Blog

As the costs of homebuying continue to rise, many homebuyers are willing to exchange urban amenities for the peace, quiet, and affordability of country life. If you’re a city slicker moving to the countryside, be prepared for big changes, like using well water and septic tanks instead of city plumbing and dealing with less reliable cell […]

After your home has been closed up for the winter, it’s time to deep clean and make the home fresh in time for spring—the time of the year for renewal and rebirth. Deep cleaning is a great way to embrace the lighter mood of spring, give you a sense of accomplishment, and improve your health with exercise […]

Mortgage interest rates are slowly drifting lower, giving a much-needed boost to both homebuyers and home sellers. Yet, home prices continue to rise, even as more sellers put their homes on the market. Why? The U.S. is still several million homes short of a balanced market. So, do you want to wait for cheaper rates […]

Once the outcome of the presidential election was known, 30-year mortgage interest rates slowly decreased through the end of 2024 from the high 6% range, into the mid-to-low 6% range. Forecasters predicted that they’ll continue to soften, sinking below 5%, just in time for the spring 2025 homebuying season. Wells Fargo agrees that rates will […]

An older home can be a bargain, depending on how much work and money you put into it. Understanding functional obsolescence can help you get the most value for your money. Professional real estate appraisers value properties in two parts—land value and structural enhancements, such as a house. When the home’s design and technologies are too outdated, […]

Thanks to social media, some homebuyers can be ruthless in describing your home to others. If they call your home cheugy (choo-gee), they believe you’re pursuing trends a little too hard, or your home is outdated. What makes a home cheugy is hard to pin down, but these are a few things that writers, redditors, and designers have called […]

Timeless curb appeal should be a goal for any luxury homeowner When it comes to Smith Mountain Lake properties, first impressions matter. Whether you’re a buyer searching for your dream lakefront home or a seller looking to attract the perfect buyer, curb appeal plays a critical role in shaping perceptions and influencing decisions. Let’s dive […]

To sell your home this spring, you should repaint, declutter and deep clean, but details will make the most difference. Before you paint, scuff up the surface with a light sanding or a fine abrasive pad. Clean walls and floors of dust and dirt so painter’s tape will adhere tightly and your paint job looks more […]

The “American Dream” of homeownership is supported by federal programs that either insure loans made by lenders (such as FHA, VA, and USDA) or purchase loans from lenders to package them into mortgage-backed securities (like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac). Loans that meet the standards set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are called conforming loans, […]

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), affordable housing means that you should be paying no more than 30% of your gross income for housing costs, including mortgage principle and interest, property taxes, home insurance premiums, and utilities. In reality, home ownership costs much more when HOA fees, maintenance, and repairs are included. […]