Savvy. Real Estate. Matchmaking

movinggreaterboston Wishing everyone a healthy and Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 Thankful for our family, friends, and clients🧡

movinggreaterboston Bundle up for some winter fun in Snowport!❄️ See the tree, visit the Tree Market, try Curling, shop, and eat! Not to mention, has anyone seen Betty the Yeti yet?! Rent out a Curling lane for free M-F 4-9pm, Sat 12-9pm, Sun 12-8pm or learn how to curl every Saturday 2-4pm until December 19th🥌 . . . #realestateteam #realestateagents #realestatehustle #snowport #seaportboston #boston #seaport #seaporttree #curling #learntocurl #winterwonderland #winterfun #holidayfun #treelights

movinggreaterboston Just FYI @traderjoes in @assemblyrow has wreaths!... and it’s right next to the Christmas Tree Shop🎄 . . . #realestateteam #realestateagents #holidayseason #holidaydecor #assemblyrow #traderjoes #wreaths #boston #christmastreeshop

movinggreaterboston Wondering if mortgage rates will remain low next year? Here’s what the real estate industry is predicting— In 2020, buyers got a big boost in the housing market as mortgage rates dropped throughout the year. According to Freddie Mac, rates hit all-time lows 12 times this year, dipping below 3% for the first time ever while making buying a home more and more attractive as the year progressed. When you continually hear how rates are hitting record lows, you may be wondering: Are they going to keep falling? Should I wait until they get even lower? The challenge with waiting is that you can easily miss this optimal window of time and then end up paying more in the long run. Last week, mortgage rates ticked up slightly. Sam Khater, Chief Economist at Freddie Mac, explains, “Mortgage rates jumped this week as a result of positive news about a COVID-19 vaccine. Despite this rise, mortgage rates remain about a percentage point below a year ago.” While rates are still lower today than they were one year ago, as the economy continues to get stronger and the pandemic is resolved, there’s a very good chance interest rates will rise again. Several top institutions in the real estate industry are projecting an increase in mortgage rates over the next four quarters. As a buyer, you need to decide if waiting makes financial sense for you. If you’re planning to buy a home and want to take advantage of today’s low rates, now is the time to do so. Don’t assume they’re going to stay this low forever. #firsttimehomebuyer #opportunity #housingmarket #househunting #homegoals #houseshopping #housegoals #investmentproperty #emptynest #downsizing #newlisting #homeforsale #renovated #starterhome #dreamhome #curbappeal #keepingcurrentmatters #realestateteam #bostonrealestate

movinggreaterboston No Sunday scaries here🙃 There seems to be some concern that the 2020 economic downturn will lead to another foreclosure crisis like the one we experienced after the housing crash a little over a decade ago. However, there’s one major difference this time: a robust forbearance program. During the housing crash of 2006-2008, many felt homeowners should be forced to pay their mortgages despite the economic hardships they were experiencing. There was no empathy for the challenges those households were facing. This time is different. There was an immediate understanding that homeowners were faced with a challenge not of their own making. The government quickly jumped in with a mortgage forbearance program that relieved the financial burden placed on many households. The program allowed many borrowers to suspend their monthly mortgage payments until their economic condition improved. It was the right thing to do. What happens when forbearance programs expire? Some analysts are concerned many homeowners will not be able to make up the back payments once their forbearance plans expire. They’re concerned the situation will lead to an onslaught of foreclosures. The banks and the government learned from the challenges the country experienced during the housing crash. They don’t want a surge of foreclosures again. For that reason, they’ve put in place alternative ways homeowners can pay back the money owed over an extended period of time. Another major difference is that, unlike 2006-2008, today’s homeowners are sitting on a record amount of equity. That equity will enable them to sell their houses and walk away with cash instead of going through foreclosure. The differences mentioned above will be the reason we’ll avert a surge of foreclosures. As Ivy Zelman, a highly respected thought leader for housing and CEO of Zelman & Associates, said, “The likelihood of us having a foreclosure crisis again is about zero percent.” #realestate #homeownership #homebuying #realestategoals #realestatetips #realestatelife #realestatenews #realestateteam #realestateexpert #realestateadvice #keepingcurrentmatters

