Blog - Jason Malone

Homebuying, Real Estate Market

Understanding Today’s Mortgage Rates: Is 3% Coming Back?

A lot of buyers are pressing pause on their plans these days, holding out hope that mortgage rates will come down – maybe even back to the historic-low 3% from a few years ago. But here’s the thing: those rates were never meant to last. They were a short-term response to a very specific moment […]
Homebuying

What Buyers Need To Know About Homeowners Association Fees

When buying a home, you’re probably thinking about mortgage rates, home prices, your down payment, and maybe even your closing costs. But you may not be thinking about homeowners association (HOA) fees. While you won’t necessarily have these, you should know it’s a possibility, depending on where you decide to live. A homeowners association is […]
Home Selling

Home Projects That Boost Value

Whether you’re planning to move soon or not, it’s smart to be strategic about which home projects you take on. Your time, energy, and money matter – and not all upgrades offer the payoff you might expect. As U.S. News Real Estate explains: “. . . not every home renovation project will increase the resale […]
Homebuying

The 20% Down Payment Myth, Debunked

Saving up to buy a home can feel a little intimidating, especially right now. And for many first-time buyers, the idea that you have to put 20% down can feel like a major roadblock. But that’s actually a common misconception. Here’s the truth. Do You Really Have To Put 20% Down When You Buy a […]

Homebuying Understanding Today’s Mortgage Rates: Is 3% Coming Back? A lot of buyers are pressing pause on their plans these days, holding out hope that mortgage rates will come down – maybe even back to the historic-low 3% from a few years ago. But here’s the thing: those rates were never meant to last. They were a short-term response to a very specific moment […]

Homebuying What Buyers Need To Know About Homeowners Association Fees When buying a home, you’re probably thinking about mortgage rates, home prices, your down payment, and maybe even your closing costs. But you may not be thinking about homeowners association (HOA) fees. While you won’t necessarily have these, you should know it’s a possibility, depending on where you decide to live. A homeowners association is […]

Home Selling Home Projects That Boost Value Whether you’re planning to move soon or not, it’s smart to be strategic about which home projects you take on. Your time, energy, and money matter – and not all upgrades offer the payoff you might expect. As U.S. News Real Estate explains: “. . . not every home renovation project will increase the resale […]

Homebuying The 20% Down Payment Myth, Debunked Saving up to buy a home can feel a little intimidating, especially right now. And for many first-time buyers, the idea that you have to put 20% down can feel like a major roadblock. But that’s actually a common misconception. Here’s the truth. Do You Really Have To Put 20% Down When You Buy a […]

Real Estate Market What You Can Do When Mortgage Rates Are a Moving Target Have you seen where mortgage rates have been lately? One day they go down a little. The next day, they go back up again. It can feel confusing and even frustrating if you’re trying to decide whether now’s a good time to buy a home. Take a look at the graph below. It uses data […]

Homebuying Pre-Approval Isn’t Commitment – It’s Clarity If buying a home is on your radar – even if it’s more of a someday plan than a right now plan – getting pre-approved early is still one of the smartest moves you can make. Why? Because, like anything in life, the right prep work makes things clearer. The best time to get serious […]

Homebuying Are You Saving Up To Buy a Home? Your Tax Refund Can Help Are You Saving Up To Buy a Home? Your Tax Refund Can Help You’ve been working on your savings and dreaming of that moment when you finally have keys to a place that’s truly yours. What you might not realize is that your tax return could give you a little extra cash to help you […]

Home Selling Does Your Current Home Fit Your Retirement Plans Retirement isn’t just a milestone. It’s the beginning of something really special. After years of hard work, it’s finally time to slow down, explore new passions, and live life on your own terms. But with this exciting chapter comes some big choices. And one of the biggest is this: does your current home still make […]

Home Selling The Best Week to List Your House: April 13-19 The Best Week To List Your House Is Almost Here – Are You Ready? If selling your house is on your to-do list this year, the time to start prepping is now. That’s because experts say the best week to list your house is coming up fast. A recent Realtor.com study analyzed years of housing […]

Real Estate Market 4 Things to Expect from the Spring Housing Market 4 Things To Expect from the Spring Housing Market Spring is in full swing, and the housing market is picking up along with it. And if you’ve been wondering whether now is the right time to buy or sell, here’s the inside scoop on why this spring may be a great time to make your […]

Uncategorized Selling This Spring? Start the Prep Work Now The Secret To Selling This Spring: Start the Prep Work Now Spring is the busiest season in the housing market. It’s the time of year when buyers are most active – that means it’s when homes sell faster and for top dollar. If you’ve already got a move on your mind, why not list this […]

Real Estate Market Home Price Growth Is Moderating – Here’s Why That’s Good For You Over the past few years, home prices skyrocketed. That’s been frustrating for buyers, leaving many wondering if they’d ever get a shot at owning a home. But here’s some welcome news: that whirlwind pace of home price growth is slowing down. Home Prices Are Rising at a Healthy Pace At the national level, home prices […]

Homebuying The Real Benefits of Buying a Home This Year The Real Benefits of Buying a Home This Year Have you been wondering whether you should keep renting or finally make the leap into homeownership? It’s a big decision, and let’s be real — renting can feel like the easier option, especially if buying a home feels out of reach. But here’s the thing: a recent report from Bank […]

Homebuying What to Save for When Buying a Home What To Save for When Buying a Home Knowing what to budget for when buying a home may feel intimidating — but it doesn’t have to be. By understanding the costs you may encounter upfront, you can take control of the process. Here are just a few things experts say you should be thinking about as […]

Real Estate Market How Much Home Equity Have You Gained? The Answer Might Surprise You Have you ever stopped to think about how much wealth you’ve built up just from being a homeowner? As home values rise, so does your net worth. And, if you’ve been in your house for a few years (or longer), there’s a good chance you’re sitting on a pile of equity — maybe even more […]

Real Estate Market Where Will You Go After You Sell? If you’re planning to sell your house and move, you probably know there’s been a shortage of options available. But here’s the good news: the supply of homes for sale has grown in a lot of markets this year – and that’s not just existing, or previously-owned, homes. It’s true for newly built homes too. So how do you […]

Real Estate Market How VA Loans Can Help You Buy a Home For over 80 years, Veterans Affairs (VA) home loans have helped millions of veterans buy their own homes. If you or someone you know has served in the military, it’s important to learn about this program and its benefits. Here are some key things to know about VA loans before buying a home. Top Benefits of VA […]

Real Estate Market Builders Are Building Smaller Homes There’s no arguing it, affordability is still tight. And if you’re trying to buy a home, that may mean you need to look at smaller houses to find one that’s still in your budget. But there is a silver lining: builders are focused on building these smaller homes right now and they’re offering incentives. And that can help […]

Real Estate Market Why Having Your Own Agent Matters When Buying a New Construction Home Finding the right home is one of the biggest challenges for potential buyers today. Right now, the supply of homes for sale is still low. But there is a bright spot. Newly built homes make up a larger percent of the total homes available for sale than normal. That’s why, if you’re craving more options, it makes sense to see if […]

Real Estate Market Why Mortgage Rates Could Continue To Decline When you read about the housing market, you’ll probably come across some information about inflation or recent decisions made by the Federal Reserve (the Fed). But how do those two things impact you and your homebuying plans? Here’s what you need to know. The Federal Funds Rate Hikes Have Stalled One of the Fed’s primary goals is to lower inflation. […]