Cheryl Bower's Real Estate Blog

How To Navigate a Market Where Multiple Offers Is the New Normal

By Cheryl Bower | March 10, 2022

If you’re thinking of buying a home today, you already know that the number of homes available for sale is low. But what does that really mean for you? As a buyer, low housing supply coupled with high buyer demand means you should be prepared to navigate a highly competitive market where homes sell fast…

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Key Factors That Impact Affordability Today

By Cheryl Bower | March 9, 2022

You can’t read an article about residential real estate without the author mentioning the affordability challenges that today’s buyers face. There’s no doubt homes are less affordable today than they were over the last two years, but that doesn’t mean homes are now unaffordable. There are three measures used to establish home affordability: home prices,…

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How Global Uncertainty Is Impacting Mortgage Rates

By Cheryl Bower | March 8, 2022

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, you’ll want to keep a pulse on what’s happening with mortgage rates. Rates have been climbing in recent months, especially since January of this year. And just a few weeks ago, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Freddie Mac approached 4% for the first time since…

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Why It’s Critical To Price Your House Right

By Cheryl Bower | March 7, 2022

When you make a move, you want to sell your house for the highest price possible. That might be why many homeowners are eager to list in today’s sellers’ market. After all, with record-low inventory and high buyer demand, many homes are selling for more than asking price. Data from the National Association of Realtors…

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Supply and Demand in Today’s Market [INFOGRAPHIC]

By Cheryl Bower | March 4, 2022

Some Highlights Today’s housing market is the direct result of low supply and high buyer demand. Here’s what that means for you and your plans to buy or sell. For buyers, expect competition, be ready to move fast, and be prepared to submit your strongest offer. For sellers, know your house will be the center…

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Are Home Prices Continuing To Rise?

By Cheryl Bower | March 3, 2022

Many analysts projected home price appreciation would slow dramatically in the fall of 2021 and then continue to soften throughout 2022. So far, that hasn’t happened. The major price indices are all revealing ongoing double-digit price appreciation. Here’s a look at their reports on year-over-year price appreciation for December: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA): 17.6%…

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Down Payment Assistance Programs Can Help You Achieve Homeownership

By Cheryl Bower | March 2, 2022

For many homebuyers, the thought of saving for a down payment can feel daunting, especially in today’s market. That’s why, when asked what they find most difficult in the homebuying process, some buyers say it’s one of the hardest steps on the path to homeownership. Data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows: “For…

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An Expert Advisor Will Give You the Best Advice in Today’s Market

By Cheryl Bower | March 1, 2022

Having an experienced guide coaching you through the process of buying or selling a home is important in a normal market – but today’s market is far from normal. As a result, an expert real estate advisor isn’t just good to have by your side, they’re essential. Today’s housing market is full of extremes. Experts…

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Millennials: Do You Need a Home with More Space?

By Cheryl Bower | February 28, 2022

If you’re a millennial, homebuying might be top of mind for you. Your generation is the largest group of homebuyers in the market today and has been since 2014, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). And while other millennials are looking to buy for the first time, you may be one of the…

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So excited for my buyers who closed on a townhome in Russian Hill with iconic G…

By Cheryl Bower | February 26, 2022

So excited for my buyers who closed on a townhome in Russian Hill with iconic Ghirardelli Square views! Not every property is selling with multiple offers. This unit was on the market for 5 months. We negotiated $35,000 off the list price! I showed my buyers, who were relocating from another state, several properties over…

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