Leave a Message

Thank you for your message. We will be in touch with you shortly.

Our Blog

Be in the Know. Subscribe Now.

For Buyers
Pre-Approval Isn’t Commitment – It’s Clarity
April 17, 2025 KCM Crew
If buying a home is on your radar – even if it’s more of a someday plan than a right now plan – getting pre-approved early is still one of the smartest moves you can make. Why? Because, like anything in life, the right prep work makes things clearer.The best time to get serious about buying is before you’re ready to buy. Here’s why.Pre-Approval Helps You Understand Your NumbersOne of the biggest benefits of pre-approval is how it helps you understand your buying power. As part of the pre-approval process, a lender will walk through your finances and tell you what you can borrow based on your income, debts, credit score, and more. That number is power.Once you have that clarity, you’re no longer guessing. You know what you’re working with. And that gives you the information you need to be able to plan ahead. That way, you’re not falling in love with homes that are outside of your price range – or missing out on ones that aren’t.Pre-Approval Helps You Move Quickly When You’re ReadyYou don’t have to be ready to buy to be ready to buy.It happens all the time – someone scrolls through listings just for fun, and then BAM – they fall in love with something they see online. But by the time they scramble to connect with an agent and then get pre-approved with a lender, someone else beats them to it, and they lose the home. And you don’t want that to happen to you.While you can’t control when the right home shows up – you can be ready for it.Pre-approval isn’t about jumping the gun or rushing your timeline. It’s about making sure you’re ready when it’s go-time. As Experian explains:“Waiting too long to get a preapproval, however, could leave you at a disadvantage . . . you could find the perfect home, but another buyer could snatch it up while you're waiting for the lender to review your preapproval application. . . getting a preapproval just before you begin actively looking at homes may be your best option.”Instead of rushing to figure out your numbers, trying to get documentation for your home loan together, and watching the house you love slip away while you wait to hear from your lender, you’re already in the game.It’s like showing up to the starting line with your shoes tied and your warm-up done – while everyone else is still looking for parking.But pre-approvals do have an expiration date, so be sure to ask your lender how long it’s good for. Bankrate offers this insight:“Many mortgage preapprovals are valid for 90 days, though some lenders will only authorize a 30- or 60-day preapproval. If your preapproval expires, getting it renewed can be as simple as your lender rechecking your credit and finances to ensure there have been no major changes to your situation since the first time ‘round.”The thing is, if you’ve been pre-approved – even if you’re just thinking about casually looking – you have a much better sense of how to navigate your home search within your budget. Plus, you’ll be ready if the perfect home comes along. So why not make it happen?Bottom LineGetting pre-approved doesn’t mean you have to buy a house today. But it does mean you’ll know what you're working with when the right one shows up. If you want to get pre-approved, connect with a lender to get that process started.In the meantime, have a conversation with an agent about what's on your mind and what you're looking for.If the perfect house popped up tomorrow, would you be ready to make a move?
For Buyers
Pre-Approval Isn’t Commitment – It’s Clarity
April 17, 2025 KCM Crew
If buying a home is on your radar – even if it’s more of a someday plan than a right now plan – getting pre-approved early is still one of the smartest moves you can make. Why? Because, like anything in life, the right prep work makes things clearer.The best time to get serious about buying is before you’re ready to buy. Here’s why.Pre-Approval Helps You Understand Your NumbersOne of the biggest benefits of pre-approval is how it helps you understand your buying power. As part of the pre-approval process, a lender will walk through your finances and tell you what you can borrow based on your income, debts, credit score, and more. That number is power.Once you have that clarity, you’re no longer guessing. You know what you’re working with. And that gives you the information you need to be able to plan ahead. That way, you’re not falling in love with homes that are outside of your price range – or missing out on ones that aren’t.Pre-Approval Helps You Move Quickly When You’re ReadyYou don’t have to be ready to buy to be ready to buy.It happens all the time – someone scrolls through listings just for fun, and then BAM – they fall in love with something they see online. But by the time they scramble to connect with an agent and then get pre-approved with a lender, someone else beats them to it, and they lose the home. And you don’t want that to happen to you.While you can’t control when the right home shows up – you can be ready for it.Pre-approval isn’t about jumping the gun or rushing your timeline. It’s about making sure you’re ready when it’s go-time. As Experian explains:“Waiting too long to get a preapproval, however, could leave you at a disadvantage . . . you could find the perfect home, but another buyer could snatch it up while you're waiting for the lender to review your preapproval application. . . getting a preapproval just before you begin actively looking at homes may be your best option.”Instead of rushing to figure out your numbers, trying to get documentation for your home loan together, and watching the house you love slip away while you wait to hear from your lender, you’re already in the game.It’s like showing up to the starting line with your shoes tied and your warm-up done – while everyone else is still looking for parking.But pre-approvals do have an expiration date, so be sure to ask your lender how long it’s good for. Bankrate offers this insight:“Many mortgage preapprovals are valid for 90 days, though some lenders will only authorize a 30- or 60-day preapproval. If your preapproval expires, getting it renewed can be as simple as your lender rechecking your credit and finances to ensure there have been no major changes to your situation since the first time ‘round.”The thing is, if you’ve been pre-approved – even if you’re just thinking about casually looking – you have a much better sense of how to navigate your home search within your budget. Plus, you’ll be ready if the perfect home comes along. So why not make it happen?Bottom LineGetting pre-approved doesn’t mean you have to buy a house today. But it does mean you’ll know what you're working with when the right one shows up. If you want to get pre-approved, connect with a lender to get that process started.In the meantime, have a conversation with an agent about what's on your mind and what you're looking for.If the perfect house popped up tomorrow, would you be ready to make a move?
