by Patricia Roos | Nov 18, 2025 | Uncategorized
If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines, waiting for mortgage rates to drop back below 4% before making a move, it’s time for a reality check. While we all loved the historically low rates of 2020 and 2021, those numbers were driven by extraordinary global...
by Patricia Roos | Nov 11, 2025 | Uncategorized
"What if your next home came with built-in income? Discover how living in one unit and renting out the others could slash your housing costs and build your wealth at the same time." When most people think about buying a home, they picture a single-family...
by Patricia Roos | Nov 4, 2025 | Uncategorized
There’s a classic example used in behavioral psychology: the marshmallow test. In this experiment, children were given a choice: eat one marshmallow now, or wait a little while and get two. The lesson? Those who could delay gratification tended to experience...
by Patricia Roos | Oct 28, 2025 | Uncategorized
Through a 28-year lens, tax policies on home sales haven’t kept pace with rising home values. That’s putting homeowners in a bind and stifling real estate opportunities across the board. Since 1997, the capital gains exclusion on the sale of a primary...
by Patricia Roos | Oct 21, 2025 | Uncategorized
When a home goes under contract, many assume it’s a done deal, but in reality, most real estate contracts include contingencies, or conditions that must be met for the sale to proceed. These clauses are designed to protect both buyers and sellers and offer a...
by Patricia Roos | Oct 14, 2025 | Uncategorized
1. Take Advantage of Homeowner Tax Benefits Mortgage Interest Deduction: Deduct interest on up to $750,000 of acquisition debt (for loans after 2017). Property Tax Deduction: Deduct up to $10,000 in combined state and local taxes (SALT). Capital Gains Exclusion:...
by Patricia Roos | Oct 7, 2025 | Uncategorized
In real estate negotiations, it’s not uncommon for both buyers or sellers to include expiration dates on offers and counteroffers. These deadlines serve several important purposes that help keep the process efficient, transparent, and fair to both sides. First...
by Patricia Roos | Sep 30, 2025 | Uncategorized
Every home experiences some degree of movement over time, often called settling. It’s a natural part of the aging process for any structure, especially in areas with varying soil conditions, temperature swings, or after the first few years of construction. While...
by Patricia Roos | Sep 23, 2025 | Uncategorized
Losing a spouse is a deeply emotional experience and the financial decisions that follow can feel overwhelming. One important area to understand during this time is how the IRS treats the sale of a primary residence after the death of a spouse. Under certain...
by Patricia Roos | Sep 16, 2025 | Uncategorized
A temporary buydown is a great tool to help ease into homeownership with lower initial monthly payments, especially helpful in a high-rate environment. It allows you to enjoy reduced payments in the first one to three years of the loan, offering financial flexibility...
