Home Selling

Should You Pay a Buyer’s Closing Costs? What Houston Home Sellers Need to Know

If you sold a home a few years ago, you may remember when sellers could simply say “no” to almost everything. No repairs. No concessions. No negotiations. If buyers wanted the house, they often had to accept the seller’s terms. Today’s Houston real estate market is different. As inventory has increased across many Houston-area neighborhoods, […]
Buying a Home in Houston Can Feel Scary. Here’s Why Many Buyers Are Glad They Took the Leap Anyway

If I’m being honest, almost every buyer I work with has some level of fear before purchasing a home. They’re worried about interest rates. They’re worried about prices. They’re worried about making the wrong decision. And in today’s market, those concerns are understandable. As a Houston REALTOR® with more than 20 years of experience helping […]
Houston Housing Market Update: What May 2026 Means for Buyers and Sellers

The latest Houston housing numbers are in, and if you’ve been hearing that the market has “slowed down,” the data tells a more nuanced story. As a Houston REALTOR® who works with buyers and sellers throughout West University Place, Bellaire, Meyerland, Braes Heights, and other Inner Loop communities, I’m seeing many of the same trends […]
The Pricing Mistake That Could Cost You Your Sale

Most sellers come into the market with one number in mind. And it’s often the one that costs them the most. That’s their asking price. A survey from Realtor.com shows about 8 in 10 (80%) of sellers expect to sell at or above their asking price today. But here’s where things get interesting. In reality, […]

Should You Pay a Buyer’s Closing Costs? What Houston Home Sellers Need to Know If you sold a home a few years ago, you may remember when sellers could simply say “no” to almost everything. No repairs. No concessions. No negotiations. If buyers wanted the house, they often had to accept the seller’s terms. Today’s Houston real estate market is different. As inventory has increased across many Houston-area neighborhoods, […]

Buying a Home in Houston Can Feel Scary. Here’s Why Many Buyers Are Glad They Took the Leap Anyway If I’m being honest, almost every buyer I work with has some level of fear before purchasing a home. They’re worried about interest rates. They’re worried about prices. They’re worried about making the wrong decision. And in today’s market, those concerns are understandable. As a Houston REALTOR® with more than 20 years of experience helping […]

Houston Housing Market Update: What May 2026 Means for Buyers and Sellers The latest Houston housing numbers are in, and if you’ve been hearing that the market has “slowed down,” the data tells a more nuanced story. As a Houston REALTOR® who works with buyers and sellers throughout West University Place, Bellaire, Meyerland, Braes Heights, and other Inner Loop communities, I’m seeing many of the same trends […]

The Pricing Mistake That Could Cost You Your Sale Most sellers come into the market with one number in mind. And it’s often the one that costs them the most. That’s their asking price. A survey from Realtor.com shows about 8 in 10 (80%) of sellers expect to sell at or above their asking price today. But here’s where things get interesting. In reality, […]

Why Some Houston Homes Sell Immediately While Others Sit By Wendy Sarmasag | Houston REALTOR® | West University Place & Bellaire Specialist If you’ve been watching the Houston real estate market lately, you’ve probably noticed something interesting. Some homes hit the market and immediately attract showings, multiple offers, and strong interest. Others… sit. And many sellers are wondering the same thing: “Why is that […]

Why Staging Your House Could Pay Off This Spring Selling your house this season? You’ve probably heard you should stage it before it hits the market. But what does that really mean – and is it worth the effort? The short answer is “yes,” especially right now. With more houses for sale this year, you’re likely wondering how to make the most money possible […]

How to Sell Your Home Fast in Any Market (Proven Strategies That Work) The Secret To Selling Fast, No Matter the Market When you put your house on the market, you don’t just want it to sell. You want it to sell fast. But the thing is, nationally, it’s taking a little longer to sell lately. And that slowdown can feel frustrating if you want a fast process. […]

Rent or Buy? The Real Tradeoff Most People Don’t Talk About Rent or Buy? The Real Tradeoff Most People Don’t Talk About You’ve probably asked yourself lately: Is it even worth trying to buy a home right now? It’s a question a lot of people are asking. With today’s home prices and mortgage rates, renting can feel like the easier path. In some cases, it might […]

