As a Realtor, I’ve been entrusted with the pivotal task of handling the sale and purchase of homes, recognizing that these spaces are not just assets but repositories of pride, emotions, and life’s stories. Your trust in me for this crucial responsibility is something I deeply cherish and am profoundly grateful for.
One of the most fulfilling aspects of my role is facilitating not just a change of residence but guiding people from one chapter of their lives to the next. This journey, often intertwined with significant life transitions, is laden with emotions.
My commitment goes beyond being a real estate professional; it’s about being a compassionate guide, ensuring a seamless transition through each stage of the process. This journey involves a meticulous focus on several key elements:
Transparent Expectations: I ensure my clients are well-informed, eliminating surprises throughout the process.
Open Communication: A regular flow of communication is maintained to keep you informed and to encourage your thoughts and concerns to be expressed freely.
Collaboration: I give you the information you need to make informed decisions that best meet your priorities. I then work with you to implement the steps toward your desired results.
Emotional Support: I act as a shield against stressors, offering reassurance during the most challenging times.
Efficient Coordination: Managing all the players involved in the transaction—attorneys, agents, inspectors, appraisers, lenders, and contractors—is crucial to maintaining a smooth journey.
The validation of my approach is mirrored in the abundance of positive online reviews, surpassing 85, and the honor of receiving the Five Star Professional Award for nine consecutive years.
Your trust and appreciation fuel my dedication to continuous service and building enduring relationships. I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity to be part of your life’s transitions and look forward to working with you in the future.
In the dynamic world of real estate, interest rates hold a significant sway over homebuyers’ decisions. Likewise, rates have an impact on homeowners’ ability to sell. As memories of the desirable 2.85% interest rate linger, the current market fluctuations have left potential homeowners pondering their next move. Of course, the unspoken value proposition in all of this is the impact that ‘home’ has on your lifestyle and quality of life. Each person needs to weigh how much they value their lifestyle relative to what they are willing to invest in a new home. In this discussion, we’ll delve into some strategic approaches that can help you navigate this uncertainty while awaiting the (unlikely) return of the coveted 2.85% interest rate.
1. Exploring Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) for Lower Rates: Consider opting for an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) in a higher interest rate climate. ARMs often begin with a lower rate than fixed-rate mortgages, potentially offering more affordable initial payments. As interest rates are expected to fluctuate, ARMs can be a prudent choice if you anticipate rates to decrease in the future. It’s crucial to understand the terms and associated risks of ARMs before making a decision.
2. Seizing Opportunity: Buying Now and Refinancing for Lower Rates: Rather than endlessly waiting for the ideal 2.85% rate, consider purchasing a home now and exploring refinancing opportunities later. By securing a home at current rates, you can build equity and enjoy the benefits of homeownership. Keep a vigilant eye on market trends to identify the optimal time for refinancing to secure a more favorable rate.
3. Negotiating Seller Concessions for Reduced Costs: Leverage negotiation skills when making an offer on a home by requesting a seller concession. This concession can be used to buy down the interest rate or cover closing costs. Keep in mind, that sellers typically have more leverage than buyers in the current market, but if a home has been lingering on the market longer than the average market time, the homeowner might be willing to work with you for a win-win agreement. This approach provides a means to mitigate the impact of higher interest rates, enhancing short-term affordability and financial flexibility.
4. Diversifying Investment Strategies: Exploring Real Estate Investment: For those hesitant about primary homeownership due to interest rates, diversifying into real estate investment can be an attractive alternative. Options like rental properties and real estate investment trusts (REITs) allow you to benefit from market dynamics while potentially bolstering your investment portfolio. Thorough research is essential to navigate each avenue’s nuances and risks.
5. Seeking Expert Guidance: Partnering with Financial Professionals: To effectively navigate the intricate interplay of interest rates and real estate, consult financial advisors, mortgage experts, and real estate professionals. Their insights and tailored advice can help you make informed decisions aligned with your financial goals and market projections.
