From Frenzy to Breathing Room: Buyers Finally Have Time Again

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on September 1, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

If you tried to buy a home a few years ago, you probably still remember the frenzy. Homes were listed one day and gone the next. Sometimes it only took hours. You had to drop everything to go and see the house, and if you hesitated even slightly, someone else swooped in and bought it – sometimes even sight unseen.That kind of intensity pushed a lot of buyers to the sidelines. It was stressful, chaotic, and for many, really discouraging.But here’s what you need to know: those days are behind us.Today’s market is moving slower, in the best possible way. And that’s creating more opportunity...

Condos Could Be a Win for Today’s Buyers

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on September 1, 2025. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, Downsize, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Home Prices, Inventory, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

Not every homebuyer wants the biggest house on the block. Some want something simpler, more affordable, and easier to maintain, especially in a market where every dollar counts. That’s where condos come in.For first-time buyers, they can be a smart way to get into homeownership without stretching your budget. For downsizers, they offer less space to maintain with the flexibility to stay in a great location.And right now, condos are one of the most buyer-friendly parts of the market.Condo Inventory Is Up, And That Means More ChoiceAccording to the National Association of Realtors (NAR),...

More Contracts Are Falling Through. Here’s How To Get Ahead.

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on September 1, 2025. Posted in For Sellers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Selling Tips.

When you sell a house, the last thing you want is for the deal to fall apart right before closing. But according to the latest data from Redfin, that’s happening a bit more often lately. The good news is, it’s completely avoidable if you lean on an agent for insight into why that is and how to avoid it happening to you.This June, 15% of pending home sales fell through. That means those buyers backed out of their contracts. That’s not too much higher than the norm of roughly 12% from 2017-2019, but it’s still an increase. And it’s one you don’t want to have to deal with. The key to avoiding...

Is It Better To Buy Now or Wait for Lower Mortgage Rates? Here’s the Tradeoff

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on September 1, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, Mortgage Rates, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

Mortgage rates are still a hot topic – and for good reason. After the most recent jobs report came out weaker than expected, the bond market reacted almost instantly. And, as a result, in early August mortgage rates dropped to their lowest point so far this year (6.55%).While that may not sound like a big deal, pretty much every buyer has been waiting for rates to fall. And even a seemingly small drop like this reignites the hope we’re finally going to see rates trending down. But what’s realistic to expect?According to the latest forecasts, rates aren’t expected to fall dramatically...

Are These Myths About Buying a Newly Built Home Holding You Back?

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on September 1, 2025. Posted in Affordability, Agent Value, For Buyers, New Construction, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

If you’ve been skipping over newly built homes in your search, you might be doing so based on outdated assumptions. Let’s clear up a few of the most common myths, so you don’t miss out on a solid opportunity.Myth 1: New Homes Are More ExpensiveIt’s easy to assume a new build will cost more than an existing home, but that’s not necessarily true, especially right now.Data from Census and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows the median price of a newly built home today is actually lower than a home that’s been lived in already (an existing home):So, why’s this happening? As Heather...

What You Need To Know About Concessions

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on September 1, 2025. Posted in For Sellers, Infographics, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Selling Tips.

Some HighlightsNow that there are more homes for sale, buyers have more options. And sellers need to be more flexible to close the deal.That’s why almost half of homeowners are making some type of concession. This can include covering closing costs, paying for repairs, or dropping the price.Not sure which concessions to offer? Connect with a local agent so you know what’s working for sellers in your market.

Online Home-Buying Search Terms Recently Hit 2-Year High

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on September 1, 2025. Posted in For Sellers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

Believe it or not, there are clear signs buyer interest is heating up again.Let’s talk about what’s really going on behind the scenes, and why the housing market might not be as quiet out there as it seems. Buyers Are Looking, and Search Trends Prove ItOne of the clearest ways to measure what people are thinking about is to look at what they’re searching for online. And according to Google Trends, searches for phrases like “home for sale” have been climbing steadily this year.The graph below shows an index of two common homebuyer search phrases and how popular they were on Google over the...

The 3 Things You Risk by Pricing Too High

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 1, 2025. Posted in Agent Value, For Sellers, Home Prices, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage, Selling Tips.

When selling your house, the price you choose isn’t just a number, it’s a strategy. And in today’s market, that strategy needs to be sharp.The number of homes for sale is climbing. And that means buyers have more choices and can be more selective. If your price doesn’t line up with what else is out there, they’ll scroll right past it and go on to the next one.Pricing right from the start is your best move – and a great agent can help make sure you do.Overpricing Comes at a CostAnd more sellers are finding that out the hard way. They list their house based on how things were a year ago...

What Credit Score Do You Really Need To Buy a Home?

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 1, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

According to Fannie Mae, 90% of buyers don’t actually know what credit score lenders are looking for, or they overestimate the minimum needed.Let that sink in. That means most homebuyers think they need better credit than they actually do – and maybe you’re one of them. And that could make you think buying a home is out of reach for you right now, even if that’s not necessarily true. So, let’s look at what the data really says about credit scores and homebuying.There’s No One Magic NumberThere’s no universal credit score you absolutely have to have when buying a home. And that means there’s...

Home Price Forecasts for the Second Half of 2025

Written by Palm Harbor FL Mortgage Syndicated User on August 1, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Forecasts, Home Prices, Infographics, Palm Harbor FL Mortgage, Palm Harbor Mortgage.

Some HighlightsWith all the headlines circulating recently, you may be wondering what’s next for home prices? Here’s what the expert forecasts say.Home prices are still forecast to rise nationally this year, just at a much slower pace. But price trends are going to vary by area.To have a quick conversation about what’s happening in your local market, connect with a real estate agent.

Tag: #palmharbormortgage