movinggreaterboston We found some unique door knockers in Beacon Hill —What’s your style? . . . #realestateteam #realestateagents #realestatehustle #curbappeal #beaconhill #boston #doorknockers #bostonrealestate

movinggreaterboston Mortgage rates are low and home inventory is low, making negotiations more favorable for sellers. Here’s what the real estate community is saying about this winter⛄️ Despite real estate experiencing great strength this year, one challenge for the housing industry heading into the winter is the dwindling number of homes available for sale. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors (NAR), recently said, "There is no shortage of hopeful, potential buyers, but inventory is historically low.” In addition, Danielle Hale, Chief Economist for realtor.com, notes, “Fewer new sellers coming to market while a greater than usual number of buyers continue to search for a home causes inventory to continue to evaporate.” One major indicator the industry uses to measure housing supply is the months’ supply of inventory. According to NAR, “Months’ supply refers to the number of months it would take for the current inventory of homes on the market to sell given the current sales pace.” Historically, six months of supply is considered a normal real estate market. Going into the pandemic, inventory was already well below this mark. As the year progressed, the supply has was reduced even further. What does this mean if you’re a buyer? Be patient during your home search. It may take time to find a home you love. Once you do, be ready to move forward quickly. Get pre-approved for a mortgage, be prepared to make a competitive offer from the start, and understand how the shortage in inventory has led to more bidding wars. What does this mean if you’re a seller? Realize that, in some ways, you’re in the driver’s seat. When there’s a shortage of an item at the same time there’s a strong demand for it, the seller is in a good position to negotiate. Do not be unreasonable, but understand you probably have the upper hand. The housing market will remain strong throughout the winter and heading into the spring. DM us to learn more about what that means for you, whether you’re buying, selling, or doing both. #homeownership #realestatetips #realestatelife #realestatenews #realestateagent #realestateexpert #realestateteam

movinggreaterboston Who’s working from home still?👨‍💻 If you’ve been working from home this year, chances are you’ve been at it a little longer than you initially expected. Businesses all over the country have figured out how to operate remotely to keep their employees healthy, safe, and productive. For many, it may be carrying into next year, and possibly beyond. While the pandemic continues, Americans are re-evaluating their homes, floorplans, locations, needs, and more. Some need more space, while others need less. Whether you’re renting or own your home, if remote work is part of your future, you may be thinking about moving, especially while today’s mortgage rates are so low. A recent study from Upwork notes: “Anywhere from 14 to 23 million Americans are planning to move as a result of remote work.” To put this into perspective, last year, 6 million homes were sold in the U.S. This means roughly 2 – 4X as many people are considering moving now, and there’s a direct connection to their ability to work from home. In fact, almost half of the people who are citing working from home as their primary reason for making a move are willing to look for a home more than 4 hours away from where they live now. In some cases, moving a little further away from your current location might mean you can get more home for your money. If you have the opportunity to work remotely, you may have more options available by expanding your search. Upwork also indicates, of those surveyed: “People are seeking less expensive housing: Altogether, more than half (52.5%) are planning to move to a house that is significantly more affordable than their current home.” Whether you can eliminate your daily commute to the office, or you simply need more space to work from home, your plans may be changing. If that’s the case, DM us to assess your evolving needs and determine your path together. #expertanswers #stayinformed #staycurrent #powerfuldecisions #confidentdecisions #realestate #homevalues #homeownership #homebuying #realestategoals #realestatetips #realestatelife #realestatenews #realestateteam #realestateexperts #realestateadvice #realestateblog #realestatemarket

