Wednesday, April 9, 2025 / by Vic Markarian
Retirement isn’t just a milestone. It's the beginning of something really special. After years of hard work, it’s finally time to slow down, explore new passions, and live life on your own terms.
But with this exciting chapter comes some big choices. And one of the biggest is this: does your current home still make sense for the lifestyle (and budget) you want in this next phase of life?
That’s an especially important question right now. Just in the past five years, the cost of living has jumped by 23% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That’s based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is how changes are tracked in the average price consumers pay for goods and services (see graph below):
When you’re thinking about how to make your retirement savings last, those rising expenses matter. And if you’ve started to wonder whether your money will stretch as far as you need it to go, don’t worry. You may have more control tha ...
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Thursday, April 3, 2025 / by Vic Markarian
When you put your house on the market, you want to sell it quickly and for the best price possible; that's generally the goal. But too many sellers are shooting too high right now. They don’t realize the market has shifted as inventory has grown. The side effect? Price cuts are on the rise, but they really don’t have to be. Here’s why.
According to data from Realtor.com, in February, price cuts were the highest they’ve been in any other February since 2019 (see graph below):
If you consider that 2019 was the last true normal year for the housing market – that's a big deal. We’re getting back to what’s typical for the market.
This isn’t the same frenzied seller’s market we saw a few years ago. You may not get the same price your neighbor did at the height of the pandemic. And that means you may need to reset your expectations.
Because here’s the reality. If you shoot too high and have to lower your price after the fa ...
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Thursday, February 27, 2025 / by Vic Markarian
Over the past few years, you’ve probably seen a whole lot of headlines about how home prices keep going up. But have you ever stopped to think about what that actually means for your home?
Home prices have risen dramatically over the past five years — far more than usual. And if selling has been on your mind, this could mean a bigger-than-expected payday when you list. So, how much has your home’s value really changed? Let’s break it down.
The Rapid Rise of the Past 5 Years
Typically, home prices go up by about 2-5% a year. But in 2021-2022, there were double-digit increases. And at the peak, prices rose by a staggering 20% or more nationally. Why? There were way more buyers than homes available, which sent prices soaring. While things have normalized since then, you still get to reap the benefits of those massive increases.
Your house has gained way more value than it normally would in such a short period of time – and that k ...
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Thursday, February 20, 2025 / by Vic Markarian
For the past few years, it’s been mostly a seller’s market. But dynamics are shifting as the number of homes for sale grows. And that means that the market is balancing out a bit. As a result, some sellers are finding they need to be more flexible to close a deal. One strategy that can help? Offering concessions.
As the National Association of Realtors (NAR) explains:
“As home inventory begins to grow and buyers regain some advantage in the market, sellers may consider offering more in negotiations to make the deal more attractive and get to the closing table.”
What Are Seller Concessions?
Concessions are homebuying costs that a seller agrees to cover as a way to get their house sold. And based on data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), nearly 1 out of every 4 sellers (24%) offered a concession in 2024. Here are a few of the most common types of concessions:
Covering Closing Costs: The seller pays for part ...
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Thursday, February 6, 2025 / by Vic Markarian
If you want to sell your house, having the right strategies and expectations is key. But some sellers haven’t adjusted to where the market is today. They’re not factoring in that there are more homes for sale or that buyers are being more selective with their budgets. And those sellers are making some costly mistakes.
Here’s a quick rundown of the 3 most common missteps sellers are making, and how partnering with an expert agent can help you avoid every single one of them.
1. Pricing the Home Too High
According to a survey by John Burns Real Estate Consulting (JBREC) and Keeping Current Matters (KCM), real estate agents agree the #1 thing sellers struggle with right now is setting the right price for their house (see graph below):
And more often than not, homeowners tend to overprice their listings. If you aren’t up to speed on what’s happening in your local market, you may give in to the temptation to price high so you can have a ...
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