“Put people around you who are the best at what they do, then let them do what they do best.”  Jo Garner 

Former baseball player Steven Kanborg finds it fascinating to watch people operate in high-pressure situations. He tells of the big college baseball playoff game. Everyone was playing as usual until two teammates, under stress, stepped out of character.  They forced throws, tried to do too much at the plate, and handed the opposing team the advantage.  It was a long bus ride home. 

As a homeowner, when you are trying to sell a home, buy another home, pack up, move, and unpack, it can feel like a high-stakes game.  A lot of transition and a lot of money on the line can add to the pressure.  If you are not a real estate professional yourself, it's time to consider the advantages of having a reputable real estate professional of excellence on your team.   

A good realtor can bring a powerful degree of separation between you and the other party, preventing common mistakes caused by stress.  They know the value of homes in your neighborhood and have more details on the surrounding sales than you can get on Zillow.  Realtors are trained in the best way to negotiate a real estate transaction.   They have at their fingertips good home inspectors, lenders, home repair contractors, and more. As a result, they can pave a smoother way through the process to eliminate negative surprises at the closing. 

The lowest interest rates in history are largely driving the real estate market in 2021.   This past week, mortgage rates moved down to the lowest mark since February.  Inflation numbers are at a ten-year high, and the economy is bouncing back with decreasing jobless claims. Still, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is assuring the marketplace that the Fed will continue buying 120 billion dollars per month in mortgage-backed security bonds.   This bountiful bond-buying is the biggest reason mortgage rates are staying low, even though inflation is running hot. 

Mortgage rates are not tied to the Federal Reserve rate.  They are more closely tied to the 10-year bond yield.  When yields are up, the price on mortgage rates tends to move up.   Inflation and a stronger jobs market tend to pressure the bond yields higher and mortgage rates higher, but our current day market is not playing the game the way we are accustomed to seeing it played. Keep your eye on the scoreboard and the financial markets.  

As real estate professionals, we can include stories that show our clients how we solve problems for them in the real estate transaction and finance process, yet still make our customers the hero.  By doing what we do best, we free our customers to do better the things that only they can do for themselves and their families during the big move.