Cora Carleson's (coralcarleson) Blog

Privacy Hey Cora, I know you get this question all the time, but what are rates doing right now? Signed Wanting to Buy.Dear Wanting: Do you remember last year when I told you that you needed to buy something because rates were going to increase?  Well, here we are!  Yes, interest rates on home mo...

I thought it would be fun to put a Disney spin on a relatively mundane subject, like the real estate market.  So here is a market update with a “fairy tale” theme – enjoy!Once upon a time, there was a housing market that had many beautiful cottages and castles, and buyers could pick and choose wh...

Okay, so finding exactly what you want right now is difficult.  I have been going over the statistics for existing home sales and they are still strong.  Even with the rise in interest rates. But still, existing homes are scarce, and this is for several different reasons.  So, having a talk about...

You have probably found a few things about your house that make you feel frustrated…¨ It doesn’t have enough storage¨ It’s not versatile enough for having guests over¨ Not enough counter space in the kitchen¨ Lacking in garage space So, what’s a homeowner to do? May I make a suggestion? …sell it ...

Hey Cora, I have heard a lot about “assumable” mortgages, what is that exactly? Signed Financially Curious.Dear Financially, well that is a good question my friend.  There are a few things about assumable loans that you will need to know.  Assumable mortgages become popular when interest rates ri...

Hey Cora, A realtor called me and said they have a buyer for my property, and I didn’t even have it for saIe!  The realtor said that they would like me to sign a one-time listing agreement with them.  What does this mean and what should I look for? Signed, Not Quite Sure Dear Not Quite, well isn...

Hey Cora: What are closing costs?  I heard that if I am buying a home and I put a percentage down on said home, then I still have to pay closing costs.  Someone said that could be as much as 3% of the purchase price.  Is that true? Signed SkepticDear Skeptic, Yes, it’s true.  If you are getting a...

Hey Cora, I am thinking about doing a kitchen remodel before I sell my home.  What should I do and not do?  Signed Kitchen Queen.Dear Ms. Queen.  Well, let’s be super careful here because kitchen remodels can get really spendy really quickly.  I’ll give you 5 things that can really break the budg...

Hey Cora, I know you get this question all the time, but what are rates doing right now? Signed Wanting to Buy.Dear Wanting: Do you remember in last year when I told you that you needed to buy something because rates were going to increase?  Well, here we are!  Yes, interest rates on home mortgag...

Zillow, what a funny word, who would have thought that a word like that would become part of our everyday language!? Well, I guess Google is a household name, so why not Zillow...  Anyway, I thought it would be good for us to take a look at the difference between a Zillow zestimate and a CMA.  Yo...