Posts made by author 'Bruce Butler'
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20
Everyone Makes This Mistake When Rates Drop
Do you know what interest rates were one year ago?
Take a guess.
Close…
7.26%
Now?
The average 30-year fixed is near the lowest level in almost three years.
The average buyer today is paying about $330 less per month on the same home.
But here's the mistake everyone makes when rates drop…
Waiting to see if they'll go any lower before they buy.
Here's the problem:
Nobody can predict where rates are going.
In fact, mortgage rates actually rose in early 2025 after the Fed cut rates three times in 2024 - the opposite of what everyone expected.
Waiting for the "perfect" rate often means missing real opportunities.
In the coming weeks, all eyes are on rates.
As always, I'll keep you updated.
I know...
13
4 Signs That 2026 Will Be Different for Buyers
The 2026 housing market is starting from a different place than last year.
- Inventory is up 13%.
- Price growth is easing.
- Mortgage rates finally dropped below 6% last Friday.
- And the median U.S. monthly housing payment just fell to the lowest level in 2 years. (Redfin)
There's a reason buyers are moving now, and judging by the demand I've seen even this week, they're not all waiting for spring.
I'll send you another update soon as we track how these trends unfold.
P.S. It's still early in the year, but there are reasons for buyers to be optimistic. I'm always here if you have any questions.
8
How to Make Sure Your Home Sells in 2026
Thousands of listings expired so far in January.
That's a lot of frustrated sellers.
In almost every case, the issue shows up in one (or more) of these three areas:
1. Presentation: The photos, video, and listing description made it easy for buyers to scroll past.
2. Promotion: The listing went live, but the launch lacked a clear strategy to attract attention in the first critical days.
3. Price: The price didn't reflect the market.
Most homeowners wouldn't know these details matter - and yet they're often the biggest leverage points.
Get those three right early, and you dramatically improve your odds of selling faster, and for more than anticipated.
P.S. This is why we obsess over every detail of a listing's launch plan. If you're in the early stages of considering selli...
16
Stuck?
I wasn't planning on writing a blog, but a recent conversation changed my mind.
Seems like quite a few people are feeling stuck right now because:
- They want to sell, but they don't know what their home's worth today
- They'd like to buy, but can't find what they're looking for
- They need to do both, but they're debating whether to wait until the spring
Out of curiosity, do any of these apply to your situation?
I'm not saying I have a magic wand, but there are some things we could do to help if you're in this position.
Send me an email or text and let's see where you are stuck.
9
Think Like a Buyer
The mistake I see a lot of people making - especially in this market - is aggressively pricing their home to see if buyers will bite.
If it doesn't happen, they reduce the price.
This might feel like a harmless strategy.
But the reality is that 75% of the initial attention your listing gets is in the first 72 hours.
If you overprice your home, a potential buyer who likely would've been interested, will skip your home and move onto better options.
That's why the advice I give my clients is to think like a buyer.
Pricing is hard to get right because the market is always moving.
But if you can see it through this lens, it can help avoid a downward spiral of inactivity, stress, and price reductions.
I'm currently updating several clients on their 2025 home values. If it'd be helpful to get...