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South Florida Real Estate | Barbara's Corner Blog

Thursday, April 27, 2023   /   by Barbara Oleska

Why Today's Foreclosure Numbers Are Nothing Like 2008

You’ve likely seen headlines about the number of foreclosures climbing in today’s housing market. That may leave you with a few questions, especially if you’re thinking about buying a house. Understanding what they really mean is mission-critical if you want to know the truth about what’s happening today.

According to a recent report from ATTOM, a property data provider, foreclosure filings are up 6% compared to the previous quarter and 22% since one year ago. As media headlines call attention to this increase, reporting on just the number could actually generate worry and may even make you think twice about buying a home for fear that prices could crash. The reality is, while increasing, the data shows a foreclosure crisis is not where the market is headed. 

Let’s look at the latest information with context so we can see how this compares to previous years.

It Isn’t the Dramatic Increase Headlines Would Have You Bel. ...

  florida real estate, south florida real estate, residential real estate

Thursday, April 6, 2023   /   by Barbara Oleska

Get Ready: The Best Time To List Your House Is Almost Here

 
If you’re thinking about selling this spring, the best week of the year to list your home is almost here!

Experts at realtor.com looked at seasonal trends from recent years (excluding 2020 as an uncharacteristic year due to the pandemic) to determine the ideal week to list a house this year:

“Home sellers on the fence waiting for that perfect moment to sell should start preparations, because the best time to list a home in 2023 is approaching quickly. The week of April 16-22 is expected to have the ideal balance of housing market conditions that favor home sellers, more so than any other week in the year.”

If you’ve been waiting for the best time to sell, here's your chance. But, before you put your house on the market, you’ve got to get it ready. And if you haven’t started that process yet, you’ll need to move quickly. 

It's Best to Work with an Agent To Determine Which Updates To Make
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  florida real estate, boca raton real estate, south florida real estate, seller market, how do i sell my home

Thursday, March 16, 2023   /   by Barbara Oleska

Equity Gains for Today’s Homeowners

Today’s homeowners are sitting on significant equity, even as home price appreciation has eased recently. If you’re a homeowner, your net worth got a boost over the past few years thanks to rising home prices. Here’s what it means for you, even as the market moderates.
How Equity Has Grown in Recent Years 
Because of the imbalance between how many homes were for sale and the number of homebuyers in the market over the past few years, home prices appreciated substantially.
And while price appreciation has slowed this year, that doesn’t mean you’ve lost all the equity in your home. In fact, the latest Homeowner Equity Insights report from CoreLogic finds the average homeowner’s equity has grown by $34,300 over the past year alone.
And if you’ve been in your home longer than that, chances are you have even more equity than you realize.
While that’s the national number, if you w. ...

  florida real estate, south florida real estate, boca raton realtor

Thursday, March 9, 2023   /   by Barbara Oleska

Things To Consider When Selling Your House

Things To Consider When Selling Your House
Should you sell your house this spring? What's the latest on inventory, rates and pricing?
If you’re thinking about selling your house, please click on my Spring guide below to get the answers to your questions. If you want to see how your property measures up in our local market, give me a call and we'll discuss.

  florida real estate, boca raton real estate, south florida real estate, boca raton realtor, south florida realtor, boca raton residential real estate, residential real estate, seller market, how do i sell my home, housing market, what should i do to my house before i sell it

Thursday, March 2, 2023   /   by Barbara Oleska

Should You Buy Brand New?

If you’re thinking about buying a home, you might be focusing on previously owned ones. But with so few houses for sale today, it makes sense to consider all your options, and that includes a home that’s newly built.
The Number of Newly Built Homes Is on the Rise
While there are more houses for sale right now than there were at this time last year, there’s still a historically low number of homes available on the market. One reason for that is years of underbuilding—meaning there haven’t been enough new homes built to keep up with demand.

The graph above shows how low the production of newly constructed homes has been over the past 14 years. But it also shows another important trend: the number of new homes being built each year is on the rise. As Mark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, shares, that’s good news for buyers:

“While existing-home inventory remains limited, the silver lining . ...

  florida real estate, boca raton real estate, south florida real estate, boca raton realtor, south florida realtor