Conclusion: In the pursuit of the elusive 2.85% interest rate, remember that the real estate market’s complexity extends beyond rates alone. By exploring ARM options, capitalizing on current opportunities and planning for future refinancing, negotiating for seller concessions, and diversifying investment strategies, you can confidently navigate today’s real estate landscape. Stay informed, seek professional counsel, and make choices tailored to your financial situation and aspirations.
Like so many others, you’re tired of shelling out money for taxes, maintenance, insurance, and a mortgage for a home that is no longer best serving your needs. Maybe you’ve been waiting on your move due to uncertainty about changing market conditions or your own personal or professional landscape.
You, like many others feel it doesn’t make sense to continue living in a house that is no longer aligned with your lifestyle and current priorities. Your opportunities and needs have changed. Maybe you don’t have the rooms you need for peace, quiet, focus, exercise, or whatever it may be. You’re stressed by the interruptions from kids or dogs. Or maybe you have wasted space that you no longer use. Your commuting needs have changed, and you need or long for different surroundings. Maybe you are simply in need of something new. You have hopes and dreams about a new home but, you are not sure about the path for how to make it happen.
Your home is your ticket to ride!
As a homeowner, you may be surprised to find out how much equity you have available to you. At the end of 2021 homeowners with a mortgage across the United States gained an average of $57,000 in equity since the end of 2020, with some homeowners gaining $90,000 or more!
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A jump in equity means you can cash out and go where you have been yearning to be!
But you’re thinking, “Why would I want to buy now when there is nothing available, and home prices are up?”.
While it is true that the inventory of homes for sale is at an all time low, what most people don’t realize is that this inventory is made up of mostly new listings! The average market time is short, so there is a fresh selection of homes on the market every day.
Appreciation is forecast to continue for years to come.
More good news: Appreciation is predicted to continue, offering continued equity growth in your new home. Experts forecast additional equity gains of 24 to 63 percent by 2026. So it makes sense to get into your new home ASAP and start enjoying your equity growth there while you embrace your new lifestyle.
You don’t want to sell when the 10-year Treasury and inflation are going up? History shows that home value appreciation has consistently stayed ahead of inflation since the 1970s.
Homeownership has been a hedge against inflation for decades.
But like most would-be home sellers right now, you’re worried about the craziness of the current market, the stress of preparing your home for sale, and the question of where to go once you sell and cash out. This is totally understandable, and everyone who has recently sold and achieved their goals had the same concerns.
This winter provides the perfect storm for you to sell!
Yet this winter market actually presents the perfect storm for you to sell. Not only is your equity at a high, but so is the buyer demand for your house. There are many serious buyers looking for a home right now. At the same, time you will benefit from the low interest rates seeming to have already peaked and buyers getting used to the ‘new normal‘. Add to this the perk of having almost zero competition for your house!
Your qualified agent is here to get you the best terms on your sale and the smoothest process.
That’s what your agent is here for, to find the right strategy for your priorities and wishlist and guide you through the path of least resistance. I have the tools for helping to get your house de-cluttered, spruced-up, repaired, and/or staged. Whatever is needed, I have the resources to manage what it takes to get it done. I can enable you to enjoy the best terms for your sale, the most seamless transaction possible, and the path to your dream-come-true!
If I Sell My Home, Where will I go?
My clients have done a variety of things. Take a look here for some scenarios that worked out great! I am prepared to discuss your plans and how to get you there. Call me today for a no-obligation consultation.
The real question is where do you want to go? Because you have your ticket to ride!
When my clients and the markets bring new challenges to me, I want to be sure to respond by bringing new solutions and a compelling marketing strategy to the table. That’s why I work for a company that thinks out of the box and always supports me and my clients with cutting-edge innovation. We are not thinking in terms of black and white, (or even 50 shades of gray 😃), but with an exhilarating and vibrant focus on color and creativity!
William Raveis is about to make a big splash! This week, we will begin launching our new campaign, “Your Best Just Got Better” that highlights the individuality of Raveis agents and how our company empowers us to express our creative freedom to help our clients reach their goals. (Here’s a sneak preview of how some of the images will look on billboards, in magazines and newspapers, on TV, and online.)
