How to Avoid Capital Gains Tax on a Home Sale
By Jeffrey Steele When your home value goes through the roof, you may end up with capital gains when you sell. Here are tips to limit tax liability. Most homeowners aim for a substantial increase in home value – and many are achieving it when they sell their primary home. But that increase can com
What’s the Latest with Mortgage Rates?
Recent headlines may leave you wondering what’s next for mortgage rates. Maybe you’d previously heard there were going to be cuts this year that would bring rates down. That refers to the Federal Reserve (the Fed) and what they do to their Fed Funds Rate. While cutting, or lowering, the Fed Funds Ra
Is It Easier To Find a Home To Buy Now?
One of the biggest hurdles buyers have faced over the past few years has been a lack of homes available for sale. But that’s starting to change. The graph below uses the latest data from Realtor.com to show there are more homes on the market in 2024 than there have been in any of the past several ye
Eco-Friendly, Energy-Efficient Homes Attract Buyers
Are you planning to sell your house? If so, you may be surprised to hear just how much buyers value energy efficiency and eco-friendly features today. This is especially true as summer officially kicks off. In fact, the 2023 Realtors and Sustainability Report from the National Association of Realtor
Balancing Your Wants and Needs as a Homebuyer This Spring
Though there are more homes for sale now than there were at this time last year, there’s still an undersupply with fewer houses available than in more normal, pre-pandemic years. The Monthly Housing Market Trends Report from realtor.com puts it this way: “While the number of homes for sale is incre
Does It Make Sense To Buy a Home Right Now?
Thinking about buying a home? If so, you’re probably wondering: should I buy now or wait? Nobody can make that decision for you, but here’s some information that can help you decide. What’s Next for Home Prices?Each quarter, Fannie Mae and Pulsenomics publish the results of the Home Price Expectatio
The Spring Housing Season is Upon Us & What’s Hot and What’s Not in Greater Phoenix
As we head into the Spring housing market, our friends over at the Cromford Report are sharing what’s hot and what’s not about what is typically the busiest buying season of the year. Things are warming up in more ways than one, but there are still great advantages for both buyers and sellers. For
The Benefits of Downsizing When You Retire
If you’re taking a look at your expenses as you retire, saving money where you can has a lot of appeal. One long-standing, popular way to do that is by downsizing to a smaller home. When you think about cutting down on your spending, odds are you think of frequent purchases, like groceries and other
Why Access Is So Important When Selling Your House
If you’re gearing up to sell your house this spring, one of the early conversations you’ll have with your agent is about how much access you want to give buyers. And you may not realize just how important it is to make your house easy to tour. Spring is the peak homebuying season, so opening up your