Patience Won’t Sell Your House, Pricing Will! Patience Won’t Sell Your House. Pricing Will. Waiting for the perfect buyer to fall in love with your house? In today’s market, that’s usually not what’s holding things up. And here’s why. Let’s be real. Homes are taking a week longer to sell than they did a year ago. According to Realtor.com: “Homes are also […]

Do You Know How Much Your House Is REALLY Worth? Do You Know How Much Your House Is Really Worth? Want to know something important you probably don’t have a professional check for you nearly as often as you should? Spoiler alert: it’s the value of your home. Because here’s the reality. Your house is likely the biggest financial asset you have. And if you’ve […]

Mortgage Rates Just Saw Their Biggest Drop in a Year Mortgage Rates Just Saw Their Biggest Drop in a Year You’ve been waiting for what feels like forever for mortgage rates to finally budge. And last week, they did – in a big way. On Friday, September 5th, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to the lowest level since October 2024. It was the […]

Condos Could Be a Win for Today’s Buyers Condos Could Be a Win for Today’s Buyers Not every homebuyer wants the biggest house on the block. Some want something simpler, more affordable, and easier to maintain, especially in a market where every dollar counts. That’s where condos come in. For first-time buyers, they can be a smart way to get into homeownership without […]

More Contracts Are Falling Through. Here’s How To Get Ahead. More Contracts Are Falling Through. Here’s How To Get Ahead. When you sell a house, the last thing you want is for the deal to fall apart right before closing. But according to the latest data from Redfin, that’s happening a bit more often lately. The good news is, it’s completely avoidable if you lean […]

Is It Better To Buy Now or Wait for Lower Mortgage Rates? Here’s the Tradeoff Is It Better To Buy Now or Wait for Lower Mortgage Rates? Here’s the Tradeoff Mortgage rates are still a hot topic – and for good reason. After the most recent jobs report came out weaker than expected, the bond market reacted almost instantly. And, as a result, in early August mortgage rates dropped to […]

Why Selling Without an Agent Can Cost You More Than You Think Why Selling Without an Agent Can Cost You More Than You Think Cutting out the agent might seem like a smart way to save when you sell your house. But here’s the hard truth. Last year, homes that sold with an agent went for almost 15% more than those that sold without one. That gap […]

Don’t Make These Mistakes When Selling Your House Don’t Make These Mistakes When Selling Your House Are you thinking about selling your house? Some common mistakes today can make the process more stressful or even cost you money. Fortunately, they’re easy to avoid, as long as you know what to watch for. Let’s break down the biggest seller slip-ups, and how an agent […]

What You Need To Know About Homeowner’s Insurance What You Need To Know About Homeowner’s Insurance Homeowner’s insurance is a must-have to protect what’s probably your biggest investment – your home. And while you never want to think about worst-case scenarios, the right coverage is basically your safety net if something goes wrong. Here’s how it helps you. Covers Repairs and Rebuilding Costs: […]

More Buyers Are Making Moves – Is It Time To Sell? More Buyers Are Making Moves — Is It Time To Sell? More people are taking steps to buy a home. And, if you’ve been waiting for the right time to move, this may be the sign you’ve been looking for. For the past few years, a lot of would-be homebuyers hit pause on their plans. […]

What To Expect from Mortgage Rates & Home Prices in 2025 What To Expect from Mortgage Rates and Home Prices in 2025 Curious about where the housing market is headed in 2025? The good news is that experts are offering some promising forecasts, especially when it comes to two key factors that directly affect your decisions: mortgage rates and home prices. Whether you’re thinking of buying or selling, here’s […]

Planning To Sell Your House in 2025? Start Prepping Now Planning To Sell Your House in 2025? Start Prepping Now If your goal is to sell your house in 2025, now’s the time to start prepping. Even though it might seem like there’s plenty of time between now and the new year, you should get a head start on any updates or repairs you want to make […]