Brian Nixon 's Blog Posts

Warmer weather is here, and homeowners are ready to get outdoors. Over the past decade, our yards have become an extension of our living space. But as spring fever takes over, avoid these mistakes

If you want more space in your home, converting your garage is a potential solution.But is it the right solution for you?A recent article from realtor.com outlined key things to consider

Buying a home can be a financial stretch. With soaring home values and rising interest rates, many potential first time home buyers find saving for a down payment increasingly difficult. For many

One of the most important financial considerations of buying a new home is the interest rate paid on the mortgage. Over time, a higher interest rate can add thousands of dollars to the true cost of

One of the most common reasons for a home sale to fall through is the presence of property liens. Often the sellers are not even aware they have a lien on their home and the delay caused by having

Based on the Primary Mortgage Market Survey from Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has increased by 1.2% (3.22% to 4.42%) since January of this year. The rate

Kitchen remodels are the most popular project among homeowners. Who hasn’t dreamed of the perfect kitchen? Most of us, however, don’t have the budget to hand the entire design off to a

When you’re in the business of helping people buy and sell homes — arguably the largest investment of their lives — it goes without saying that there’s a lot at stake. While

You need a new car. You need a new home. But will buying the former impact your ability to buy the latter?A recent article from realtor.com outlined the ways taking out a car loan could

If you want to keep your home in tip-top shape (and avoid expensive problems down the road), you need to stay on top of home maintenance—and that includes your home’s exterior.But what,

Low inventory in markets across the country have been driving up prices and creating bidding wars, making it extremely difficult for many potential buyers to successfully find and purchase homes.But

Typical real estate offers include a wide variety of standard contingencies. These can include home inspections, appraisal, and loan approval. In a fast-moving, seller’s market, one of the

It may seem like there are a million steps to the closing process when buying or selling a home. A title search is just one of the many stages and title problems may account for almost 10% of

Low inventory and high demand are causing unprecedented competition for homes across the country. And that competition is sending prices upward—and, often, well past the asking price.According

In today’s real estate market, mortgage interest rates are near record lows. If you’ve been in your current home for several years and haven’t refinanced lately, there’s

Our homes are so much more than the houses we live in. For many, they’ve also become our workplaces, schools for our children, and safe harbors in which we’ve weathered the toughest

The last year has put emphasis on the importance of one’s home. As a result, some renters are making the jump into homeownership while some homeowners are re-evaluating their current house and

It’s clear that consumers are concerned about how quickly home values are rising. Many people fear the speed of appreciation may lead to a crash in prices later this year. In fact, Google 

This year, mortgage rates have started to slowly climb above recent record-breaking lows. Many homeowners planning to move may feel like they’ve missed the chance to score a great

Most homebuyers realize that they can’t expect a perfect home inspection report when buying a resale home. Cosmetic flaws and minor repairs are easily managed and shouldn’t be

If you’ve given even a casual thought to selling your house in the near future, this is the time to really think seriously about making a move. Here’s why this season is the

When thinking about selling, homeowners often feel they need to get their house ready with some remodeling to make it more appealing to buyers. However, with so many buyers competing for

Home values appreciated by about ten percent in 2020, and they’re forecast to appreciate by about five percent this year. This has some voicing concern that we may be in another housing bubble

Finding the right home can sometimes feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack. Unless you’re buying brand-new construction, every home has some drawbacks, whether it’s style or real

Over the past year, mortgage rates have fallen more than a full percentage point, hitting a new historic low 15 times. This is a great driver for homeownership, as today’s low rates

Say goodbye to socially distanced picnics and outdoor dining: as the temperatures continue to drop, we can expect to spend even more time at home. And, if we’re being honest, that’s a

Housing inventory is at an all-time low. Realtor.com just reported that there are 39% fewer homes for sale today than there were last year. At the same time, buyer

This year’s record-low mortgage rates sparked high demand among homebuyers. Current homeowners, however, haven’t put their houses on the market so quickly. This makes finding a home to

Through all the challenges of 2020, the real estate market has done very well, and purchasers are continuing to take advantage of historically low mortgage rates. Realtor Magazine just;

As we enter the final months of 2020 and continue to work through the challenges this year has brought, some of us wonder what impact continued economic uncertainty could have on home prices.

