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Buyer & Seller Tips • Real Estate News • Market Trends

Don’t wait for the ‘perfect’ mortgage rate

April 28, 2026 by Russ

Mortgage rates have been easing since late March, and that means more buyers will come back into the market. While it’s tempting to wait for rates to drop further, the reality is they move unpredictably — and small changes rarely make a big difference in affordability.

Waiting can actually cost more. As rates fall, buyer demand increases, leading to more competition, fewer homes, and potentially higher prices. A slightly lower rate won’t help if the home you want becomes more expensive or unavailable.

The smarter approach is to focus on readiness. If your finances are in place and you’ve found the right home, locking a rate gives you certainty and allows you to move forward with confidence. And if rates drop later, refinancing is always an option. Plus, there’s plenty of inventory right now, so it’s a good time to find most of what’s on your home buying checklist.

Bottom line: don’t try to time the market — be ready to act when the opportunity is right.

Filed Under: Market Trends, Tips for Home Buyers Tagged With: Interest Rates

Real estate is still the best long-term investment

July 2, 2024 by Russ

With all the headlines circulating about home prices and mortgage rates, you may be asking yourself if it still makes sense to buy a home right now, or if it’s better to keep renting. Here’s some information that could help put your mind at ease by showing that investing in a home is still a powerful decision.

According to the experts at Gallup, real estate has been crowned the top long-term investment for a whopping 12 years in a row. It has consistently beat out other investment types like gold, stocks, and bonds. Just take a look at the graph below – it speaks volumes:Continue Reading

Filed Under: Home Ownership, Market Trends Tagged With: Home Equity, Home Prices, Interest Rates, Investing

It’s official: No asphalt plant near Quail Creek

April 25, 2024 by Russ

It was standing room only at Wednesday night’s Sahuarita Town Council meeting as opponents of a proposed hot-mix asphalt plant got the news they’ve been waiting 15 months to hear: Vulcan Materials has dropped its bid for the plant a half-mile north of Quail Creek.

The council made it official in a unanimous vote on a resolution that allows Vulcan to continue its mining operation while agreeing it will not now or in the future seek to put any type of asphalt plant on the site.

The agreement, which takes effect in 30 days, stays with the land, meaning if Vulcan sells the property the new owner would also not be allowed to operate an asphalt plant.

Via: Green Valley News

Filed Under: Quail Creek

Thanksgiving 2023 at Quail Creek

November 28, 2023 by Russ

Feast your eyes on the 2023 Thanksgiving buffet at Quail Creek! Thanks to Chef Aris and his culinary crew for creating such a sumptuous feast!

Video courtesy the Quail Creek Activities Department.

Filed Under: Quail Creek Tagged With: Activities & Events, Thanksgiving

Why homeowners are thankful they own

November 23, 2023 by Russ

Countless people have set out on the exciting journey of homeownership. Ask around and you’ll find the vast majority are thankful they took the leap and bought a home. But why? It’s because of the many emotional and lifestyle benefits that come with being a homeowner.

So, if you’re trying to decide if you want to rent or buy a home, here are just a few of the many benefits you could look forward to if you buy.

It’s a Safe Haven

Owning a home goes beyond just having a roof over your head. It provides a sense of security and safety. In fact, in a survey from Fannie Mae, respondents say “having a sense of privacy and security” is one of the top reasons homeownership is preferred to renting. And in a different Fannie Mae survey, “living in a place where you and your family feels safe” is another one of the top benefits of homeownership.

Your home is a place where you can truly relax and unwind. Knowing that you have a sanctuary to return to at the end of the day is a great source of comfort.

It’s a Canvas for Self-Expression

For many homeowners, their home is a reflection of who they are. From the color of the front door to the art hanging on the walls, every detail contributes to a unique expression of personal style. Put simply, owning a home gives you the freedom to make changes and improvements that resonate with your personality.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Home Ownership Tagged With: Thanksgiving

Is your house on a Buyer’s Wish List this holiday season?

November 20, 2023 by Russ

Is your house on a Buyer’s Wish List this holiday season?

This time every year, homeowners who are planning to move have a decision to make: sell now or wait until after the holidays? Some sellers with homes already on the market may even remove their listing until the new year.

But the truth is, many buyers want to purchase a home for the holidays, and your house might be just what they’re looking for.

“ While a majority of people take a step back from the real estate market during the holiday months, you may find when the temperature drops, your potential for a great real estate deal starts to rise,” according to Fortune Builders.

To help prove that point, here are four reasons you shouldn’t wait to sell your house.

1. The desire to own a home doesn’t stop during the holidays. While a few buyers might opt to delay their moving plans until January, others may need to move now because something in their life has changed. The buyers who look for homes at this time of year are usually motivated to make their move happen and are eager to buy.