Home Prices
Do You Think the Housing Market’s About To Crash? Read This First
April 16, 2025 KCM Crew
Lately, it feels like a lot of people have been asking the same question: “Is the housing market about to crash?”If you’ve been scrolling through social media or watching the news, you might have seen some pretty scary headlines yourself. That’s why it’s no surprise that, according to data from Clever Real Estate, 70% of Americans are worried about a housing crash in 2025.But before you hit pause on your plans to buy or sell a home, take a deep breath. The truth is: the housing market isn’t about to crash – it’s just shifting. And that shift actually works in your favor.Today’s Inventory Keeps the Housing Market from CrashingMark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, says:“There’s just generally not enough supply. There are more people than housing inventory. It’s Econ 101.”Think about it. If there’s a shortage of something – like tickets to a popular concert – prices go up. That’s what’s been happening with homes. We still have a shortage of supply. Too many buyers and not enough homes push prices higher.Check out the white line for 2025 in the graph below. Even though the number of homes for sale is climbing, data from Realtor.com shows we’re still well below normal levels (shown in gray):That ongoing low supply is what’s stopping home prices from dropping at the national level. As Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says:“… if there’s a shortage, prices simply cannot crash.”More Homes for Sale Means Price Growth Is EasingAnd, as more homes become available, that takes some of the intense upward pressure off home price growth – leading to healthier price appreciation.So, while prices aren’t falling nationally, growing inventory means they also aren’t rising as fast as they were. What we’re seeing is price moderation (see graph below):And according to Freddie Mac, that moderation should continue through the rest of this year:“In 2025, we expect the pace of house price appreciation to moderate from the levels seen in 2024, while still maintaining a positive trajectory.” Put simply, that means prices will continue going up in most areas, just not as quickly. That’s good news for anyone who’s been having trouble finding a home and feeling sticker shock from the rapid price appreciation of the past few years.But of course, what’s happening with prices and inventory is going to vary by local market. So, talk to your agent to find out what’s happening where you live.Bottom LineDon’t let the talk scare you. Experts agree that a housing market crash is unlikely in 2025. As Business Insider reports: “. . . economists who study housing market conditions generally do not expect a crash in 2025 or beyond unless the economic outlook changes.” Instead, we’re heading into a housing market that’s healthier and more balanced, with slower price growth and more opportunity. Chat with a local real estate agent about what’s happening in your local market and how you can make the most of it.
Home Prices
Do You Think the Housing Market’s About To Crash? Read This First
April 16, 2025 KCM Crew
Lately, it feels like a lot of people have been asking the same question: “Is the housing market about to crash?”If you’ve been scrolling through social media or watching the news, you might have seen some pretty scary headlines yourself. That’s why it’s no surprise that, according to data from Clever Real Estate, 70% of Americans are worried about a housing crash in 2025.But before you hit pause on your plans to buy or sell a home, take a deep breath. The truth is: the housing market isn’t about to crash – it’s just shifting. And that shift actually works in your favor.Today’s Inventory Keeps the Housing Market from CrashingMark Fleming, Chief Economist at First American, says:“There’s just generally not enough supply. There are more people than housing inventory. It’s Econ 101.”Think about it. If there’s a shortage of something – like tickets to a popular concert – prices go up. That’s what’s been happening with homes. We still have a shortage of supply. Too many buyers and not enough homes push prices higher.Check out the white line for 2025 in the graph below. Even though the number of homes for sale is climbing, data from Realtor.com shows we’re still well below normal levels (shown in gray):That ongoing low supply is what’s stopping home prices from dropping at the national level. As Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says:“… if there’s a shortage, prices simply cannot crash.”More Homes for Sale Means Price Growth Is EasingAnd, as more homes become available, that takes some of the intense upward pressure off home price growth – leading to healthier price appreciation.So, while prices aren’t falling nationally, growing inventory means they also aren’t rising as fast as they were. What we’re seeing is price moderation (see graph below):And according to Freddie Mac, that moderation should continue through the rest of this year:“In 2025, we expect the pace of house price appreciation to moderate from the levels seen in 2024, while still maintaining a positive trajectory.” Put simply, that means prices will continue going up in most areas, just not as quickly. That’s good news for anyone who’s been having trouble finding a home and feeling sticker shock from the rapid price appreciation of the past few years.But of course, what’s happening with prices and inventory is going to vary by local market. So, talk to your agent to find out what’s happening where you live.Bottom LineDon’t let the talk scare you. Experts agree that a housing market crash is unlikely in 2025. As Business Insider reports: “. . . economists who study housing market conditions generally do not expect a crash in 2025 or beyond unless the economic outlook changes.” Instead, we’re heading into a housing market that’s healthier and more balanced, with slower price growth and more opportunity. Chat with a local real estate agent about what’s happening in your local market and how you can make the most of it.

Let's Work Together

Are you interested in buying or selling a home? Look no further than working with our real estate experts.