The Truth About Newly Built Homes and Today’s Market

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on April 8, 2025. Posted in Agent Value, Inventory, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Headlines are talking about the inventory of new homes and how we’re back at the levels not seen since 2009. And maybe you’re reading that and thinking: oh no, here we go again. That’s because you remember the housing crash of the late 2000s and you’re worried we’re repeating the same mistakes. But before you let fear take hold, remember: headlines are designed to be clickbait. And a lot of the time, they do more to terrify than clarify. That’s because they don’t always give you all the context you need. So, let’s take a step back and look at what the data really says. Why This Isn’t Like...

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House Hunting Just Got Easier – Here’s Why

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on April 7, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, Inventory, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

If you’ve been frustrated by the lack of homes for sale over the past few years, here’s some good news. You have more options, so it may finally be time to kick off your home search again. As Daryl Fairweather, Chief Economist at Redfin, explains: “Now is the best time to buy in the last two years. Mortgage rates are comparable to what they were two years ago, and prices remain high. However, there is significantly more inventory . . .” The number of homes for sale has grown compared to last year, and even more options are on the way. While this is typical for the busy spring season,...

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Things To Avoid After You Apply for a Mortgage

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on April 4, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Some Highlights Once a lender has reviewed your finances as part of the homebuying process, you want to be as consistent as possible. Don’t make any big changes that could affect your mortgage application. Here are a few tips. Don’t change bank accounts or apply for new credit. And this one may surprise you, don’t buy appliances or furniture for your next home yet either. The best tip of all? Before you do anything financial in nature, talk to your lender first.

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The #1 Thing Sellers Need To Know About Their Asking Price

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on April 3, 2025. Posted in For Sellers, Home Prices, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Selling Tips.

When you put your house on the market, you want to sell it quickly and for the best price possible; that’s generally the goal. But too many sellers are shooting too high right now. They don’t realize the market has shifted as inventory has grown. The side effect? Price cuts are on the rise, but they really don’t have to be. Here’s why. According to data from Realtor.com, in February, price cuts were the highest they’ve been in any other February since 2019 (see graph below): If you consider that 2019 was the last true normal year for the housing market – that’s a big deal....

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Townhomes: A Smart Solution for Today’s First-Time Buyers

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on April 2, 2025. Posted in First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Inventory, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Buying your first home in today’s market can feel tough. Between high home prices and mortgage rates, affordability is still a big challenge. And some buyers are making one simple trade-off that’s getting them in the door faster: square footage. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), 35% of buyers are willing to purchase something smaller to make homeownership happen. And one place you can usually find a smaller footprint (and sometimes better affordability) is in townhomes. Why Townhomes Are Gaining Popularity Townhomes typically cost less than single-family homes...

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Here’s What a Recession Could Mean for the Housing Market

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on April 1, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Prices, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Recession talk is all over the news, and the odds of a recession are rising this year. And that leaves people wondering what would happen to the housing market if we do go into a recession. Let’s take a look at some historical data to show what’s happened in housing for each recession going all the way back to the 1980s. A Recession Doesn’t Mean Home Prices Will Fall Many people think that if a recession hits, home prices will fall like they did in 2008. But that was an exception, not the rule. It was the only time we saw such a steep drop in prices. And it hasn’t happened since. In...

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Paused Your Moving Plans? Here’s Why It Might Be Time To Hit Play Again

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 31, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, Inventory, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Last year, 70% of buyers abandoned their home search – and maybe you were one of them. It makes sense. Inventory was low, prices were high, and mortgage rates were up and down like a rollercoaster. All of that made it really hard to find a home you loved – and could afford. But guess what? The market is shifting. So, if you paused your moving plans in 2024, it might be time to hit play again. Here’s why. More Inventory Opens Up More Options Even if you could make the numbers work, the lack of available homes in recent years probably made it hard to come by something that fit your needs....

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National Housing Trends To Watch

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 28, 2025. Posted in Home Prices, Infographics, Inventory, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Some Highlights At a national level, the housing market has shifted over the past year. There are more homes for sale, price growth has moderated, and homes are taking a little longer to sell. Do you want to know how your area compares? Connect with a real estate agent to go over what’s happening locally and what this means for you.

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Buyers Have More Negotiation Power – Here’s How To Use It

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 27, 2025. Posted in Agent Value, Buying Tips, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

You may have heard there are more homes for sale right now. And while that’ll vary depending on the market, it means that overall, things are starting to lean in a more balanced direction. As that happens, some sellers are a bit more open to compromise. Here’s what that means for you. You may be regaining some negotiating power. That can translate into savings, perks, or even better terms on your purchase – if you know what levers to pull during negotiation. Why an Agent Is an Essential Part of the Negotiation Process The complicated part is knowing what is and isn’t on the table. That’s...

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Why Pre-Approval Is More Important Than Ever This Spring

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 26, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Spring is here, and so is the busiest season in real estate. More buyers are out looking for homes, which means more competition for you. If you want to put yourself in the best position to buy, there’s one step you can’t afford to skip, and that’s getting pre-approved for a mortgage. Some buyers think they can wait until they’ve found a home they love before talking to a lender. But in a season where homes can sell fast, that’s a risky move. Getting pre-approved before you start your search is a much better bet. Here’s what you need to know about this early step in the buying process....

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The Best Week To List Your House Is Almost Here – Are You Ready?

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 25, 2025. Posted in Agent Value, For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Selling Tips.

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 market trends (excluding 2020 since it was an outlier) and found that April 13–19 is expected to be the ideal window to put your house on the market this year: “. . . we’ve identified April 13-19 as the best week to list for sellers . . . a seller listing a well-priced, move-in ready home is likely to find success. Because spring is generally the high season for real...

