Christina VanDerwerker's Blog Posts

If you're waiting for mortgage rates to fall a lot before you buy, you may be waiting a while. But before you get discouraged, there's a number working behind the scenes that's actually good for you

After more than a year of headlines talking about how home prices are going to crash, the latest data shows that price growth may be starting to pick back up again. And depending on whether you;

Remember how exciting it was to buy your first place? It felt like crossing a long-awaited finish line. It gave you a place to build your life. Maybe it’s where you lived when you got married.

Quick gut reaction. Which investment do Americans trust more than stocks, gold, savings accounts, and bonds? The answer hasn't changed in 14 years. It's real estate. And this year, that answer

Student loans are back in the spotlight. And whether you've been following the headlines closely or just catching bits and pieces here and there, there's a good chance they've been on your mind

When your house doesn’t sell, it’s not just disappointing. It messes with your timing. Your plans. Your confidence. You start second-guessing everything, including the decision to move

Open up a home search and you'll see them. Listings that have been on the market for two months. Three. Some longer.Most buyers scroll right past them, assuming something’s wrong with the.

Data shows inflation is moving in the wrong direction. But before the headlines send anyone into a panic, here's what's actually going on, why it matters for the housing market, and what it means if

You may be telling yourself you’re going to wait to move – maybe you’re hoping mortgage rates will come down, prices will fall, or the market will feel a little easier.And?

You've probably seen the headlines saying, "foreclosures are on the rise,” and maybe your mind jumped straight to 2008. That’s understandable. A lot of people remember that crash and all

Most sellers come into the market with one number in mind. And it’s often the one that costs them the most. That's their asking price. A survey from Realtor.com shows about 8 in 10 (80%)

It’s one of the biggest hold ups some buyers have right now: “What if I buy, and home prices go down?”With everything in the news, that concern makes some sense. No one wants to

It’s one of the biggest hold ups some buyers have right now: “What if I buy, and home prices go down?”With everything in the news, that concern makes some sense. No one wants to

Selling your house this season? You’ve probably heard you should stage it before it hits the market. But what does that really mean – and is it worth the effort?The short answer is ;

When you put your house on the market, you don’t just want it to sell. You want it to sell fast. But the thing is, nationally, it’s taking a little longer to sell lately. And that

For a lot of would-be first-time buyers, affordability is the thing that’s standing in the way. But some buyers are getting creative and finding a way to still make the numbers work –

You may have heard April 12-18 was the “best week” to list your house. That’s based on a report from Realtor.com. But now that it’s passed, you may be wondering if you missed

Looking to buy a home this season? Here's what you should know. Buyers have more leverage today than they’ve had in years. There are more homes to choose from and, in many areas, sellers

According to Google Trends, online searches for down payment information recently hit an all-time high. And that’s a clear sign more buyers are trying to figure out what they really need to

At some point, as you start thinking about the years ahead, this question tends to come up:“Could I stay here long-term… or would it make more sense to move?”It’s not always

There’s a lot of uncertainty right now and that’s leading to some dramatic headlines. And if you’re thinking about buying a home, that can make you feel a little less sure about

Did you try to buy a home last year, but you ended up pressing pause?Maybe you couldn’t find a home that really fit your needs. Or maybe the ones you liked just weren’t affordable.

With economic headlines, global events, and near constant talk about affordability, you may be wondering if this is the right time to move. But here’s what you need to remember.While recent

You’ve probably asked yourself lately: Is it even worth trying to buy a home right now? It’s a question a lot of people are asking.With today’s home prices and mortgage rates,

If you’re getting a tax refund this year, here’s something worth thinking about. That money could actually help you get closer to buying a home.It may not be something you’ve

If you’ve been looking for a home lately, you’ve probably felt how tough affordability still is. And that's exactly why more buyers are opting for adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs.Here

For a lot of people, the math on buying a home just doesn’t really work right now. Maybe that’s how it feels for you too. You look at the cost of buying. Then you look at the cost of

There’s a lot of noise out there right now about investors in the housing market.Some headlines make it sound like big Wall Street firms are buying up everything in sight. And if you’re

When your house sits on the market longer than expected, it can get frustrating fast.You start asking: what now? And for a growing number of homeowners, that turns into: should I just rent it?

While the Spring season consistently offers up some of the best conditions for home sellers, Realtor.com says there’s one window where the stars really seem to align year after year. And it

Be honest. Have you started looking at homes online yet? If you have, it’s already time to get pre-approved. Because here’s what not enough people know.If buying a home is on your radar

Spend about 5 minutes online searching for news about the housing market, and odds are you’ll see something pop up about home prices. You may even stumble onto social media influencers saying

Mortgage rates have been volatile lately. And if you’re thinking about buying a home, that can make it harder to plan. But there are still things you can do to get the best rate possible in

That kitchen you’ve been mentally redesigning...The bathroom that really needs a refresh...Or the outdoor space you keep saying you’ll get to someday...What if you already have what you

For the past few years, affordability has been what’s stopped a lot of buyers in their tracks. Maybe it stopped you, too.At some point you probably did the math, looked at the monthly payment,

Buying your first home is exciting, but it can also be a little nerve-wrecking because it’s something you’ve never done before. And trying to think of everything you need to do can feel

You may have seen headlines on social saying the number of buyers backing out of their contracts is on the rise – and has recently reached a high not seen since 2017. That can sound

Foreclosures are ticking up. And that may make your mind jump straight to thoughts of 2008 – specifically to what happened to the market during the housing crash. So, let’s do exactly

Online searches for “can’t sell house” just hit an all-time high according to Google Trends. So, if your house has been sitting on the market without any bites, you’re not

What if you didn’t have a mortgage payment on your next house? It may sound a little unrealistic. But for a number of homeowners, it’s actually doable.Nearly 3 in 10 homes purchased

Mortgage rates have already dropped into the upper 5s twice this year. But after just a few days, they ticked back up into the low 6% range. If you saw that and thought, “Great. I missed it,

Homeowners looking to sell usually want three things: plenty of interested buyers, strong offers, and a short timeline. Spring is the season that most often delivers all three.So, if a move has been

You’ve probably seen posts on social media talking about how “home prices are falling.” And when you see something like that, it’s normal to wonder:Is this the start of a

Some HighlightsHave you been holding off on downsizing? If so, you should know your equity could make your move possible.Homeowners today have so much equity that a record number are buying

If you’re taking a look at your expenses as you retire, saving money where you can has a lot of appeal. One long-standing, popular way to do that is by downsizing to a smaller home

If you’re thinking about retirement or have already retired this year, it’s a good time to consider if your current house is still a good fit for the next chapter in your life,

Experts Project Home Prices Will Increase in 2024Even though home prices are going up nationally, some people are still worried they might come down. In fact, a recent survey from 

Will a Silver Tsunami Change the 2024 Housing Market?Have you ever heard the term “Silver Tsunami” and wondered what it's all about? If so, that might be because there’s