What Homeowners Want To Know About Selling in Today’s Market

What Homeowners Want To Know About Selling in Today’s Market

If you’re thinking about selling your house, you’re likely hearing about the cooling housing market and wondering what that means for you. While it's not the peak intensity we saw during the pandemic, we’re still in a sellers’ market. That means you haven’t missed your window. Realtor.com explains:

“. . . while prospective home sellers may lament that they missed their prime window, in reality, this is still a terrific time to sell. In fact, according to a recent Realtor.com® home seller survey, 95% of sellers who sold their home in the past year got more than they paid for it.

Nonetheless, some of the more prominent pandemic trends have changed, so sellers might wish to adjust…

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Mortgage Rates Will Come Down, It’s Just a Matter of Time

Mortgage Rates Will Come Down, It’s Just a Matter of Time

This past year, rising mortgage rates have slowed the red-hot housing market. Over the past nine months, we’ve seen fewer homes sold than the previous month as home price growth has slowed. All of this is due to the fact that the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has doubled this year, severely limiting homebuying power for consumers. And this month, the average rate for financing a home briefly rose over 7% before coming back down into the high 6% range. But we’re starting to see a hint of what mortgage interest rates could look like next year.

Inflation Is the Enemy of Long-Term Interest Rates

As long as inflation is high, we’ll see higher mortgage rates. Over the past couple of…

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Lowcountry Real Estate Market Report - November 2022

MARKET UPDATE - November 2022

Housing affordability continues to be a major roadblock for market participants, with mortgage rates more than double compared to this time last year. Buyers are delaying home purchases in hopes rates will drop, while many sellers are holding off on listing their homes due to weakening buyer demand, unwilling to trade in their current lower rates for significantly higher borrowing costs on their next property. As a result, existing-home and pending home sales have continued to slow as we move into winter.

With home sales down, nationwide housing inventory was at 3.3 months’ supply heading into November, up from 2.4 months from this time last year, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Although buyers have…

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Signature Sales, November 2022 - Charter One Realty

Charter One Realty's consistent investments on behalf of Buyers, Sellers, and Communities for over three decades pay dividends for our clients. Like the international luxury brands, Charter One Realty employs world-class marketing with a global reach.

But one need only look at actual sales in the area’s luxury communities, and at the area’s $1,000,000+ transactions to understand that Charter One Realty is the Lowcountry’s Leading Luxury Brand.

Announcing our November 2022 Charter One Realty Signature Sales. Like the international luxury brands, Charter One Realty employs world-class marketing with a global reach. And when it comes to Luxury Properties, we dominate the market.

We successfully listed, marketed, and negotiated the sale of 14…

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Lowcountry Real Estate Market Report - October 2022

MARKET UPDATE - October 2022

Existing home sales declined nationwide for the eighth consecutive month, falling 1.5% as of last measure, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), with sales down nearly 24% from the same period last year. Pending home sales also declined, dropping 10.9% month-to-month, exceeding economists’ expectations. Stubbornly high inflation and soaring borrowing costs have eroded buyer purchasing power and have caused the market to cool rapidly this year.

The US housing market is undergoing a major shift, and affordability continues to be an obstacle for buyers and sellers. Mortgage rates have doubled since March, and home prices remain elevated due to a limited supply of homes, although price gains are slowing…

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Signature Sales, October 2022 - Charter One Realty

Charter One Realty's consistent investments on behalf of Buyers, Sellers, and Communities for over three decades pay dividends for our clients. Like the international luxury brands, Charter One Realty employs world-class marketing with a global reach.

But one need only look at actual sales in the area’s luxury communities, and at the area’s $1,000,000+ transactions to understand that Charter One Realty is the Lowcountry’s Leading Luxury Brand.

Announcing our October 2022 Charter One Realty Signature Sales. Like the international luxury brands, Charter One Realty employs world-class marketing with a global reach. And when it comes to Luxury Properties, we dominate the market.

We successfully listed, marketed, and negotiated the sale of 20 $1M+…

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Meet the Agent - Alec Smith

Alec Smith entered the real estate business directly out of college, after interning with a Top Producing Agent in Jacksonville, Florida. Alec then joined a small reputable brokerage in Downtown Beaufort where he learned the ropes with the help of his Broker. Alec made the jump to Charter One Realty last month and is already seeing success in the business. 

Charter One Realty sat down with Alec to learn more about how he got his start and some of his favorite aspects of life in the Lowcountry.

CHARTER ONE REALTY: When did you know that you wanted to pursue a career in real estate?

Alec Smith: I knew I wanted to pursue a career in real estate after completing a summer internship in college. I was fortunate enough to get a better understanding of…

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Help Spread Smiles this Holiday Season! Charter One Realty Hosts 7th Annual Toy Drive.

Hilton Head Island, SC, October 2022 – Charter One Realty has announced the start of the 7th Annual Holiday Toy Drive in partnership with Deep Well, Bluffton Self Help, and The United Way. Members of the community are invited to drop off new, unwrapped toys at the company’s sales offices through Monday, December 5th. The toys will be delivered throughout the holidays in conjunction with local charities that assist financially and physically disadvantaged children.

“As part of our holiday tradition for 7 years, we invite the public to join Charter One's efforts to bring holiday cheer to families and children who are less fortunate,” said Paige Rose, CMO of Charter One Realty. “At Charter One, we feel it’s important to give back to the communities in…

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Perspective Matters

Perspective Matters When Selling Your House Today

Does the latest news about the housing market have you questioning your plans to sell your house? If so, perspective is key. Here are some of the ways a trusted real estate professional can explain the shift that’s happening today and why it’s still a sellers’ market even during the cooldown.

Fewer Homes for Sale than Pre-Pandemic

While the supply of homes available for sale has increased this year compared to last, we’re still nowhere near what’s considered a balanced market. A recent article from Calculated Risk helps put this year’s increased inventory into context (see graph below):

It shows supply this year has surpassed 2021 levels by over 30%. But the further back you look,…

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Four Things That Help Determine Your Mortgage Rate

Four Things That Help Determine Your Mortgage Rate

If you’re looking to buy a home, you probably want to secure the lowest interest rate possible for your home loan. Over the last couple of years, that was easier to do as the housing market saw record-low mortgage rates, but this year rates have risen dramatically.

If you’re looking for ways to combat today’s higher rates and lock in the lowest one you can, here are a few factors to focus on. Since approval opportunities can vary, connect with a trusted lender for customized advice.

Your Credit Score

Credit scores can play a big role in your mortgage rate. Freddie Mac explains:

“When you build and maintain strong credit, mortgage lenders have greater confidence when qualifying you…

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