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Jacqueline Kraszewski Celebrates 10 years with BHGRE Green Team!
Congratulations to Jacqueline (Jacque) Kraszewski on her 10-year anniversary with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team!
Jacque is an amazing and hardworking realtor who is loved dearly by our team. Her dedication, passion, and tireless efforts have not only contributed to her success but to the success of BHGRE Green Team as a whole.
Over the past decade, Jacque has established herself as a trusted and respected real estate professional in the community. Her commitment to excellence, attention to detail, and outstanding customer service have helped countless clients find their dream homes.
We are truly grateful for Jacque’s contributions to BHGRE Green Team and the real estate industry. Her contagious enthusiasm and unwavering work ethic are truly inspiring.
Here’s to many more years of success, growth, and achievements for Jacque and BHGRE Green Team! Congratulations, Jacqueline!
Rick Harrison joins Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team
Rick Harrison brings his Real Estate Experience, Competitiveness, and Humor to BHGRE Green Team
Richard “Rick” Harrison attended the University of Arkansas with a major in Business Administration. For eighteen years, before becoming a real estate agent, Rick was a professional tennis coach.
About Rick
Rick has lived in Vernon since 2003. He spends his weekdays doing real estate, working out, playing golf, and being Adam’s dad; he pretty much spends his weekends doing the same. Rick is a huge sports fan and loves the Razorbacks. An athlete his whole life, Rick still plays golf, tennis, basketball, and baseball; you’ll often see him working out at Minerals or running at Maple Grange Park.
Rick Harrison in Real Estate
Rick decided to pivot his career, four years ago, when he entered into Real Estate. When asked why he decided to switch paths? he said, “I knew I would be good at it and I didn’t want to have a real job anymore.” Joking aside, the real estate world is extremely competitive, yet in the four years he has been in business, Rick’s numbers prove how devoted he is to his clients.
Rick Harrison is happy to help with any of your real estate needs; when it comes to golf, he’s good to have in your foursome and he usually picks up the check.
It is no doubt that a realtor with Rick’s innate competitive sportsmanship and experience will be an unbeatable asset to every client that he meets.
James “Jimmy” Cosenza is now a Certified Real Estate Negotiator!
Better Home and Gardens Real Estate Green Team proudly announces that Jimmy has received his CREN designation!
Jimmy Cosenza is well-known as a ‘go-getter’ and will do whatever he needs to achieve his client’s goals. With great attention to detail, investigative skills, and top-notch problem-solving abilities Jimmy is an amazing Realtor to work with. Still, he always wants to ensure he provides the best possible service to every client that comes to him. This desire to expand his expertise is what pushed him to obtain his CREN designation.
According to NAR®, 83% of buyers and sellers consider negotiation skills very important. As an agent who is always looking for ways to expand his skills, Jimmy decided this designation would be an amazing asset to his clients. As a Certified Real Estate Negotiator he is prepared to tailor a specific negotiation strategy for both his buyers and sellers. Additionally, with this knowledge, he is ready to negotiate the highest price for his sellers and the lowest price for his buyers.
If you are looking for an Expert Realtor who is prepared to get you the best price for your current or future home, contact Jimmy!
Angela Murphy Earns her SRES Designation!
BHGRE Green Team is proud to announce that Angela is now a Seniors Real Estate Specialist!
Anyone who knows Angela Murphy knows that she never gives up. She will go above and beyond for every client she meets in order to help them achieve their goals. Her dedication never wavers and she is described by many as one of the most trustworthy, honest, and dependable agents in our community.
Angela is always searching for new ways to better herself and expand the skills she has to offer her clients. She decided to become a Senior Real Estate Specialist to enhance her expertise in serving the senior generation. With this designation, she can better advise mature clients when buying, selling, relocating, or refinancing residential or investment properties.
Additionally, Angela plans to use this designation to offer downsizing workshops to help seniors in her community. In these workshops, she will teach seniors how to declutter, downsize, and prepare for their next real estate endeavor.
If you know anyone who needs this service, reach out to Angela at 845-987-4897 or look for the workshops in the paper or on Facebook.
Meet Ken Garby
Ken Garby is bringing his investment real estate experience and extensive financial knowledge to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Green Team!
Ken Garby grew up in Warwick, New York. Here he met his wife Vikki, President of BHGRE Green Team, and grew to have a strong love for the area.
Ken received his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. He and Vikki relocated to Teaneck, New Jersey soon after Ken began his career. Ken designed and built sewage treatment facilities and managed HVAC projects in NYC.
