by Karen Williams-deCastro- Realtor®, C2EX, RSPS, GRI, SRS, ABR, SFR, AHWD

 

There are so many REALTOR®'s and Real Estate Agents out there, that it can be difficult to decide who to choose when you decide to purchase a home. It needs to be someone:

  • that you can trust has YOUR best interest at heart;
  • who LISTENS when you talk;
  • patiently takes you through the steps of purchasing your home;
  • who knows the market and knows what is available in it;
  • who puts your needs far ahead of theirs;
  • and more.

When you work with an Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) designee (like myself), they can help you find the right property, navigate negotiations, inspections, paperwork, and more.

Click here to learn how an ABR® can be…

432 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

by Karen Williams-deCastro- Realtor®, C2EX, RSPS, GRI, SRS, ABR, SFR, AHWD

According to the FBI, more than one million burglaries are committed in the United States each year, with victims suffering an estimated $3 billion in combined property losses.1 Fortunately, there are some proven tactics you can use to decrease your likelihood of a home invasion.

Most burglars won’t go to extreme lengths to enter a residence. They are looking for easy access with minimal risk. A monitored security system can be an effective deterrent—homes without one are 300% more likely to be burglarized—but it isn’t the only way to protect your property.2 The strategies below can help to maximize your home’s security and minimize your chances of being targeted by…

596 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

 

by Karen Williams-deCastro- Realtor®, C2EX, RSPS, GRI, SRS, ABR, SFR, AHWD

Selling your home when you still need to shop for a new one can feel daunting to even the most seasoned homeowner––especially when the demand for new homes keeps rising, but the supply feels like it's dwindling.¹ You're not alone either if you're already feeling drained by the complex logistics of trying to sell and buy a new home all at once.

 

Searching for a new home can be exciting, but many homebuyers admit that it can also be stressful, especially if you live in an unpredictable market with plenty of competitors. Unfortunately, waiting out a competitive housing market isn’t always the best idea either since listings are expected to remain limited in the most…

517 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

By: Karen Williams-deCastro- Realtor®, C2EX, RSPS, GRI, SRS, ABR, SFR, AHWD

 

It’s the old supply-and-demand predicament: Home sales in the U.S. continue at a torrid pace, but the availability of listings remains limited. Buoyed by historically low mortgage rates, buyers keep shopping for homes, reducing the available inventory and sparking a rise in home prices across the country.

 

News website The Atlantic summarized the sizzling home market this way:

 

“Pick a housing statistic at random, and it’s probably setting an all-time record. Home prices: record high. Inventory: record low. Percentage of homes selling above asking price: record high. Average time on market: record low.”¹

 

Meanwhile, homebuilders are contending with…

683 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

 By: Karen Williams-deCastro- Realtor®, C2EX, RSPS, GRI, SRS, ABR, SFR, AHWD

 

If you’re searching for drama, don’t limit yourself to Netflix. Instead, tune in to the real estate market, where the competition among buyers has never been fiercer. And with homes selling for record highs,1 the appraisal process—historically a standard part of a home purchase—is receiving more attention than ever.

 

That’s because some sellers are finding out the hard way that a strong offer can fizzle quickly when an appraisal comes in below the contract price. Traditionally, the sale of a home is contingent on a satisfactory valuation. But in a rapidly appreciating market, it can be difficult for appraisals to keep pace with rising prices.

 

Thus, many…

698 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

By Karen Williams-deCastro, REALTOR®, C2EX, RSPS, GRI, SRS, ABR, SFR, AHWD, YPN

Here is your Market Update for May. The first week of every month, check my blog for the update. 

Feel free to connect with me with any questions, or if you are looking to buy or sell Real Estate. 

692 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

By Karen Williams-deCastro, REALTOR®, C2EX, RSPS, GRI, SRS, ABR, SFR, AHWD, YPN

Here is your Market Update for May. The first week of every month, check my blog for the update. 

Feel free to connect with me with any questions, or if you are looking to buy or sell Real Estate. 

355 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

 by Karen Williams-deCastro- Realtor®, C2EX, RSPS, GRI, SRS, ABR, SFR, AHWD

Learn how to determine your current net worth and how an investment in real estate can help improve your bottom line.

 

Among its many impacts, COVID-19 has had a pronounced effect on the housing market. Low home inventory and high buyer demand have driven home prices to an all-time high.1 This has given an unexpected financial boost to many homeowners during a challenging time. However, for some renters, rising home prices are making dreams of homeownership feel further out of reach.

 

If you’re a homeowner, it’s important for you to understand how your home’s value contributes to your overall net worth. If you’re a renter, now is the time for you to figure out…

504 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

 by Karen Williams-deCastro- Realtor®, C2EX, RSPS, GRI, SRS, ABR, SFR

Imagine the first place you lived as a young adult. Now imagine trying to fit your life today into that space. Not pretty, right? 

For most of us, our housing needs are cyclical.1 A newly independent adult can find freedom and flexibility in even a tiny apartment. That same space, to a growing family, would feel stifling. For empty nesters, a large home with several unused bedrooms can become impractical to heat and clean. It’s no surprise that life transitions often trigger a home purchase. 

While your home-buying journey may not look like your neighbor’s or friend’s, broad trends can help you understand what to keep in mind as you house hunt. No one wants to regret their…

843 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

 

Today’s real estate market is one of the fastest-moving in recent memory. With record-low inventory in many market segments, we’re seeing multiple offers—and sometimes even bidding wars—for homes in the most sought-after neighborhoods. This has led some sellers to question the need for an agent. After all, why spend money on a listing agent when it seems that you can stick a For Sale sign in the yard then watch a line form around the block?

 

Some buyers may also believe they’d be better off purchasing a property without an agent. For those seeking a competitive edge, proceeding without a buyer’s agent may seem like a good way to stand out from the competition—and maybe even score a discount. Since the seller pays the buyer agent’s…

807 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post