movinggreaterboston Winter is coming…. and it will bring a flurry of activity to the housing market! In the second-half of this year, the housing market surged with activity. Today, real estate experts are looking ahead to the winter season and the forecast is anything but chilly. As Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors (NAR), notes, “It will be one of the best winter sales years ever.” The typical winter slowdown in the housing market is simply not on the radar. Here’s why. While today’s historically low mortgage rates are expected to remain low, they won’t be this low for much longer. This could be the last chance for homebuyers to secure such low rate, and they’re ready to take action. In a recent article, Bankrate explained, “If you’re looking to buy a home…expect mortgage rates to remain low into 2021. However, the possibility of rates falling to 2.5 percent or lower has faded as the U.S. economy has rebounded.” As long as we continue to see low interest rates, we’ll see hopeful buyers on the hunt for their dream homes. Yun confirmed, “The demand for home buying remains super strong.” The challenge, however, is the lack of homes available for sale. With that in mind, all eyes are on homeowners to see if they’ll sell this winter or wait until spring. Danielle Hale, Chief Economist for realtor.com, says it’s best for sellers to capitalize on this moment sooner rather than later. “We currently see buyers sticking around in the housing market much later than we usually do this fall. If that trend continues, we will see more buyers in the market this winter, too. So, this winter is likely to be a good time to sell.” Experts agree, the winter housing market could potentially be bigger than ever. Whether you’re ready to buy or sell, DM us today so you can be in your dream home by the new year. #realestate #homeownership #homebuying #realestategoals #realestatetips #realestatelife #realestatenews #realestateagent #realestateexpert #realestateagency #realestateadvice #realestateblog #realestatemarket #realestateexperts #realestateteam #realestatetipsoftheday #realestatetipsandadvice #keepingcurrentmatters

movinggreaterboston How perfect is this sun filled condo?! New to market for under 500k! DM @jvrealestate_ for showings at 195 South Street in JP! 2 🛏 1 🛁 🚉 walking distance from T 🖥 2nd bedroom can be used as a WFH office space -shared back deck -open-concept -hardwood floors -Includes 1 off-street parking spot with option to rent a 2nd $450,000 . . . . #realestateteam #realestateagents #realestatehustle #newlisting #jamaicaplainrealestate #bostonrealestate #jamaicaplain #boston #hardwoodfloors #homeoffice #condo #condoforsale #firsttimebuyer #investmentproperty

movinggreaterboston Price reduction at 10 Olive Avenue in Somerville which makes this a huge opportunity to invest in! 3400 sq ft lot now $890k! DM us for any questions. . . . . #realestateteam #realestateagents #realestatehustle #propertyinvestment #propertydevelopment #propertyopportunity #somerville #somervillerealestate #bostonrealestate

movinggreaterboston For years, real estate has been considered the best investment you can make. A major reason for this is due to the net worth a household gains through homeownership. In fact, according to the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finance Data from the Federal Reserve, for the average homeowner, “…a primary home accounts for 90% of the total wealth of a family in the U.S.” Most large purchases, like cars and appliances, depreciate in value as they age, so it’s understandable to question how owning a home can increase wealth over time. In a simple equation, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) explains how the combination of paying your mortgage and home price appreciation grow overall wealth: Principal Payments + Price Appreciation Gains = Housing Wealth Gain. As home values increase and you make payments toward your home loan, you’ll gain wealth through equity. The same article from NAR also addresses how wealth gains tend to play out over time, stating, “Housing wealth accumulation takes time and is built up by paying off the mortgage debt and by price appreciation. And while home prices can fall, home prices tend to recover and go up over the longer term. As of September 2020, the median sales price of existing home sales was $311,800, a 35% gain since July 2006 when prices peaked at $230,000.” Taking a look at how equity has grown for the typical homeowner, it’s clear to see how real estate is a sound long-term investment. NAR notes, “Nationally, a person who purchased a typical home 30 years ago would have typically gained about $283,000 as of the second quarter of 2020.” Whether you’re a current homeowner planning to put your equity toward a new home or have hopes of buying your first home soon, homeownership will always be a great opportunity to build your net worth and overall wealth. Owning a home is truly an investment in your financial future. #realestate #wealth #homeownership #homebuying #realestategoals #realestatetips #realestatelife #realestatenews #realestateagent #realestateexpert #realestateagency #realestateadvice #realestateblog #realestatemarket #realestateexperts #realestateagents #realestatetipsandadvice #keepingcurrentmatters #realestateteam