Creativity is the key to our success! We don’t dream in boring black and white; we dream in color, and we dream BIG. The powerful paint splash represents the variety of creative programs and services our agents have to accomplish their clients’ home goals. The colors in our new campaign are expressions of all the resources we have as a company.
It’s truly revolutionary: Not only does our company have the resources to buy the home you want to sell (Raveis Purchase), we can also buy the home you want to buy so you can present an all-cash deal (Raveis CashBid™) and finance it later (William Raveis Mortgage). We also offer bridge financing to help bridge the gap between selling and buying. In addition to our stellar tech and local expertise, our financial resources truly provide an edge over our competition.
On that note, stay tuned for the new look and feel of William Raveis Mortgage and all of the exceptional products and services. The new look pays tribute to our company’s heritage, and it is purposeful, bold and as distinctive as the high-quality service we provide.
We are in the very unique position of being a mortgage company that understands real estate, and this gives our clients a competitive advantage. Our home-selling expertise means we can provide our clients the best financing advice, service, and insight to win competitive offers.
Do you have a challenge my team and I can solve for you?
One of the challenges buyers are facing, along with would-be sellers, is that they can’t find what they are looking for on the market.
Many agents are sharing the criteria their buyers are looking for with the hope that someone who is thinking of selling may have a match to add to the market.
Here is my urgent buyer wish list,
Westport – New or contemporary style, ~4,000 square feet, 4+ bedrooms, $1,500,000-$1,800,000, (Need two of these!)
Westport – Renovation project or tear-down, 1+ acres, preferably with no wetlands, price flexible.
Westport – Renovation project or tear-down, any property size, preferably with no wetlands, price flexible.
Fairfield – Beach, town, Southport, or University areas, new or like-new home, 4,000 square feet, up to $1,700,000.
Fairfield – Home with charm and character, preferably in the beach area, but open to anywhere in town, 3+ bedrooms, at least 1,400 square feet or room to expand, $700,000-$850,000.
Fairfield – Home with charm and character, high ceilings, preferably in the beach area, center of town or Stratfield areas, 3+ bedrooms, at least 1,400 square feet or room to expand, finishable basement and/or attic, office space, level yard of .16 acres or more, $500,000-$640,000.
Fairfield – Beach area, near Penfield, .23+ acres on which to renovate or build new, under $700,000.
Fairfield – Town center, new or move-in ready 2-bedroom condo for rent, or sale up to $350,000.
New Canaan – Walk-to-train location, 3 bedrooms, preferably new or move-in ready, high ceilings, up to $1,500,000.
If a matching property is found for the buyer needs above, the following new listings will in turn be added to the market,
Westport – Gorgeous new construction home, likely with 4,000+ square feet and 5 bedrooms.
Westport – ANOTHER gorgeous new construction home, likely with 4,000+ square feet and 5 bedrooms.
Westport – Lovely 4-bedroom, move-in-ready home with lovely property in the Greens Farms area.
Fairfield – Charming cape in the beach area.
The lack of inventory is limiting the market despite the opportunity of very low interest rates and an excellent time to sell for all interested home owners.
So if you have something, say something! 😃 If you know of something, say something! 😃 Want to talk options? Say something. I’m here to help, 203.912.4440.
The 2021 housing market is still hot and median sale prices are still up! 📈⬆️⭐️
Did you know you can easily compare real-time sales and inventory trends on our Local Housing Data link which you can keep right on your phone? Or for comprehensive local data reports, sign up for our Local Market Insights newsletter on raveis.com.
Take advantage of all of our curated tools to help you make your move and contact me today, 203.912.4440.
Your home has been just perfect with plenty of space for you and all your needs…until now.
But since the pandemic you may be finding that you, and possibly your family members, have very different needs. This challenging time has certainly given you opportunity to test and evaluate how well your home is serving your changing demands. If you have transitioned to working from home, and may even be alongside your students doing the same, your need for extra space may have become increasingly obvious.
