Want a stat that'll blow your mind?

The millennial generation is wealthier than my generation and the one before me. They're wealthier than the last two generations at the same age.

You might say, "What? That can't be true."

But it is.

And here's why:

A lot of this has to do with buying a home, and this is great news for us. Many millennials bought homes pre-COVID or at the beginning of COVID, and they had to stretch to do it. We often don't give them enough credit, but a lot of them gave up their lattes and stopped ordering from Instacart and DoorDash. They really stretched and bought a house before or at the start of COVID.

Back then, they thought prices were high and that they were stretching too much. But they made it happen. Then, what happened with prices? Prices skyrocketed during COVID. So now millennials are benefiting from this huge equity build over the last few years. That equity makes them more affluent than the two generations before them.

So why am I bringing this up?...

Did you know that real estate is one of the best hedges against inflation? Even though inflation is starting to come under control, it’s still a big issue for most Americans. One of the biggest impacts on the average American is rent costs. Rent has been flat for a bit, but it’s starting to rise again. In June 2024, rents went up by 3.5%, the highest increase in about a year.

This is a great opportunity to talk to renters in your community about how they can get ahead of rising rental prices by buying a home.

Here's the message:

"Hey guys, you might not have heard, but rent prices have gone up 3.5%, the highest in over a year. Because of that, you might want to start considering buying a home. Yes, interest rates are a little higher than we'd like them to be, but when you buy a home, as long as you can make that payment, it stays stable for the next 30 years. The only things that might increase are your taxes and interest, but your core payment remains the same.

Imagine...

Hey guys, price drops have hit an 18-month high. Here are three stats you need to know:

1. In May, 6.4% of home sellers dropped their home prices. In the last week of May, home prices actually came down by $3,000.
2. This is the first time home prices have declined in the last six months.
3. Homes are also staying on the market longer, now averaging 46 days. We are seeing more stagnation with listings.

When analyzing the market, we consider supply versus demand. We still have very low supply, but demand is decreasing due to high interest rates and record-high home prices. This combination makes affordability tough for many home buyers.

When discussing this with sellers, it's important to explain that a market can have pricing power or pricing pressure. For years, sellers had pricing power due to low supply and high demand. Now, with demand dropping, pricing pressure is entering the market.

The best time for a price adjustment might be surprising—it's at the listing appointment. At...

Imagine someone asking, "Jim, why should I buy a home now? I see a lot of negative factors: record-high interest rates, historically low inventory levels, and soaring prices. Is this the right time to buy?" I'll provide you with four compelling reasons. Ready? Let's dive in.

Reason 1: Sellers who've been on the market for 30, 60, or 90 days are starting to feel the pressure. They might resort to price reductions, creating opportunities for bargain shoppers like you.

Reason 2: Many sellers are now open to offering owner financing, especially if they've struggled to sell traditionally. They're willing to provide attractive terms, like a 4% or 5% interest rate.

Reason 3: Working with a skilled agent like me, we can help you uncover assumable loans. Approximately 70-80% of loans on the market are currently under 4%. We'll explore homes with assumable loans at lower interest rates.

Reason 4: Sellers are offering incentives....

Did you hear the latest news from the Federal Housing Administration about financing ADUs, which stands for Additional Dwelling Units?

In the past, lenders couldn't consider rental income from these ADUs, making it tough for buyers unless they were all-cash purchasers. But here's the exciting update: Starting now, you can purchase these properties more easily. For ADUs that are either not built yet or in need of a complete remodel, you can use an FHA 203K loan.

The best part?

They now count 50% of the income from the ADU in your qualification. And if it's an existing ADU, they'll consider up to 75% of the rental income!

This means it's a lot more accessible to buy such properties.

So, if you know someone who owns an ADU, let them know it's now easier to finance and sell.

And for those of you with buyers seeking these types of properties, whether it's for a second family situation, this is fantastic news to share on social...

How do you respond when a seller says they'll wait until spring, especially in the winter?

If you can't handle this objection, you're in a tough spot, right?

Let me share a powerful response because mastering the language of sales is key. It's not just about handling objections, but about providing food for thought to help them make the best decision.

So, if someone tells me, "Jim, we'll wait until spring and summer," here’s what I’ll say:

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“I completely understand. I'll be here to assist you then as well. But here's something to consider. Many potential sellers are planning to wait for the same season, leading to a surge in listings. The advantage is better weather and more buyers, but the downside is increased competition.

Instead of one or two listings, you might face 10 or 20. More competition means buyer interest gets divided among many listings, potentially resulting in fewer showings and offers.

Now,...

Guess what?

Millennials, who were the dominant force in the housing market a year ago, have taken a step back. It's been a significant drop.

Now, why are millennials pulling away from the real estate scene?

The primary reason is interest rates.

The real question is, who has taken their place as the leading group of homebuyers? Who's currently driving the market?

Well, it might surprise you, but it's the baby boomer generation, and they're making a strong comeback in the housing market. In fact, cash buyers account for 27% of the recent transactions, and many of them are likely baby boomers with disposable income, not overly concerned about interest rates.

They see opportunities in the market now that they didn't have a year ago when they were competing with numerous other buyers.

So, as you adapt your marketing strategies to changing market dynamics, consider focusing on baby boomers within your sphere...

I've got three pieces of great data for sellers:

First off, the number of offers per listing sold has rebounded to three and a half, moving up from the previous high of five and a half offers last year.

This drop was influenced by rising interest rates, but recently, we've seen a resurgence in the number of offers.

Next, let's talk about pending home sales, which have been steadily increasing over the past three months.

These numbers have been consistently on the rise.

And then there's the excellent news about sales prices.

They've not only recovered to where they were in June of last year, which marked an all-time high for U.S. home prices, but they've actually surpassed that level by a considerable margin. It seems like this upward trajectory in prices will persist.

So, if you're considering selling your home, this might be the optimal time to do so. Looking back at the past decade, it's quite...

Hey guys, what if I told you that today may be a better time to sell your home than even last year when rates were 4%?

Let me give you the data (and a script you can use):

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“According to the National Association of REALTORS, home prices are now only $4,000 away from their all time high last June, and we are at 11% less inventory than we were at that time.

The other great thing that is happening in this market is that sellers are now back to getting 100% of our asking price on average in our market. And get this: 37% of sellers are selling for over full price.

So this is a market that is a great market for sellers in most price bands. If you're thinking about selling, I'd love to chat with you. I'd love to have you send me a text or a quick call.

Let's talk about what it might look like for you to put your home on the market.”

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That's the script I want you to use. That's the script I want you to put out because...

Hey guys, in real estate, we often hear the word "affordability". What does it mean and how can we break it down for our clients? Affordability has three components.

The first one is how much people are making. In the last year, on average, wages have gone up a little over 7%. So people are making a little bit more, which means they can afford a little bit more in their house.

The second leg of this is housing prices. Housing prices have flattened out compared to what we were seeing in 2019 and 2020, and in some markets, we're seeing some declines. Last quarter, home prices decreased by about 4%, which is significantly less than the double-digit gains we have seen in previous years.

The last component is interest rates. Interest rates are having the biggest impact on affordability. But it is important to remember that when buying a home, home prices are permanent, but interest rates and wages are temporary. As wages generally...