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4 Things To Expect from the Spring Housing Market

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 24, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Home Prices, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Mortgage Rates.

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 move. 1. There Are More Homes for Sale After a long stretch of tight inventory, the number of homes for sale is finally improving. According to recent national data from Realtor.com, active listings are up 27.5% compared to this time last year. Look at the graph below and follow the green line for 2025. You can see, even though inventory levels still haven’t...

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Your Roadmap to Homeownership

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 21, 2025. Posted in Agent Value, Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Some Highlights Buying a home isn’t just a transaction – it’s a journey. And like any great adventure, having a solid roadmap makes all the difference. ? From building your dream team to getting pre-approved, house hunting, and signing the papers on closing day – each milestone is an achievement. Your journey starts here. Connect with an agent so you have help every step along the way.?

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How Buying or Selling a Home Helps Your Local Economy

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 20, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Whether you’re buying or selling a house, here’s something to think about that most people don’t. Your decision doesn’t just impact your life and your family’s, it sparks a ripple effect that has a positive impact on your entire community. Every year, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) puts out a report that breaks down the financial impact that comes from people buying and selling homes. The data shows that if you buy an existing (previously lived-in) home, you’re giving the local economy a boost of just over $60K. And if you buy a newly built home, that number goes up to...

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What You Need To Know About Homeowner’s Insurance

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 19, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Homeowner’s insurance is a must-have to protect what’s probably your biggest investment – your home. And while you never want to think about worst-case scenarios, the right coverage is basically your safety net if something goes wrong. Here’s how it helps you. Covers Repairs and Rebuilding Costs: If your home is damaged by fire, storms, or other covered events, your policy helps pay for repairs or even a full rebuild. Protects Your Belongings: Many policies can also cover personal items like furniture, electronics, and clothing if they’re stolen or damaged. Provides Liability Coverage: If...

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Is It Time To Put Your House Back on the Market?

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 18, 2025. Posted in Economy, For Sellers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Selling Tips.

If you took your house off the market in late 2024, you’re not the only one. Newsweek reports that data from CoreLogic and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) says nearly 73,000 homes were pulled from the market in December alone – that’s more than any other December going all the way back to 2017 (see graph below): Whether it was because offers weren’t coming in, the timing around the holidays felt overwhelming, or they wanted to see if the market would improve in the new year – a lot of other homeowners decided to press pause, too. But now, with spring fast approaching, it’s time to...

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Rising Inventory Means This Spring Could Be Your Moment

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 17, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, Home Prices, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Want to know two reasons this spring might finally be your time to buy? Inventory has grown and sellers may be more willing to negotiate as a result. That means you’ve got more options and more power than buyers have had in years. Let’s break it down. 1. You Have More Homes To Choose From The number of homes for sale this February was higher than it’s been in any of the past five Februarys – and that’s great news for your home search. The graph below uses the latest data from Realtor.com to show the supply of homes on the market has grown by 27.5% in just the last year: More choices for...

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What You Need To Know About Pre-Approval

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 14, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, For Buyers, Infographics, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Some Highlights Before you even start looking at homes, there’s something you should do first – and that’s get pre-approved for your mortgage. Pre-approval is when a lender checks your finances and decides how much you’re qualified to borrow for your home loan. This helps you determine your budget and makes your offer stand out for sellers. ?Connect with a trusted lender to get the process started.

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Is the Housing Market Starting To Balance Out?

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 13, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, Inventory, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

For years, sellers have had the upper hand in the housing market. With so few homes for sale and so many people who wanted to purchase them, buyers faced tough competition just to get an offer accepted. But now, inventory is rising, and things are starting to shift in many areas. So, is the market finally balancing out? And does that mean buyers will have it a bit easier now? Here’s what you need to know. What Makes It a Buyer’s Market or a Seller’s Market? It all comes down to how many homes are for sale in an area compared to how many buyers want to buy there. That’s what ultimately...

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Buying Your First Home? It’s Okay To Feel Nervous

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 12, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

Buying your first home is exciting, but let’s be real – it can also feel overwhelming. It’s a big step, and with that comes plenty of questions. Am I making the right decision? Can I really afford this right now? Will I be able to make ends meet if I have unexpected repairs? What if I lose my job? Here’s the thing: every first-time homebuyer has these thoughts. The homebuying process has always been a mix of excitement and nerves, and that’s completely normal. Here’s some information that can give you a bit of perspective, so you don’t have these concerns. Focus on What You Can...

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Mortgage Rates Hit Lowest Point So Far This Year

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 11, 2025. Posted in For Buyers, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage, Mortgage Rates.

If you’ve been holding off on buying a home because of high mortgage rates, you might want to take another look at the market. That’s because mortgage rates have been trending down lately – and that gives you a chance to jump back in. Mortgage rates have been declining for seven straight weeks now, according to data from Freddie Mac. And the average weekly rate is now at the lowest level so far this year (see graph below): While that may not sound like a significant shift, it is noteworthy. Because the meaningful drop from over 7% to the mid-6’s can change your mindset when it comes to...

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Should I Buy a Home Right Now? Experts Say Prices Are Only Going Up

Written by Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage on March 10, 2025. Posted in Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Home Prices, Marathon FL Mortgage, Marathon Florida Keys Mortgage.

At one point or another, you’ve probably heard someone say, “Yesterday was the best time to buy a home, but the next best time is today.” That’s because nationally, home values continue to rise. And with mortgage rates still stubbornly high and home prices going up, you may be holding out for prices to fall or trying to time the market for that perfect rate. But here’s the truth: waiting for the right moment could cost you in the long run. Home Prices Are Still Rising – Just at a More Normal Pace The idea that prices will drop dramatically is wishful thinking in most markets. According to...

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