Now you may be wishing you had extra rooms for his and her offices, a homework space, and room for a home gym. If you’re coming from the Manhattan or Brooklyn areas, you are likely craving not just interior rooms, but outdoor space, beauty, privacy and peacefulness. The vicinity to downtown centers and train stations may not be as important as it once was now that the need for frequent commuting is likely a thing of the past.
On the flip side, perhaps your family has college students who have been off to school or will soon be graduating and leaving extra un-wanted space. This would be a prime time to make a move to a better-fitting home. Selling your too-much-space house would also free up your larger home for the many of you who in dire need of more space.
Whether you are feeling too close for comfort or a need to scale back, the current housing market with ultra-low inventory and high demand is beyond prime for sellers, and the current low interest rates also offer a huge opportunity to make a purchase. Feel free to set up your own search here if you would like to peek at market activity near you. Reach out to me anytime if would like to know your options for making a move and want to know what your home is worth in the current market.
You only need one powerhouse to get the best real estate company and services, and you just found it with William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage, & Insurance. As your agent for this company, I want to share the top three reasons why we are the best real estate company for you, which are the same reasons why I chose to work with this company over all the others 16 years ago!
Private Family-Owned Company – Because William Raveis is owned by Bill, Chris, and Ryan Raveis, it is an agile family-based company that is one hundred percent focused on its customers with no stockholder distractions or obligations. The company’s mission is to serve its agents as their customers to ensure we are poised to be the best at serving you!
Leader in Real Estate Innovation – Our company leads the industry with forward strategic and competitive thinking, cutting-edge technology, and cultivating, training, and by empowering the best agents. Our family of companies also provides our clients with premier mortgage, insurance, and closing services for a seamless transactactifon.
Well-Connected, Next Door & Overseas – Our 4,000 regional agents have you covered here and abroad. Our luxury listings are represented by over 565 premier brokerages across 70 countries. This same network also enables me to connect you to your next purchase overseas.
These three high-level value propositions are key to why we are the best, but there is ample detail beneath, including new tools for us to leverage on a regular basis. And now, the best just got better with our new Raveis Essential and Raveis Premium service packages listed below.
I am grateful for the extensive resources William Raveis continuously provides for me to utilize on your behalf. When it rains, it pours with the ever-new and cutting edge resources I have at my disposal. I even received a new umbrella 🙂 !
In all seriousness, my goal is to understand your real estate plans and priorities and to curate a custom solution for reaching your goals. If you would like a deeper understanding of how I can meet your real estate needs, I would love to have a conversation with you. Please feel free to visit my website and company page, give me a call at 203.912.4440, or send me a note below.
Buyers are waiting. Home sale prices are up. Interest rates are outrageously low. Is there a price at which you would consider selling your house? If there is a price that motivates you, are there other barriers?
It sure appears to be the perfect storm for owners to want to sell their homes, right? Sure, except for two major roadblocks- As a potential home seller, where do you move with the limited choice in the market? And if you could work through these details, do you really feel ready?
If you are one of these homeowners, here are three things you can do to manage the logistical challenge.
You can list your home with a published contingency to find suitable housing. This relieves the pressure of not having your destination pre-determined by letting potential buyers know up-front that you reserve the right to take the time to find a new home. It also gives you an ‘out’ if you cannot find a suitable solution. You can reach out to me and also select a real estate attorney to learn more.
Alternatively you can put your home on the market and negotiate a long closing period, such as a few months, when you receive an offer- or multiple offers. Many buyers are flexible with timing, especially if they are buying a second home. This will give you time to look around.
A temporary housing plan is another key option. Are you aware that you may even be able to sell your home and rent it back from the buyers for a period of time! This can be an excellent solution for bridging the gap until you find your new home. Even if this is not doable, there are other options. If it is feasible to stay with family, go to a second home or vacation home, or get a short term rental, and put things in storage for a while, this is a great way to take the timing pressure off. It may not be convenient, but it may still be worth it in order to capitalize on the opportunities of this market and move to the home that truly satisfies your current needs and desires.
