Why Home Prices Aren’t Actually Flat

Written by Sarasota Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on October 8, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Prices, Mortgage Sarasota, Sarasota Mortgage.

If you’ve been following real estate news lately, you’ve probably seen headlines saying home prices are flat. And at first glance, that sounds simple enough. But here’s the thing. The reality isn’t quite that straightforward.In most places, prices aren’t flat at all.What the Data Really ShowsWhile we’ve definitely seen prices moderate from the rapid and unsustainable climb in 2020-2022, how much they’ve changed is going to be different everywhere.If you look at data from ResiClub and Zillow for the 50 largest metros, this becomes very clear. The real story is split right down the...

Why Experts Say Mortgage Rates Should Ease Over the Next Year

Written by Sarasota Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on October 6, 2025. Posted in Affordability, Economy, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, For Sellers, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage Sarasota, Sarasota Mortgage.

You want mortgage rates to fall – and they’ve started to. But is it going to last? And how low will they go?Experts say there’s room for rates to come down even more over the next year. And one of the leading indicators to watch is the 10-year treasury yield. Here’s why.The Link Between Mortgage Rates and the 10-Year Treasury YieldFor over 50 years, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate has closely followed the movement of the 10-year treasury yield, which is a widely watched benchmark for long-term interest rates (see graph below):When the treasury yield climbs, mortgage rates tend...

Why October Is the Best Time To Buy a Home in 2025

Written by Sarasota Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on October 2, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Sarasota, Sarasota Mortgage.

If you’ve been watching from the sidelines, now’s the time to lean in. It’s officially the best time to buy this year. According to Realtor.com, this October will have the most buyer-friendly conditions of any month in 2025:“By mid-October, buyers across much of the country may finally find the combination of inventory, pricing, and negotiating power they’ve been waiting for—a rare opportunity in a market that has been tight for most of the past decade.”So, if you’re ready and able to buy right now, shooting for this month means you should see:More homes to choose fromLess competition from...

What Buyers Say They Need Most (And How the Market’s Responding)

Written by Sarasota Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on October 1, 2025. Posted in Affordability, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Home Prices, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage Sarasota, Sarasota Mortgage.

A recent survey from Bank of America asked would-be homebuyers what would help them feel better about making a move, and it’s no surprise the answers have a clear theme. They want affordability to improve, specifically prices and rates (see below):Here’s the good news. While the broader economy may still feel uncertain, there are signs the housing market is showing some changes in both of those areas. Let’s break it down so you know what you’re working with.Prices Are ModeratingOver the past few years, home prices climbed fast, sometimes so fast it left many buyers feeling shut out. But...

Closing Costs Unpacked: State-by-State Breakdowns for Today’s Buyers

Written by Sarasota Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 29, 2025. Posted in First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Sarasota, Sarasota Mortgage.

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, there’s one expense you can’t afford to overlook: closing costs.Almost every buyer knows they exist, but not that many know exactly what they cover, or how different they can be based on where you’re buying. So, let’s break them down.What Are Closing Costs?Your closing costs are the additional fees and payments you make when finalizing your home purchase. Every buyer has them. According to Freddie Mac, they typically include things like homeowner insurance and title insurance, as well as various fees for your:Loan applicationCredit...

Why Buyers and Sellers Face Very Different Conditions Today

Written by Sarasota Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 24, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Prices, Inventory, Mortgage Sarasota, Sarasota Mortgage.

There’s a new divide in housing right now. In some states, buyers are gaining ground. In others, sellers still have the upper hand. It all depends on where you live. Curious what’s happening in your state?These 3 maps show how the split is playing out across the country. In each one:Darker Shades of Blue = Buyer friendlyLighter Shades of Blue = Seller strongInventory Sets the StageWhile the number of homes for sale has improved pretty much across the board, how much growth we’ve seen can look dramatically different based on where you live. And that impacts who has the leverage...

3 Reasons Affordability Is Showing Signs of Improvement This Fall

Written by Sarasota Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 22, 2025. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, For Buyers, Mortgage Sarasota, Sarasota Mortgage.

For the past couple of years, it’s been tough for a lot of homebuyers to make the numbers work. Home prices shot up. Mortgage rates too. And a number of people hit pause because it just didn’t feel possible. Maybe you were one of them.But there’s some encouraging news. If you’ve been waiting for a better time to jump back in, affordability may finally be showing signs of improvement this fall.The latest data from Redfin shows the typical monthly mortgage payment has been coming down, and is now about $290 lower than it was just a few months ago (see graph below):And here’s why this is...

What a Fed Rate Cut Could Mean for Mortgage Rates

Written by Sarasota Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 15, 2025. Posted in Affordability, Economy, For Buyers, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage Sarasota, Sarasota Mortgage.

The Federal Reserve (the Fed) meets this week, and expectations are high that they’ll cut the Federal Funds Rate. But does that mean mortgage rates will drop? Let’s clear up the confusion.The Fed Doesn’t Directly Set Mortgage RatesRight now, all eyes are on the Fed. Most economists expect they’ll cut the Federal Funds Rate at their mid-September meeting to try to head off a potential recession.According to the CME FedWatch Tool, markets are already betting on it. There’s virtually a 100% chance of a September cut. And based on what we know now, there’s about a 92% chance it’ll be a...

Mortgage Rates Just Saw Their Biggest Drop in a Year

Written by Sarasota Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 10, 2025. Posted in Affordability, Economy, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Rates, Mortgage Sarasota, Sarasota Mortgage.

You’ve been waiting for what feels like forever for mortgage rates to finally budge. And last week, they did – in a big way.On Friday, September 5th, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to the lowest level since October 2024. It was the biggest one-day decline in over a year.What Sparked the Drop?According to Mortgage News Daily, this was a reaction to the August jobs report, which came out weaker-than-expected for a second month in a row. That sent signals across the financial markets, and then mortgage rates came down as a result.Basically, we’re seeing signs the economy...

Builder Incentives Reach 5-Year High

Written by Sarasota Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 4, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, Mortgage Sarasota, Move-Up, New Construction, Sarasota Mortgage.

Even with more homes on the market right now, some buyers are still having a tough time finding the right one at the right price. Maybe the layout feels off. Maybe it still needs some updating. Or maybe it’s just more of the same.That’s why more buyers are turning to new construction – and finding some of the best deals available today.Why? Today, many builders have more homes that are finished and sitting on the market than normal. And that means they’re motivated to sell. They’re running a business, and they don’t want to sit on their inventory. They want to sell it before they build more...

Category: For Buyers