Ken soon discovered his passion for investing and decided to pursue a career in this field. He soon passed his Series 7, 55, and 63 exams and began his new career working on Wall Street. For seven years Ken excelled as a licensed Registered Representative working as a stock trader for one of Wall Street’s premier proprietary trading firms. Although his license is no longer active, the years of financial knowledge are a valuable asset to anyone looking to invest in real estate.
The Road to Real Estate
In 2005, Ken and Vikki began investing in Real estate, and in 2008 Ken stopped trading professionally and became a full-time Real Estate investor. By combining a strategy of accumulating rental properties and flipping houses, they now have 21 residential and 7 commercial units in Orange County that Ken manages. Ken is a strong negotiator and has extensive experience on both the buy and sell side of many transactions.
After starting their family, Ken and Vikki decided to return to Orange County to raise their children. Their son Zachary, and daughter Melina, went on to flourish in the Warwick Valley Central School District. Zach has since graduated and went on to attend Syracuse University and Melina is currently a Junior at Warwick Valley High School.
Ken and Vikki are proud parents who make sure to play an active role in their kids’ lives. Ken has loved coaching his kids’ soccer, baseball, and softball teams since they were young. Even now he continues to coach softball for the OC Bombers’ travel team that Melina plays on.
After returning to Warwick, Vikki became a licensed real estate agent and joined BHGRE Green Team. With hard work and dedication, Vikki was promoted to BHGRE Green Teams’ President in May of 2022.
After his wife became Green Team’s president Ken decided it was time to become a realtor himself. With almost 20 years of investment real estate experience and extensive financial knowledge, Ken knew this was the right move for him. Additionally, his skills and understanding of construction/flipping give him the ability to recognize the value of a house.
It is no doubt that a realtor with Ken’s knowledge and experience will be an unbeatable asset to every client that he meets.
Should I Rent or Should I Buy? [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Should I Rent or Should I Buy? [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM](https://files.mykcm.com/2022/07/14124050/20220715-MEM-1046x2129.png)
Some Highlights
- It’s worth considering the many benefits of homeownership before you make the decision to rent or buy a home.
- When you buy, you can stabilize your housing costs, own a tangible asset, and grow your net worth as you gain equity. When you rent, you face rising housing costs, won’t see a return on your investment, and limit your ability to save.
- If you want to learn more about the benefits of homeownership, let’s connect today.
Should I Buy a Home Right Now?
If you’ve been thinking about buying a home, you likely have one question on the top of your mind: should I buy right now, or should I wait? While no one can answer that question for you, here’s some information that could help you make your decision.
The Future of Home Price Appreciation
Each quarter, Pulsenomics surveys a national panel of over 100 economists, real estate experts, and investment and market strategists to compile projections for the future of home price appreciation. The output is the Home Price Expectation Survey. In the latest release, it forecasts home prices will continue appreciating over the next five years (see graph below):
As the graph shows, the rate of appreciation will moderate over the next few years as the market shifts away from the unsustainable pace it saw during the pandemic. After this year, experts project home price appreciation will continue, but at levels that are more typical for the market. As Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), says:
“People should not anticipate another double-digit price appreciation. Those days are over. . . . We may return to more normal price appreciation of 4%, 5% a year.”
For you, that ongoing appreciation should give you peace of mind your investment in homeownership is worthwhile because you’re buying an asset that’s projected to grow in value in the years ahead.
What Does That Mean for You?
To give you an idea of how this could impact your net worth, here’s how a typical home could grow in value over the next few years using the expert price appreciation projections from the Pulsenomics survey mentioned above (see graph below):
As the graph conveys, even at a more typical pace of appreciation, you still stand to make significant equity gains as your home grows in value. That’s what’s at stake if you delay your plans.
Bottom Line
If you’re ready to become a homeowner, know that buying today can set you up for long-term success as your asset’s value (and your own net worth) is projected to grow with the ongoing home price appreciation. Let’s connect to begin your homebuying process today.
Expert Housing Market Forecasts for the Second Half of the Year
The housing market is at a turning point, and if you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, that may leave you wondering: is it still a good time to buy a home? Should I make a move this year? To help answer those questions, let’s turn to the experts for projections on what the second half of the year holds for residential real estate.
Where Mortgage Rates Will Go Depends on Inflation
While one of the big questions on all buyers’ minds is where will mortgage rates go in the months ahead, no one has a crystal ball to know exactly what’ll happen in the future. What housing market experts know for sure is that the record-low mortgage rates during the pandemic were an outlier, not the norm.