Get creative!At William Raveis, we are here to get creative with solutions to our clients’ challenges. We understand the complexities of the current market and in bridging the gap between buying and selling. So we have an entire array of services that can enable you to become a cash buyer before you sell, fix up any issues with your house without paying until it’s sold, and bridge the financial gap as well. Call me today to discuss your ideal outcome, and let’s discuss how to get you there!
All that being said, what if the above solutions are all well and good, but you still feel hesitant? It is even more important than strategizing the logistics to be sure your heart is really in it. You must be sure you are ready to sell before going on the market. Here’s the journey one home seller went through to get ready to ultimately make her dream come true.
Keep in mind that even though the inventory of homes for sale is low, the market time is also short, so the choices of homes to purchase is constantly refreshing and there are always new homes to choose from if you want to make a move.
Imagine if all you homeowners who would love to sell but have been sitting on the sidelines decide to go for it using some of the safeguards and creative solutions above? The market would be rich with choice for everyone searching (yourselves included!), and many more home buyers and sellers would be on the move toward making their dreams a reality!
You can browse around and set up some searches for yourself here if you would like to get a feel for the markets as you think about your plans. Call me today to discuss your options, 203-912-4440. We will have a brief consultation to understand your goals, the market, and how I might be able to help.
The seed was planted years ago that maybesomeday they would leave their comfortable bubble in Westport, Connecticut, and follow one of their dreams. They knew they would love to go abroad for a while, pursue the adventure of a live-aboard, or follow their passion for waterfront living.
He was excited to go for it, but she, not so much. Selling their home would allow them to be untethered for a while but the emotional consequences of leaving their home and hometown of 17 years with deep connections to friends, the community, and their love of Westport, was not lost on them.
For starters, the limited choice of homes on the market made homelessness seem a clear outcome. The process of having to show the house day after day during a pandemic and having to deal with the whole listing, selling, and the moving process felt daunting. How could she argue with her grown daughters who rightly said they should keep the beautiful home they had made perfect over the years by putting their hearts and soles into it?
But, wasn’t this the perfect time? Wasn’t now the time to sell your home, especially in Westport with properties flying off the shelf at record speed for top dollar?
As it turned out, the low inventory and logistical barriers were really not the problems.
Becoming emotionally ready for adventure and following the dream was what she needed to take the leap out of her comfort zone. Only once she was at peace with letting go, moving on, and embracing the adventure, had all the pieces, one at a time, fallen into place.
I had come to see their home and discuss their hopes, dreams, plans, and concerns. Following that, we met via Zoom due to the pandemic. I explained the market, the recommended listing price, options for giving them flexibility for their timing, and shared my custom comprehensive marketing plan which included an added detailed walk-through video for buyers to watch before requesting a showing.
Still, for weeks she struggled with the decision. But as they explored their ideas for their next chapter, she shared their dreams with their daughters who became very supportive of their vision. The response from several friends was also positive and supportive of their decision to sell, and in fact many even said they too had been considering making changes of their own and following their dreams.
So they gave me the green light and I put the house on the market while they went to Boston for the weekend to visit family. During that weekend, I managed 25 showings and multiple offers. They chose a buyer who paid more than their asking price and who was agreeable to a long closing period to give them time to find a new home.
They researched their options and visited potential new homes in various areas. Sure enough, they came upon a fabulous waterfront home further north with breathtaking views that they absolutely loved!
So you may want to ask yourself- Does your home truly satisfy your current needs, wants, and, desires? Can you brace yourself to stretch your comfort zone for some adventure? If so, then now is the time to trust the process, and make it happen!
There are numerous logistical options for making your dream a reality. And there happens to be a jackpot of opportunity presenting itself to sellers right now, with buyers from the New York City area searching in droves, low inventory to compete with, and low interest rates to help you and your buyer with your purchase.
A great way to inspire your journey is to explore our Raveis Escapes website with destination locations featured by local Realtors and browse those areas. Set up searches for yourself in any areas that intrigue you get a feel what’s available there. If you are thinking of moving cross-country or overseas, I can refer you to the perfect agent through my elite brokerage network and oversee your satisfaction with them.
Give me a call or send a note below, and let me lead the way!
Linda Raymond Real Estate Blog, Fairfield, Westport & More 