Author: Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User

Thinking About Waiting for Lower Mortgage Rates? Read This First.

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 7, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, Economy, For Buyers, Forecasts, Mortgage Rates, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

Imagine waiting a year to buy a home, only to find mortgage rates haven’t changed much. That may sound frustrating.But it’s a real possibility.A lot of people are putting their plans on hold because they believe much lower mortgage rates are right around the corner. But, based on today’s forecasts, that may not happen. And you should know that before you decide what to do.Let’s look at why experts don’t expect a dramatic drop in rates – and the options that could help you buy anyway. Because even if rates don’t fall, you can still move. Here’s how.1. Mortgage...

Big Investors Are Backing Off and That’s Your Opening

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 7, 2026. Posted in First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

For years, a lot of would-be homebuyers have worried about the same thing. How do you compete with big investors who can swoop in, pay cash, and snap up the houses you want?Well, worry a little less. Because right now, those big investors aren’t buying up the market. They’re backing out of it.Investors Are Buying Fewer Homes Than They Have in YearsAccording to Redfin, investor home purchases just fell to their lowest level since 2020 – when the start of the pandemic temporarily caused pretty much all homebuying to pull way back. Before that, you’d have to go all the way...

Here’s Where To Start if You’re Selling and Buying at the Same Time

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 7, 2026. Posted in Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

If you’re a homeowner getting ready to move, one question usually comes first: should you buy your next home before you sell, or sell your current house before you start looking?There’s no single right answer. The best call depends on your finances, your local market, and your timeline. And a trusted agent can help you weigh all of it.But in a lot of cases these days, selling first puts you in the stronger spot.The Advantages of Selling FirstSelling is usually the trickier half of a move today, so getting it done first clears your biggest hurdle. And that’s especially true right...

Buying a Home? Here’s What You Should Know About Home Insurance Costs.

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 7, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, For Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

If buying a home is on your radar, you’ve probably been keeping an eye on mortgage rates and home prices. But don’t forget about homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance has always been part of owning a home. But over the past few years, it’s become a larger expense for many homeowners – something that’s especially frustrating when affordability already feels tight.The good news? While premiums are still rising, the latest data shows those increases are beginning to slow. Here’s what buyers should know.Home Insurance Costs Have Gone UpYou’ve probably heard...

Home Price Growth Slowed Down. That May Be Changing.

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 7, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Prices, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Selling Tips.

After more than a year of headlines talking about how home prices are going to crash, the latest data shows that price growth may be starting to pick back up again. And depending on whether you’re buying or selling, that shift means something different for you.The Numbers May Be Starting To TurnFor the past couple of years, home price growth has been moderating – cooling from around 7% in mid-2024, according to Redfin (see graph below). But look at the right side of that graph. The pace of that growth appears to have hit its low point and started to turn.While a couple months of data...

Selling a Luxury House? Here’s Why Now Is a Good Time

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 7, 2026. Posted in Downsize, For Sellers, Home Prices, Luxury / Vacation, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Selling Tips, Senior Market.

If you own a luxury house, you’re in a stronger spot than most sellers right now. While much of the market has cooled, the high-end tier hasn’t. Sale prices and buyer demand are both up. So if you’re considering selling, now could be a great time to make your move.Luxury Is Leading on PriceLet’s start with prices. But before we get into it – what actually counts as a luxury home? Generally, these are homes in the top 5% price range for the area, so it varies depending on where you live.But what’s interesting is that according to the latest data from Redfin, sale prices for...

The House That Started It All Could Kickstart What’s Next

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 7, 2026. Posted in Equity, For Sellers, Inventory, Move-Up, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Selling Tips.

Remember how exciting it was to buy your first place? It felt like crossing a long-awaited finish line. It gave you a place to build your life. Maybe it’s where you lived when you got married. Or where you welcomed a child or a pet into the family.But that was just the beginning.For most people, your first house was never meant to be your forever home. It’s a stepping stone for what comes next.And if your life looks different today than it did when you got the keys, you’re not stuck. Moving may be more realistic than you think.Starter Home Inventory Is Still Relatively LowIf you’ve...

Priced Out? A Condo or Townhome Could Be Your Way In.

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 7, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, Downsize, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

Today’s home prices have a lot of buyers – especially first-time buyers – wondering if there’s even anything out there that’s in their budget. But owning a home may be more within reach than you think. Sometimes, it just means considering a different type of home.Condos and townhomes can be a great way to buy without stretching every last dollar. And right now, two things make them worth a serious look.There Are More Condos and Townhomes To Choose FromMaybe you feel like there’s just nothing out there for you, and you’ve exhausted all your options. But have you considered condos or...

More Homes, Better Prices: A Buyer’s Summer

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 7, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Home Prices, Inventory, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

If you’ve thought about buying a home in the past few years, you may have run into two frustrations: asking prices that kept climbing and too few homes to choose from.In many places, both sticking points are letting up this summer, with lower asking prices and more homes for sale. Let’s look at the trends, and what they mean for your search.Sellers Are Pricing To Attract BuyersAccording to Realtor.com, the national median asking price was $430,000 in June, nearly $11,000 under what it was the year before (see graph below):That’s the eighth month in a row that the typical asking price has...

14 Years Running: Why Real Estate Is Still America’s Favorite Investment

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 7, 2026. Posted in First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Rent vs. Buy.

Quick gut reaction. Which investment do Americans trust more than stocks, gold, savings accounts, and bonds? The answer hasn’t changed in 14 years. It’s real estate. And this year, that answer comes with even more conviction behind it. New data shows people aren’t just saying homeownership is a smart move, they’re feeling better about it than they have in years. Let’s dig into why.Real Estate Takes the Top Spot – AgainEvery year, Gallup asks Americans to name the best long-term investment. And for the 14th year in a row, real estate came out on top (see graph...