The HousingCoach Blog
Important and useful information about Home Buying, Home Selling and the Chicagoland Real Estate market, to help you make the most of Your Personal American Dream. Explore, Learn, and Take Action.
Planning To Sell Your House in 2025? Start Prepping Now
If your goal is to sell your house in 2025, now’s the time to start prepping. Even though it might seem like there’s plenty of time between now and the new year, you should get a head start on any updates or repairs you want to make now. As Danielle Hale, Chief...
What To Expect from Mortgage Rates and Home Prices in 2025
Curious about where the housing market is headed in 2025? The good news is that experts are offering some promising forecasts, especially when it comes to two key factors that directly affect your decisions: mortgage rates and home prices.Whether you're thinking of...
Why Buying Now Is Worth It
Some HighlightsYou may be torn between buying a home now or waiting. But don’t forget to factor in the equity you’ll gain as prices rise.Experts forecast prices will climb over the next 5 years – and based on those forecasts, you could gain about $90k in equity in...
Why Did More People Decide To Sell Their Homes Recently?
Homeowners typically slow down their moving plans as the summer months wrap up, and as a result, fewer homes are listed for sale in the fall. It’s a predictable, seasonal trend in real estate. But this year, mortgage rates came down at the same time the number of...
The Benefits of Using Your Equity To Make a Bigger Down Payment
Did you know? Homeowners are often able to put more money down when they buy their next home. That’s because, once they sell, they can use the equity they have in their current house toward their next down payment. And it’s why as home equity reaches a new height, the...
Why an Agent Is Essential When Buying a Newly Built Home
For some buyers, there’s a misconception that newly built homes aren’t made to last or fall short of the quality you can find in older homes. Unfortunately, this is turning some buyers away from what may be one of their best options in today’s housing market. As...
Why a Condo Could Be Your Perfect First Home
If you’re looking to break into homeownership but the price of single-family homes has you second-guessing, you might want to consider a condominium (condo) or townhome. These types of homes often come with a lower barrier to entry – and that can help you start to...
Buying Beats Renting in These Top Cities
Some HighlightsBased on a recent study, in 22 of the top 50 metros, the monthly mortgage payment is lower than the rent payment.Make sure you work with a pro who can help you crunch the numbers and see how your city stacks up. This may be your opportunity to forget...
How Much Does It Cost To Sell My House?
If you’re toying with the idea of selling your house, you’re probably wondering how much it’ll cost. To be honest, the final number will depend on several factors like the offer you accept, if you help with your buyer’s closing costs, how many repairs you tackle, and...
Two Reasons Why the Housing Market Won’t Crash
You may have heard chatter recently about the economy and talk about a possible recession. It's no surprise that kind of noise gets some people worried about a housing market crash. Maybe you’re one of them. But here’s the good news – there’s no need to panic. The...
Why Now’s Not the Time To Take Your House Off the Market
Has your house been sitting on the market longer than expected? If so, you’re bound to be frustrated by now. Maybe you’re even thinking it’s time to pull the listing and wait to see what 2025 brings. But what you may not realize is, the decision to hold off could...
Now’s the Time To Upgrade to Your Dream Home
If you’ve been wanting to sell your house and move up to a bigger or nicer home, you’re not alone. A recent Inman survey reveals the top motivator for today’s homebuyers is the desire for more space or an upgraded home (see graph below):But there’s also a good chance...
The Top 3 Reasons Affordability Is Improving
Some HighlightsAffordability is based on three key factors: mortgage rates, home prices, and wages.And today, it’s improving quickly as rates come down, prices level off, and wages climb. If you put your search on pause because it was too expensive to buy, connect...
Home Values Rise Even as Median Prices Fall
Recent headlines have been buzzing about the median asking price of homes dropping compared to last year, and that’s sparked plenty of confusion. And as a buyer or seller, it’s easy to assume that means prices are coming down. But here’s the catch: those numbers don’t...
Secrets To Selling Your House Quickly
Seeing your house sit on the market without any bites is the ultimate frustration. And unfortunately, some sellers are in that tricky spot today.According to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average time a house spends on the market has...
This Is the Sweet Spot Homebuyers Have Been Waiting For
After months of sitting on the sidelines, many homebuyers who were priced out by high mortgage rates and affordability challenges finally have an opportunity to make their move. With rates trending down, today’s market is a sweet spot for buyers—and it’s one that may...
Buying Beats Renting in 22 Major U.S. Cities
That’s right—according to a recent study from Zillow, in 22 of the 50 largest metro areas, monthly mortgage payments are now lower than rent payments (see chart below):As mortgage rates have eased off their recent peak, home prices have moderated, and inventory has...
Buy Now, or Wait?
Some HighlightsIf you’re wondering if you should buy now or wait, here’s what you need to know. If you wait for rates to drop more, you’ll have to deal with more competition and higher prices as additional buyers jump back in. But if you buy now, you’d get ahead of...
Don’t Fall for These Real Estate Agent Myths
When it’s time to buy or sell a home, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is who you’ll work with as your agent. That choice will have an impact on your entire experience and how smoothly it goes.As you figure out who you’ll partner with, it’s important to...
Why Buying Now May Be Worth It in the Long Run
Should you buy a home now or should you wait? That’s a question a lot of people have these days. And while what’s right for you is going to depend on a lot of different factors, here’s something you’ll want to consider as you make your decision.As soon as you buy,...
The Down Payment Assistance You Didn’t Know About
Believe it or not, almost 80% of first-time homebuyers qualify for down payment assistance, but only 13% actually use it. And if you’re hoping to buy a home, this is a mission-critical gap to close – fast (see graph below):Here’s what you need to know to make the most...
Is Your House Priced Too High?
Every seller wants to get their house sold quickly, for as much money as they can, with as few headaches as possible. And chances are, you’re no different.But did you know one of the biggest things that could jeopardize your success is the asking price for your home?...
Lower Mortgage Rates Boost Your Buying Power
Some HighlightsMortgage rates are trending down and that’s great news for your bottom line.As rates drop, your monthly payment on your next home does too. Even a small change in mortgage rates can have a big impact on your purchasing power.If you put your search on...
Falling Mortgage Rates Are Bringing Buyers Back
If you’ve been hesitant to list your house because you’re worried no one’s buying, here’s your sign it may be time to talk with an agent.After months of high rates keeping buyers on the sidelines, things are starting to shift. Rates are already coming down due to a...