“Anyone shopping for a new home between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is likely going to be a serious buyer,” reports Investopedia. “Putting your home on the market at this time of year and attracting a serious buyer can often result in a quicker sale.”
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Market Trends, Tips for Home Sellers

3 myths that are hurting home buyers and sellers

July 15, 2023 by Russ

There’s no denying that it’s a tough market, with challenges for both buyers and sellers. But myths and misconceptions floating around about this market and what’s going to happen next aren’t making things any easier.

So what, exactly, are those myths and misconceptions, and why are they incorrect? Here are some of the common myths in today’s housing market that are hurting both buyers and sellers, including:

Myth 1: Owners with low mortgage rates will never sell.

Many buyers that purchased a home a few years ago locked in record low interest rates on their mortgages. And with interest rates significantly higher today, there’s a belief that those homeowners will never give up their low interest rates and sell. But the truth is, there are a ton of life circumstances that could force a person to list and sell their home — like a new job, growing family, or change in their financial situation — no matter what kind of interest rate they have on their mortgage.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Market Trends Tagged With: Home Equity, Home Prices, Interest Rates

3 things to know about home equity

June 23, 2023 by Russ

3 things 3 things to know about home equity

How much home equity you’ve built will directly impact how much cash (if any) you’ll walk away with when you sell your home. But what, exactly, is home equity? Why is it important? And how much equity should you build before you put your home on the market? Here are three important facts about equity that every buyer and seller should know:

1. What is home equity? Home equity is the difference between the market value of your home, and how much you currently owe on your mortgage. In other words, if you were to sell your home, it’s the amount of money you would have after paying off your mortgage.

2. Why is building equity in your home important? Equity is important because it determines how much money you will be left with after you sell your home and pay off your mortgage, and any sale related expenses. Home equity is also an asset; you can use it to finance other investments, or to make a down payment on a second home. It’s also a large source of many peoples’ overall net worth.

3. How much equity should you have in your home before you sell? While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, ideally, you should aim to have at least 20 percent equity in your home before you sell. And while your equity can fluctuate based on a variety of factors — like market conditions, refinancing your loan and taking cash out against the equity, or opening a home equity line of credit — generally speaking, the longer you’re in your home, the more equity you’ll build, and the more you’ll potentially profit if and when you do sell.

Filed Under: Home Ownership Tagged With: Home Equity

Selling your home? Put these tasks on your ‘to-do list’

June 13, 2023 by Russ

Selling? Put these tasks are on your to-do list;

Getting ready to sell your home can feel like a whirlwind. There are so many things to do, and while you’re likely to check all the major tasks off your to-do list — like cleaning and getting your listing photos taken — there are some smaller tasks that might fall through the cracks. But those small to-do’s can actually make a big difference in your home sale, so it’s important not to forget them. For example:

Account for improvements and issues. If you’ve made any improvements to your home (like installing a new roof or HVAC) or had to fix any issues (like like a clogged sewer line), make sure to list them all out. When you sell your home, it’s important to disclose those things to the buyer; not only will the improvements make them feel better about their home purchase, but disclosing the issues — and how you fixed them — can help you avoid potential liability after the sale.

Make sure the doorbell rings. If you don’t use your doorbell regularly, do a quick check and make sure it’s functional and that it actually rings when someone uses it. Most buyers (or at least their agents) will press the doorbell before just walking into the house, and if it’s not working, it could make them think that other things in the house won’t work either. (Not the best first impression!)

Clarify what items are not included. Technically, anything that is bolted to the walls or ceiling is included in the home purchase, unless the contract states otherwise. As such, you want to be crystal clear from the get-go about what’s not included in your listing; otherwise, a potential buyer might fall in love with your custom chandelier, and might walk away from the deal when they find out you’re taking your light fixture with you to your new home.

And, of course, it should go without mentioning, but there’s no substitute for a good, thorough cleaning to create an aroma that will appeal to any and all buyers.

Filed Under: Tips for Home Sellers

Are home prices going up or down? That depends…

June 12, 2023 by Russ

Media coverage about what’s happening with home prices can be confusing. A large part of that is due to the type of data being used and what they’re choosing to draw attention to. For home prices, there are two different methods used to compare home prices over different time periods: year-over-year (Y-O-Y) and month-over-month (M-O-M). Here’s an explanation of each, and why it’s important to consider the differences:

Year-over-Year (Y-O-Y):

This comparison measures the change in home prices from the same month or quarter in the previous year. For example, if you’re comparing Y-O-Y home prices for April 2023, you would compare them to the home prices for April 2022.
Y-O-Y comparisons focus on changes over a one-year period, providing a more comprehensive view of long-term trends. They are usually useful for evaluating annual growth rates and determining if the market is generally appreciating or depreciating.