This year, rates have climbed over 2% due to the Federal Reserve’s response to rising inflation. If inflation continues to rise, it’s likely that mortgage rates will respond. Greg McBride, Chief Financial Analyst at Bankrate, explains it well:
“Until inflation peaks, mortgage rates won’t either. Without improvement on the inflation front, we don’t know where the interest rate ceiling will be.”
Whether you’re buying your first home or selling your current house to make a move, today’s mortgage rate is an important factor to consider. When rates rise, they impact affordability and your purchasing power. That’s why it’s crucial to work with a team of professionals, so you have expert advice to help you make an informed decision about your best move.
The Supply of Homes for Sale Projected To Continue Increasing
This year, particularly this spring, the number of homes for sale has grown. That’s partly due to more homeowners listing their houses, but also because higher mortgage rates have helped ease the intensity of buyer demand. Moderating buyer demand slows down the pace of home sales, which in turn helps inventory rise.
Experts say that growth will continue. Recently, realtor.com updated their 2022 inventory forecast. In the latest release, they increased their projections for inventory gains dramatically, going from a 0.3% increase at the beginning of the year to a 15.0% jump by the end of 2022 (see graph below):
More homes to choose from is great news if you’re craving more options for your home search – just know that there isn’t a sudden surplus of inventory on the horizon. Housing supply is still low, so you’ll need to partner with an agent to stay on top of what’s available in your market and move fast when you find the one. It’s not going to be easy to find a home, but it certainly won’t be as difficult as it has been over the past two years.
Home Price Forecasts Call for Ongoing Appreciation
Due to the imbalance between the number of homes for sale and the number of buyers looking to make a purchase, the pandemic led to record-breaking increases in home prices. According to CoreLogic, homes appreciated by 15% in 2021, and they’ve continued to rise this year.
Even though housing supply is increasing today, there are still more buyers than there are homes for sale, and that’s maintaining the upward pressure on home prices. That’s why experts are not calling for prices to decline, rather they’re forecasting they’ll continue to climb, just at a more moderate pace this year. On average, homes are projected to appreciate by about 8.5% in 2022 (see graph below):
Selma Hepp, Deputy Chief Economist at CoreLogic, explains why the housing market will see deceleration, but not depreciation, in prices:
“The current home price growth rate is unsustainable, and higher mortgage rates coupled with more inventory will lead to slower home price growth but unlikely declines in home prices.”
For current homeowners looking to sell, know your home’s value isn’t projected to fall, but waiting to make your purchase does mean your next home could cost more as home prices continue to appreciate. That’s why, if you’re thinking about buying your first home or you’re ready to make a move, it may make sense to do so now before prices climb higher. But rest assured, once you buy a home, that price appreciation will help grow the value of your investment.
Bottom Line
Whether you’re a homebuyer or seller, you need to know what’s happening in the housing market, so you can make the most informed decision possible. Let’s connect to discuss your goals and what lies ahead, so you can determine the best plan for your move.
The Drop in Mortgage Rates Brings Good News for Homebuyers
Over the past few weeks, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Freddie Mac fell by half a percent. The drop happened over concerns about a potential recession. And since mortgage rates have risen dramatically this year, homebuyers across the country should see this decline as welcome news.
Freddie Mac reports that the average 30-year rate was down to 5.30% from 5.81% two weeks prior (see graph below):
But why is this recent dip such good news for homebuyers? As Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist and Director of Forecasting at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), explains:
“According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped sharply by 40 basis points to 5.3 percent. . . . As a result, home buying is about 5 percent more affordable than a week ago. This translates to about $100 less every month on a mortgage payment.”
That’s because when rates go up (as they have for the majority of this year), they impact how much you’ll pay in your monthly mortgage payment, which directly affects how much you can comfortably afford. The inverse is also true. A decrease in mortgage rates means an increase in your purchasing power.
The chart below shows how a half-point, or even a quarter-point, change in mortgage rates can impact your monthly payment:
Bottom Line
If your home doesn’t meet your needs, this may be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. Let’s connect to see how you can benefit from the current drop in mortgage rates.
Why Growing Home Equity Is Great News if You Plan To Move [INFOGRAPHIC]
![Why Growing Home Equity Is Great News if You Plan To Move [INFOGRAPHIC] | MyKCM](https://files.mykcm.com/2022/07/07152642/20220708-MEM-1046x1851.png)
Some Highlights
- According to the latest data from CoreLogic, the average homeowner gained $64,000 in home equity over the past 12 months.
- That much equity can be a game-changer when you move. When you sell, it could be some (if not all) of what you need for a down payment on your next home.
- To find out how much equity you have in your home and how you can use it, let’s connect today.
