Shawna Woodward

In December 2021, Covid mortgage protections provided by the government expired. This was concerning to owners, but likely embraced by lenders. These benefits kept those behind on mortgage payments safe from foreclosure. It sounded like a great idea at the time while you need financial assistance, but now you owe all those “missed” payments in one large sum. I’m roughly estimating an average mortgage of $1,600 a month, missing mortgage payments from April 2020 through December 2021. That is about 20 payments and approximately $32,000. So what should we expect

Recently on CNN news, they stated that due to median house prices rising and lack of inventory, households earning between $75,000 – $100,000 per year only had an average of one affordable house to choose from for every 65 listings. This is a national average, but feels pretty accurate here in the Augusta area. The competition is extreme. If you are a buyer, always put your best offer forward. There are things that a seasoned agent will avoid accepting on offers. Here are a few tips that will make your

It is official, Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow and we are looking down the scope of what is expected to be a long winter in the CSRA. Unfortunately for us, this rings true for real estate as well. I know we all hoped for a reprieve from the crazy market, but today’s statistics continue to be heavy-handed against buyers. The first big hit was an interest rate hike for the VA and FHA loan products. We are seeing these rates starting to hit over 4%. I have compiled a

In Q2 of 2021, the rate at which Americans owned their own home was 65.4%, or roughly 2/3rds of our population. What was the most reported reason for purchasing a home in 2021? Well, the NAR (National Association of Realtors) reported that 27% of all buyers had a desire to be a homeowner. That’s the American dream – to care for your family, or soon-expected family, and to provide them with a safe place to live. So, how many homes does the average American buy in their lifetime? It is

Have you filed for your homestead tax exemption? If you have not, you are not alone. I am sure that someone probably mentioned it to you on the day you closed on your home and now you are thinking, I remember someone saying something about this! A homestead exemption gives you tax breaks on the amount you pay for property taxes in the CSRA. Most mortgage loans are equipped with an escrow account which pays these taxes for you automatically. I think this is why we so often neglect to

The perceived job of a realtor is either intriguing to another, who wanted to try it, or it is etched with sales. I think we can all agree that some “salesmen” may not have the best reputation—and because of that may dissuade others from that career. Before I talk about going green and shift to the purpose of this article, here is the 411 on what type of knowledge and experience a good realtor will have. In my profession I have to wear many hats and I know working moms

The question I’ve gotten constantly over the past two years is, should I buy now or wait? There seems to be a lot of uncertainty regarding doing the right thing to protect your financial interests. According to an article in Forbes from July 27, 2021, Bill Conerly writes “The current housing boom will flatten in 2022—or possibly early 2023—when mortgage interest rates rise. There is no bubble to burst, though prices may retreat from panic-buying highs.” I happen to agree with him. Truthfully, you can research and find someone who agrees with

As 2021 quickly comes to a close, now would be a great time to look at some of our local sales statistics. When I get the chance to analyze what is happening in our market, it brings a great excitement and hope for the future here in our community. Truthfully, so much of my profession is merely based around opinion, it is nice to see some real time statistics. First of all, I want to make sure everyone knows my numbers are based on residential sales only and from our

With spring rapidly approaching, our big season to move is creeping up. In an effort to help you appeal to as many buyers as possible, I wanted to give you 5 things that just about every buyer wants in a home. Anyone who is planning to sell in the future, should make sure they have added these to get the most money and appeal to multiple buyers. 1. CEILING FANS You should have ceiling fans in all the bedrooms, the great room or family room, and on any covered back

Let’s be honest here. In the time period between Halloween and the New Year, everyone is running an emotional and stress-filled gauntlet. You’ll attend more family gatherings in these four months than you did in all of the months before. This entails cooking, planning, cleaning, and not to mention the mental preparation needed to withstand all of your deranged family members. Just days after Thanksgiving it is time to hang Christmas lights, replace your fall decorations (that you just put out) with Christmas decorations, and if you’re like most people,