What is the best way to prepare to buy a house? This is What the Experts Say

If you’re hoping to buy a home this year and have been reading news articles on the market, you might be a bit confused on what you should do. Today’s real estate market is unpredictable. If you look at ten different real estate forecasts, it used to be that they all said pretty much the same thing. Now, every expert has differing opinions on where the market is heading.  But one thing the experts do agree on is that the best way to prepare to buy a house is to get preapproved for a mortgage. Let’s talk about why.

What is the best way to prepare to buy a house?

Even though the real estate market is slowing down and houses are taking longer to sell, that doesn’t mean…

55 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Is Now a Good Time to Buy a Home in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, NM?

 The Albuquerque and Rio Rancho real estate markets have been active over the past few years, with fluctuating interest rates, increasing home prices, and a changing economic landscape. If you're considering buying a home in these areas, you might be wondering: Is now a good time to buy? Let’s take a closer look at market trends, mortgage rates, and local factors that could influence your decision.

 Current Market Trends in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho

The Albuquerque and Rio Rancho markets have remained strong due to steady demand and limited housing inventory. However, several key factors are shaping the buying landscape:

 1. Home Prices

 Home prices in both cities have…

246 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post


Home Renovations That Pay Off

There are dozens of reasons homeowners decide to renovate a space in their home, but for those of you who are renovating a house with resale in mind, this is for you. Since the average cost of a home renovation is just about $42,000, you want to make sure you're getting your money's worth. Let's take a look at the home renovations with the biggest ROI.

No Surprise Here – the Kitchen

It's not like this is news to anybody, but USA Today statistics show that kitchen remodels are the most popular.  As a Realtor, I can tell you with 100% certainty that kitchens sell homes. When a client is debating between two homes, the one with the better kitchen usually wins. Focusing on high-quality materials for your counters,…

144 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Are You Waiting To Buy a Home Until After The Election? Here’s Why That’s Probably Not The Best Idea

Historically, the end of September through the beginning of October is the best time to buy a home.  That’s when the heat of the summer market cools down and right before the busy holiday season when inventory slows down. This year should be even better - if you haven’t heard, mortgage rates are the lowest in years.  As I write this, they are currently sitting at 5.5% for a 30-year FHA mortgage. Listing prices are also lower than they’ve been in a while. The trouble is that loan applications and pending home sales are also lower than usual.  Why? Housing Wire reports that as many as 40% of home buyers want to wait until after the election before…

230 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Biggest Homebuyer Regrets

 There's no such thing as a perfect house. Even if you have an unlimited budget or build your home from the ground up, there will eventually be something about it that is not perfect.  However, for the average homebuyer in New Mexico, buying a home can be an overwhelming process, and it's easy to get distracted.  Let's look at some of the most common regrets home buyers have after moving into their new homes.

They don't like the location

Sometimes, home buyers have to choose between amenities and location in order to find a home that fits their budget.  Buying a house further away from work or a child's school may not seem like the end of the world until they are stuck with a long commute 5 days a week.  Maybe the…

174 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

5 Areas To Negotiate When Buying or Selling a Home

If you’ve bought or sold a home recently, you know that there are a lot of fees.  Many of these fees might come as a surprise and weren’t money you were planning to spend.  No matter what side of the table you’re on, you probably want to ensure you’re keeping as much of your hard-earned money as possible.  That’s why you shouldn’t be afraid to negotiate during a real estate transaction.  Let’s look at some areas to negotiate when you’re buying or selling a home.

Purchase Price

The most obvious area you can negotiate is the purchase price. We always look at comparable homes in the area to see how much they’ve sold for to see if the asking price for a particular house is reasonable. Depending…

169 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Surprising Things That Might Turn Buyers Off From Your Home

Selling your home in today’s market isn’t as easy as just putting a sign in the front yard and hoping for the best.  Today’s home buyers are some of the pickiest we’ve seen. So even though you’ve painted the walls and decluttered, potential buyers still might be turned off by things you may not even notice. Here are some unexpected homebuyer turn-offs to avoid.

Cheap remodels

The fix-n-flip home used to be something homebuyers looked for, but today’s buyers are reluctant to buy a home that has the standard beige walls, white kitchen, and vinyl floor remodel that fix-n-flippers are known for. A poorly done kitchen renovation with low-quality cabinets and appliances, or a bathroom…

320 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post


Renting vs. Buying a Home in New Mexico: Which is Right for You?

The news has been pretty doom-and-gloom regarding real estate lately. You may have heard that renting is less expensive than buying a home in most areas, but does that mean you should put off your home-buying search and rent instead? The answer is—it depends. Let's look at some key factors to consider when choosing between buying and renting in New Mexico.

Financial Considerations

For many people, the financial aspect of buying versus renting will be the biggest deciding factor.  Of course, you know that you should look at what your monthly expenses will be and if you can afford them.  When you buy a home, you'll be responsible for covering property taxes and homeowners’…

1124 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Don’t Buy a Home Until You Do This

The crucial step all potential home buyers should take

Buying a home is a huge investment and something to be proud of. You’ve probably been building your credit and setting money aside for a down payment for years. Then, once the time is right, you go house hunting.  During the house hunting phase, you may be focused on finding the right floor plan and the perfect kitchen design. But there might be something you haven’t thought about – what if the ideal house isn’t so perfect after all? Even in new homes, there may be hidden issues.  That’s why we always encourage our clients to get a home inspection.

Home inspections are done during the inspection period after your offer has been accepted. We work closely…

298583 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Stand Out From The Crowd

How To Make A Strong Offer In Today’s Real Estate Market

 Today's New Mexico real estate market is pretty tough for home buyers. The limited inventory means home buyers must put their best foot forward from the get-go if they want their offer to beat the others. No – we aren't talking about sending a friendly letter saying how much you loved the house. You need to put together an offer that impresses the seller and makes them want to work with you. So, how do you do that? Let's look at a couple of strategies to get your offer noticed and accepted so you can get the home you're hoping for.

 Include a preapproval letter or proof of funds

You can't have a strong offer without showing that you can actually afford the…

669 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post