Blog - Grace Katz

House Market

3 Must-Do’s When Selling Your House in 2024

If one of the goals on your list is selling your house and making a move this year, you’re likely juggling a mix of excitement about what’s ahead and feeling a little sentimental about your current home. A great way to balance those emotions and make sure you’re confident in your decision is to […]
House Market

Are More Homeowners Selling as Mortgage Rates Come Down?

If you’re looking to buy a home, the recent downward trend in mortgage rates is good news because it helps with affordability. But there’s another way this benefits you – it may inspire more homeowners to put their houses up for sale. The Mortgage Rate Lock-In Effect Over the past year, one factor that’s really […]
House Market

Don’t Believe Everything You Read About Home Prices

According to the latest data from Fannie Mae, 23% of Americans still think home prices will go down over the next twelve months. But why do roughly 1 in 4 people feel that way? It has a lot to do with all the negative talk about home prices over the past year. Since late 2022, […]
House Market

Escrow Tip- Buyers: What to Expect

Opening Escrow is opened upon receipt of a fully executed Residential Purchase Agreement and the buyer’s initial deposit Escrow Instructions are delivered to the Buyer, including forms for insurance, vesting, and other critical needs Processing Escrow receives and reviews the Preliminary Title Report from title company for the buyer to review and approve Escrow forwards […]

House Market 3 Must-Do’s When Selling Your House in 2024 If one of the goals on your list is selling your house and making a move this year, you’re likely juggling a mix of excitement about what’s ahead and feeling a little sentimental about your current home. A great way to balance those emotions and make sure you’re confident in your decision is to […]

House Market Are More Homeowners Selling as Mortgage Rates Come Down? If you’re looking to buy a home, the recent downward trend in mortgage rates is good news because it helps with affordability. But there’s another way this benefits you – it may inspire more homeowners to put their houses up for sale. The Mortgage Rate Lock-In Effect Over the past year, one factor that’s really […]

House Market Don’t Believe Everything You Read About Home Prices According to the latest data from Fannie Mae, 23% of Americans still think home prices will go down over the next twelve months. But why do roughly 1 in 4 people feel that way? It has a lot to do with all the negative talk about home prices over the past year. Since late 2022, […]

House Market Escrow Tip- Buyers: What to Expect Opening Escrow is opened upon receipt of a fully executed Residential Purchase Agreement and the buyer’s initial deposit Escrow Instructions are delivered to the Buyer, including forms for insurance, vesting, and other critical needs Processing Escrow receives and reviews the Preliminary Title Report from title company for the buyer to review and approve Escrow forwards […]

House Market Exploring Paradise in the Heart of the Desert: Palm Desert Nestled amidst the mesmerizing landscapes of Southern California, Palm Desert stands as an oasis of tranquility and luxury in the heart of the desert. This hidden gem captivates visitors with its alluring blend of natural beauty, upscale amenities, and a vibrant cultural scene. From its iconic palm-lined streets to the awe-inspiring vistas of the Santa […]

House Market Oops! Home Prices Didn’t Crash After All Oops! Home Prices Didn’t Crash After All During the fourth quarter of last year, many housing experts predicted home prices were going to crash this year. Here are a few of those forecasts: Jeremy Siegel, Russell E. Palmer Professor Emeritus of Finance at the Wharton School of Business: “I expect housing prices fall 10% to 15%, […]

House Market Owning a Home Helps Protect Against Inflation You’re probably feeling the impact of high inflation every day as prices have gone up on groceries, gas, and more. If you’re a renter, you’re likely experiencing it a lot as your rent continues to rise. Between all of those elevated costs and uncertainty about a potential recession, you may be wondering if it still […]

House Market Why Buying a Vacation Home Beats Renting One This Summer For many of us, visiting the same vacation spot every year is a summer tradition that’s fun, relaxing, and restful. If that sounds like you, now’s the time to think about your plans and determine if buying a vacation home this year makes more sense than renting one again. According to Forbes: “. . . […]

House Market The Worst Home Price Declines Are Behind Us If you’re following the news today, you may feel a bit unsure about what’s happening with home prices and fear whether or not the worst is yet to come. That’s because today’s headlines are painting an unnecessarily negative picture. Contrary to those headlines, home prices aren’t in a freefall. The latest data tells a very […]

House Market Why Buying a Home Makes More Sense Than Renting Toda Wondering if you should continue renting or if you should buy a home this year? If so, consider this. Rental affordability is still a challenge and has been for years. That’s because, historically, rents trend up over time. Data from the Census shows rents have been climbing pretty steadily since 1988. And, data from the […]

House Market A Recession Doesn’t Equal a Housing Crisis Everywhere you look, people are talking about a potential recession. And if you’re planning to buy or sell a house, this may leave you wondering if your plans are still a wise move. To help ease your mind, experts are saying that if we do officially enter a recession, it’ll be mild and short. As […]

House Market Buyer Activity Is Up Despite Higher Mortgage Rates If you’re a homeowner thinking about making a move, you may wonder if it’s still a good time to sell your house. Here’s the good news. Even with higher mortgage rates, buyer traffic is actually picking up speed. Data from the latest ShowingTime Showing Index, which is a measure of buyers actively touring homes, helps paint […]

House Market Where Will You Go If You Sell? You Have Options. There are plenty of good reasons you might be ready to move. No matter your motivations, before you list your current house, you need to consider where you’ll go next. In today’s market, it makes sense to explore all your options. That includes both homes that have been lived in before as well as newly […]

House Market Number of Homes for Sale Up from Last Year, but Below Pre-Pandemic Years The biggest challenge in the housing market right now, and likely for years to come, is how few homes there are for sale compared to the number of people who want to buy. That’s why, if you’re thinking about selling your house, this is a great time to do so. Your house would be welcome […]

House Market 5 Signs Your Real Estate Agent Has Been Through Some Serious Shift Before (Market Shift That Is…) Click below to read about Market Shifts

House Market Pre-Approval in 2023: What You Need To Know One of the first steps in your homebuying journey is getting pre-approved. To understand why it’s such an important step, you need to understand what pre-approval is and what it does for you. Business Insider explains: “In a preapproval [sic], the lender tells you which types of loans you may be eligible to take out, […]

House Market What’s Really Happening with Home Prices? Some Highlights If you’re thinking about selling your house, recent headlines about home prices falling month-over-month may have you second guessing your decision—but perspective matters. While home prices are down slightly month-over-month in some markets, home values are still up almost 10% nationally on a year-over-year basis. A nearly 10% gain is still dramatic compared […]

House Market Homeownership Is an Investment in Your Future There are many people thinking about buying a home, but with everything affecting the economy, some are wondering if it’s a smart decision to buy now or if it makes more sense to wait it out. As Bob Broeksmit, President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), explains: “The desire for homeownership is strong. […]

House Market What Every Seller Should Know About Home Prices If you’re trying to decide whether or not to sell your house, recent headlines about home prices may be top of mind. And if those stories have you wondering what that means for your home’s value, here’s what you really need to know. What’s Really Happening with Home Prices? It’s possible you’ve seen news stories […]

House Market Mortgage Rates Are Dropping. What Does That Mean for You? Mortgage rates have been a hot topic in the housing market over the past 12 months. Compared to the beginning of 2022, rates have risen dramatically. Now they’re dropping, and that has to do with everything happening in the economy. Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist and Director of Forecasting at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), […]