Did You Remember to Budget for Closing Costs?Buying a home is one of the largest financial transactions most people make in a lifetime. In addition to saving for the down payment, there are many

Back in March, as the nation’s economy was shut down because of the coronavirus, many were predicting the real estate market would face a major collapse. Some forecasts called for a 15-20%

Whether you call it downsizing or rightsizing, the bottom line is you’re moving into a smaller space and have no idea what to do with all the stuff you’ve collected over the years. Many

One of the biggest surprises of 2020 is the resilience of the residential real estate market. Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist of the National Association of Realtors (NAR), is now

The fall season is almost here and this is a great time to tackle some home projects before the holiday rush starts. Creating a fresh, modern look to your home can be done with a few simple weekend

When most of us begin searching for a home, we naturally start by looking at the price. It’s important, however, to closely consider what else impacts the purchase. It’s not just the

Everyone dreams of living in a model home – a beautiful modern room with the perfect vase of flowers sitting decoratively on a glass side table. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always work

The residential real estate market has definitely been the shining light in this country’s current economic situation. All-time low mortgage rates coupled with a new appreciation of

You already know that your home does not look like the pictures in the home magazines. If you’re ready to list your home, you might be wondering if you should do some home improvements or

We’re sitting in an optimal moment in time for homeowners who are ready to sell their houses and make a move this year. Today’s homeowners are, on average, staying in their homes 

Your Starter Home vs. Your Forever Home Buying a home is exciting.Most people have visualized their dream home—large, inviting kitchen; multiple bedrooms for family and guests; perhaps a

Choosing the right countertop is one of the most important aspects of kitchen design that goes beyond the aesthetic. It’s an investment you want to last for years to come, but your lifestyle

Carpet is making a comeback. While the last couple of decades have trended toward hardwood floors and travertine tiles, 2020 has seen a resurgence of wall-to-wall carpet in interior design. With

So far, it’s been quite a ride this year, and our nation has truly seen its fair share of hurdles. From COVID-19 to record unemployment and then the resulting recession, just to name a few,

Almost every homeowner dreams of a brand new, state-of-the-art kitchen, but kitchen remodels are expensive and can often take months to complete. Fortunately, there are a few easy changes you can

There’s a great opportunity for today’s homeowners to sell their houses and make a move, yet due to the impact of the ongoing health crisis, some sellers are taking their time coming

Now that warmer weather is upon us, the focus turns to the outdoor space of our home. As Americans spend more and more of their time at home, this might be the perfect time to invest in a new pool

 With businesses reopening throughout the country and some experts indicating early signs of a much-anticipated economic recovery, more homebuyers are actively entering the housing market this

Are you looking for a fun project that will add some pizzazz to your home – that doesn’t require a degree in carpentry? Before you leave your old furniture on the curb with a sign that

Pending Home Sales increased by 44.3% in May, registering the highest month-over-month gain in the index since the National Association of Realtors (NAR) started tracking this metric in

Earlier this month, realtor.com announced the release of their initial Housing Recovery Index, a weekly guide showing how the pandemic has impacted the residential real estate market.

The residential real estate market has come roaring out of the gates in 2020. Compared to this time last year, the number of buyers looking for a home is up 20%, and the number of home sales is

Here are five tips for picking the right shade for your front door. Committing to a front door color is no casual affair. While it's certainly a quick and easy way to punch up your

More than ever, our homes have become an integral part of our lives. Today they are much more than the houses we live in. They’re evolving into our workplaces, schools for our children, and

New construction home developments have sprung up across the country. They show beautiful new designs in both living spaces and exterior details. It’s appealing to have the ability to choose

It may come as a shock that many people purchase a home before ever setting foot inside. These buyers may be moving to a new country or city far away, or they may not have the time or resources to