Tracy Bartoe

Summer Is a Great Time To Upgrade If you're ready to upgrade your home, summer is a great time to do so. Let's connect to get your house listed so you can find your dream home. #homeupgrade #summerrealestate #makeyourmove

What Do Experts See on the Horizon for the Second Half of the Year? As we move into the latter half of the year, questions about what’s to come are top of mind for buyers and sellers. Near record-low mortgage rates coupled with rising home price appreciation kicked off a robust housing market in the first half of 2021, but what does the forecast tell us about what’s on the horizon? Mortgage Rates Will Likely Increase, but Remain Low... Many experts are projecting a rise in interest rates. However, even as mortgage rates rise, the anticipated increase is expected to be modest at most, and still well below historic averages. Rates remaining low is good news for homebuyers who are looking to maximize their purchasing power. Home Price Appreciation Will Continue, but Price Growth Will Likely Slow Experts remain optimistic about home prices, too. Joe Seydl, Senior Markets Economist at J.P. Morgan... #realestate #homeownership #homebuying #realestategoals

What To Expect as Appraisal Gaps Grow In today’s real estate market, low inventory and high demand are driving up home prices. As many as 54% of homes are getting offers over the listing price, based on the latest Realtors Confidence Index from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Shawn Telford, Chief Appraiser at CoreLogic, elaborates: The frequency of buyers being willing to pay more than the market data supports is increasing.... While this is great news for today’s sellers, it can be tricky to navigate if the price of your contract doesn’t match up with the appraisal for the house. It’s called an appraisal gap, and it’s happening more in today’s market than the norm. According to recent data from CoreLogic, 19% of homes had their appraised value come in below the contract price in April of this year. That’s more than double the percentage in each of the two previous Aprils. If an... #expertanswers #stayinformed #staycurrent

Homebuyers: Hang in There [INFOGRAPHIC] Today’s sellers’ market provides unique challengesand benefitsfor buyers. Current low interest rates won’t last forever, and home prices are forecast to rise. If you’re a homebuyer, hang in there. Homeownership improves your quality of life, and the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term challenges. #firsttimehomebuyer #opportunity #housingmarket

Financial Fundamentals for Homebuyers [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights When you’re thinking about buying a home, there are a few key steps to take before you even start to look at houses.... From saving for your down payment to getting pre-approved for a mortgage, you’ll want to make sure you keep your financial plan on track from the beginning. Let’s connect today to make sure you have an introduction to a trusted lender and the best possible real estate guidance as you begin your homebuying process. #firsttimehomebuyer #opportunity #housingmarket See more

3 Reality TV Myths Busted Ready to buy a home this year? Let's connect to separate reality from reality TV and make sure your experience is smooth and successful. #homebuyingmyths #buyingahome #realestatereality

How to Make the Dream of Homeownership a Reality This Year In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired a powerful movement with his famous I Have a Dream speech. Through his passion and determination, he sparked interest, ambition, and courage in his audience. Today, reflecting on his message encourages many of us to think about our own dreams, goals, beliefs, and aspirations. For many Americans, one of those common goals is owning a home: a piece of land, a roof over our hea...ds, and a place where we can grow and flourish. If you’re dreaming of buying a home this year, start by connecting with a local... #MLKDay #Americandream #firsttimehomebuyer #opportunity

4 Reasons People Are Buying Homes in 2021 According to many experts, the real estate market is expected to continue growing in 2021, and it’s largely driven by the lasting impact the pandemic is having on our lifestyles. As many of us spend extra time at home, we’re reevaluating what home means and what we may need in one going forward. Here are 4 reasons people are reconsidering where they live and why they’re expecting to buy a home this year. ... 1. Record-Low Mortgage Interest Rates In 2020, the average interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage hit a record low 16 times, continuing to fall further... #firsttimehomebuyer #opportunity #housingmarket See more

Why Pre-Approval Is Key in 2021 Today's housing market is highly competitive for homebuyers, so it's critical to gain every advantage in the process that you can. Let's connect to make sure pre-approval is one of the first steps you take toward homeownership this year. #preapproval #buyingahome #realestatetips

