.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Buying Beats Renting in These Top Cities

Based on a recent study, in 22 of the top 50 metros, the monthly mortgage payment is lower than the rent payment. Make sure you work with a pro who can help you crunch the numbers and see how your city stacks up. This may be your opportunity to forget renting for good. If you want to see which option makes the most sense in our area, let's do the math together.

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

How Much Does It Cost To Sell My House?

If you’re toying with the idea of selling your house, you’re probably wondering how much it’ll cost. To be honest, the final number will depend on several factors like the offer you accept, if you help with your buyer’s closing costs, how many repairs you tackle, and more. So, to give you a ballpark of what to expect, here’s some information on a few of the expenses you’ll want to be ready for

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Chris Fosgate Chris Fosgate

Two Reasons Why the Housing Market Won’t Crash

Amid concerns about the economy and whispers of a recession, fears of a housing market crash might be looming. However, this article explains why the current real estate market conditions are vastly different from those that led to the 2008 crash. Discover two major reasons—strong demand against low supply, and low unemployment rates—that support a stable housing market unlikely to see a crash anytime soon. Dive into expert insights and data-driven analysis to understand why the housing market remains robust despite economic uncertainties.

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