Shawna Woodward

As we continue to closely watch the market to see what trends emerge with the adjusted interest rates, I still find that even though we have more inventory slowly building, the sales continue to be strong. Only time will tell if overall sales will slow, but as of today, I do not see things slowing as far as volume. New construction numbers declined even more drastically, making way for resale homes to become the only option for many buyers. Some agents have reported that offers that are way over the

Whether you realize it or not, your credit score matters. I wish that just being someone who pays all your bills and carries no debt was enough, but it is not. Your credit score is how a myriad of companies determine if they will let you use their services and if they will require you to pay a deposit and how much! This is one of those topics that seems underestimated until you find yourself penalized for something you really had no control over obtaining. Unfortunately, by the time you’ve

Flexibility is key when searching for the perfect new home to rent. You may have your heart set on a location or some specific attributes of a house, but you may have to sacrifice some things. As someone who recently moved into their first rental home, I learned that flexibility and sacrifice are something anyone searching to rent will have to come to terms with. Nothing plays out exactly how you may have it mapped out in your mind and it’s important to accept this reality early on, so you

Buyers will always have a list of things that they “want” in a home and I’ve found that buyers can have an equally long unwanted list. For decades, we were fortunate to have a marketplace filled with options where you could get most of what you wanted in your budget, so having a list really helped your agent find something that you would be happy buying. Today is a different story together. Today’s home search is all budget-driven. Interest rates are high and the market competition has nearly eliminated buyers

At a Federal Reserve meeting held on Wednesday, June 15, officials agreed to another 0.75 percent raise to their interest rate. The news was not what anyone in the mortgage industry was hoping to hear. It is scary to imagine that this is just the beginning. The Wall Street Journal noted that we could see an additional 1.75 percent added by the end of this year. They also noted that at this pace of increase, we would see the most aggressive rate rise cycle since the 1980s. In 1983, the

All things, good or bad, must eventually come to an end. Hopefully, the end of this housing market crisis will be sooner rather than later. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has put out an article sharing some good news. People and organizations are taking the initiative to advocate for change on our behalf. The NAR has headed this movement, working with the government and private companies to help support home ownership in the United States. Here are some facts provided by the NAR: • 65.5% of Americans own a

Shawna and Braydon Woodward have been in the real estate market for many years and along with advice on the housing market, they’re often asked for good places to eat. Today Braydon reviews a few of his favorite places. May is National Asian American and Pacific Islander Month and to celebrate, I’d like to suggest a few good local spots to eat. I can personally recommend these places, so I guarantee that they will not disappoint! These are not ranked in any particular order. Osaka is a family-run restaurant located

Can I fire my agent? This is a popular question the public finds perplexing. Do you have an out once you have signed a contract with a broker to buy or sell a home? Before I answer that question, let me do a quick explanation of what it means to be a realtor. If you are working with a true realtor who is a member of the National Association of Realtors or NAR for short, your agent is held to very strict ethical standards. NAR’s website states that the code

Will serene greens and dark kitchens be the next big thing to come into home decorating? We’ve been seeing wallpaper and art deco tile floors make a huge comeback. One thing I never thought would be popular and loved again was brass and gold fixtures, but here we are, and we are in love with the new take on what was an outdated idea. Even the retro style appliances are inspiring new kitchen designs. Every year, paint companies share their color of the year. This year Evergreen Fog is the

Do you trust yourself when it comes to choosing the right home? I am usually working to decode a client’s comfort levels when it comes to how much they want my opinion. I never want to come off pushy in any environment, yet some need a bit of a “heave-ho” when it comes to making a decision. Today’s market has challenged every single personality style and those who are extremely decisive or thrive in the rush are winning this game. And I am fully convinced that “game” is an appropriate