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The Homes That Gave Up: What Expired Listings Reveal About Real Estate in 2025
In real estate, there’s a quiet heartbreak called the expired listing. A homeowner stages, scrubs, paints, hides their life in the oven, and lives in an endless state of “show-home readiness.” Then—sixty, ninety, one-hundred-twenty days later—the listing expires, unsold. The dream doesn’t crash; it just quietly times out. From early August to the end of…
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Small Upgrades, Big Returns: How Simple Fixes Can Help Your Home Sell
Every now and then, a home sale reminds me just how much the “little things” matter. Recently, we worked with a family who sold quickly — not to the first buyer who toured, but to the second, who paidthe full asking price. Before listing, I had walked through the property with the sellers and shared…
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When Trust Breaks Down: The Silent Risk in Real Estate
Trust is the invisible currency of professional life. When you hire a lawyer, an insurance broker, a financial advisor, or a real estate agent, you’re not just buying a service — you’re buying confidence. Confidence that your interests will come first, that your money will be safe, and that the rules of the game will…
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Pay down the mortgage or Play the stock market? That’s the $200,000 question
Every so often, a client calls with a question that makes me think, “Now that’s a nice problem to have.” Recently, someone reached out after receiving a $200,000 inheritance. Their question: “I’ve got a $400,000 mortgage on my home. Should I invest this in the stock market or pay down my mortgage?” Let’s break it…
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Durham Rentals 2025: The Lease You Could Do
Finding a rental in 2025 should be simple. You find the place, sign the lease, and move in. Easy, right? Not exactly. We recently worked with two tenants who had everything landlords dream of: excellent credit, solid employment, glowing rental history. And yet, the hardest part wasn’t finding a place—it was running the gauntlet of…
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So… What’s My House Actually Worth?
Let’s be honest: the current real estate market is kind of all over the place. There are more homes for sale than we’ve seen in years, and asking prices range from “Wow, that’s a steal!” to “Wait… they want what for that place?!” Now, say we’re working together (yay!) and a house pops up: 123…
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Pre-Inspections: Are They Smart Strategy or Risky Business?
We recently worked with a homebuyer who was set on doing a pre-inspection before submitting an offer. It wasn’t our suggested strategy, but we respect when clients bring their own perspective to the table — so we moved ahead, curious how it would play out. Let’s break down what a pre-inspection is and whether it…
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How Can Buyers and Sellers Win in a Challenging Economy?
Most Agents Freeze When You Mention This Powerful (and Legal) Financing Strategy. That’s Bad News for Their Clients. When I bring up vendor take-back (VTB) mortgages in a room full of agents, I usually get that look. Wide eyes. Frozen posture. Like a deer caught in the headlights. Then comes the familiar line:“I think I…
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Why are Buyers Sitting on Their Hands? Is it the Price…of the Recipe for Doubt?
Alright, gather ‘round the kitchen island, folks. Let’s break this down like a good cheese sauce: clear, simple, and essential. Say I’m your head chef, and I show you a dish that’s been on the menu for 75 years. It’s a classic. Always a crowd-pleaser. Maybe it’s had a rough couple of months—too many jalapenos…
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Can You Spot the Imposter? The Real Estate Edition
Quick weekend trip to Ohio = great for my soul, not so much for my gas tank. I filled up at a mystery station and bam! my car started coughing like it had swallowed a bug. A full tank of quality fuel from a national chain later, and it was purring like a kitten again.…
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