How Mortgage Rate Drops Boost Your Buying Power

Imagine saving $150 a month on the same home, just because rates dropped.  That’s exactly what’s happening now, thanks to mortgage rates dropping to their lowest point in 11 months. That drop means homebuyers in Cedar Rapids have more purchasing power today than they’ve had in nearly a year.  Let’s

Are Home Values Rising or Falling in Cedar Rapids?

If you’ve read the latest housing headlines, you’ve probably seen some conflicting takes. And when you zoom out, it makes sense as to why: A new Zillow report found that, in half of the country’s largest metros, home values rose over the past year. In the other half, they fell. So today, we’re break

Google Searches for Homes Hit Two-Year High. Here’s What It Means for Sellers.

If you’ve been wondering whether buyers are still out there, here’s your answer: yes.  And they’re looking more online than they have in two years. Even before last week’s big mortgage rate news (ICYMI, rates dipped to 6.55% on August 7), online searches for “homes for sale” were climbing fast in Ju

You Could Be Overpaying for a Fixer-Upper. Here’s What’s Changed.

For the first time in years, existing homes (yes, the older ones that often need updates) are selling for more than brand-new construction.  According to the latest numbers, the median price of an existing home is $429,400. For a newly built home? $410,800. That’s an $18,600 difference. So if you’ve