Owning a Home Is Still More Affordable Than Renting One If spending more time at home over the past year is making you really think hard about buying a home instead of renting one, you’re not alone. You may be wondering, however, if the dollars and cents add up in your favor as home prices continue to rise. According to the experts, in many cases, it’s still more affordable to buy a home than rent one. Here’s why. ATTOM Data Solutions recently released the 2021 Rental Afforda...bility Report, which states: Owning a median-priced three-bedroom home is more affordable than renting a three-bedroom property in... #expertanswers #purchasingpower #buyingpower See more

What Does 2021 Have in Store for Home Values? According to the latest CoreLogic Home Price Insights Report, nationwide home values increased by 8.2% over the last twelve months. The dramatic rise was brought about as the inventory of homes for sale reached historic lows at the same time buyer demand was buoyed by record-low mortgage rates. As CoreLogic explained: Home price growth remained consistently elevated throughout 2020. Home sales for the year are expected to register above 2019 levels. Meanwhile, the availability of for-sale homes has dwindled as demand increased and coronavirus (COVID-19... #realestate #homeownership #homebuying #realestategoals

Why Right Now May Be the Time to Sell Your House The housing market made an incredible recovery in 2020 and is now positioned for an even stronger year in 2021. Record-low mortgage interest rates are a driving factor in this continued momentum, with average rates hovering at historic all-time lows. According to the latest Realtors Confidence Index Survey from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), buyer demand across the country is incredibly strong. That’s not the case,... however, on the supply side. Seller traffic is simply not keeping up. Here’s a breakdown by state:As the maps show, buyer... #realestate #homeownership #homebuying #realestategoals See more

Should I Wait for Lower Mortgage Interest Rates? Historically low mortgage rates are a big motivator for homebuyers right now. In 2020 alone, rates hit new record-lows 16 times, and the trend continued into the early part of this year. Many hopeful homebuyers are now wondering if they should put their plans on hold and wait for the lowest rates imaginable. However, the reality is, acting sooner rather than later may be the actual win if you’re ready to buy a home. According t...o Greg McBride, Chief Financial Analyst for Bankrate: As vaccines become more widely available and a return to normal starts to come into... #expertanswers #purchasingpower #buyingpower See more

Will Forbearance Plans Lead to a Tsunami of Foreclosures? At the onset of the economic disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic, the government quickly put into place forbearance plans to allow homeowners to remain in their homes without making their monthly mortgage payments. Today, almost three million households are actively in a forbearance plan. Though 29.4% of those in forbearance have continued to stay current on their payments, many have not. Yanling Mayer, Principal ...Economist at CoreLogic, recently revealed: A distributional analysis of forborne loans’ payment status reveals that more than... #realestate #homeownership #homebuying #realestategoals See more

Reasons to Hire a Real Estate Professional [INFOGRAPHIC] Some Highlights Choosing the right real estate professional to work with is one of the most important decisions you can make in your homebuying or selling process.... The right agent can explain current market conditions and break down exactly what they mean for you. If you’re considering buying or selling a home this year, let’s connect so you can work with someone who has the experience to answer all of your questions about pricing, contracts, negotiations, and more. #expertanswers #stayinformed #staycurrent See more

Three Reasons to Buy a Home in 2021 2021 will be a great year to buy a home. Let's connect to make sure you're ready for success in today's housing market. #buyingahome #realestate #2021goals

The Importance of Home Equity in Building Wealth Homeownership has always been the first rung on the ladder leading to household wealth. As Freddie Mac recently posted: Homeownership has cemented its role as part of the American Dream, providing families with a place that is their own and an avenue for building wealth over time. This ‘wealth’ is built, in large part, through the creation of equityBuilding equity through your monthly principal payments and appreciation is a ...critical part of homeownership that can help you create financial stability. Home equity is the difference between the current... #realestate #homeownership #equity #realestategoals See more

Why Not to Wait Until Spring to Make a Move The housing market recovery coming into the new year has been nothing short of remarkable. Many experts agree the turnaround from the nation’s economic pause is playing out extremely well for real estate, and the current market conditions are truly making this winter an ideal time to make a move. Here’s a dive into some of the biggest wins for homebuyers this season. 1. Mortgage Rates Are Historically Low In 2020, mortgage rates hit... all-time lows 16 times. Continued low rates have set buyers up for significant long-term gains. In fact, realtor.com... #realestate #homeownership #homebuying #realestategoals See more