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Carlyn Lowery - eXp Realty - Annapolis, MD Real Estate

House Hacking – How to Live Rent-Free

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Are you renting a home, or do you have friends or family members who are?

Wouldn’t it be great to build wealth through real estate and maybe even live rent-free?

Lots of people are very cautious or just don’t know what they can do. Many people have student loan debt and they are working to pay it off, and they don’t have much money for a downpayment.

By putting in a bit of extra effort and being creative, it’s possible to save money by buying a home, and even cover your housing expenses. Even in a high-cost area like Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.

Scott Trench shared some great ideas in the Millenial Money blog article, titled “House Hacking | How to Live for Free”.  As Scott wrote:

House Hacking is having your cake, and eating it too. It’s a mix between buying a personal residence and investment property.

House hacking occurs when you buy a piece of investment real estate, live in one of the units or bedrooms, and rent out the others.

One of my clients recently did this, and she is thrilled to have her roommates helping to pay off her mortgage!

If you want to find out how she did it, and explore what you can do, let me know!

Pocket Listings in Anne Arundel County – Private Exclusive Listings

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Are you looking to buy a house for less or sell a house for less? Interested in pocket listings, off-market listings, private exclusive listings, properties that are not in MLS? Do you want to sell your house the best way?

Perhaps you have seen more creative real estate ads lately. Competition is fierce. 

And new guidelines mean that marketing strategies are changing. What worked yesterday may not work today, and what works today may not work tomorrow.

Michele Lerner recently wrote in the Washington Post article “‘Pocket listings,’ those secretive, off-market offerings of homes for sale, to disappear in the D.C. area”:

If you’ve ever been the recipient of an email blast from a real estate agent with photos, prices and information on “private exclusive listings,” you may have felt privileged. But for other real estate agents and buyers, the practice of pocket listings, also known as office exclusive listings or off-MLS (multiple listing service) listings, is frustrating.

Now that practice in the Washington area may be coming to an end.

It’s a hot debate about eliminating “pocket listings” and making all information available to home buyers. At the same time, sellers want things done their way, at their convenience, and to their advantage. Obviously, different people have different interests, and the landscape is changing.

Be sure to plan well in advance for your next move. To get the best outcome, find out about the latest market changes, and act accordingly. 

Talk to me early! What’s your dream home?

My systems for buying and selling homes are constantly being updated to provide the best client service possible. Do you want to:

* Keep the most money in your pocket?
* Make showings as easy as possible?
* Coordinate the timing of your buying and selling to make your move as smooth as possible?

When you are ready, let’s discuss these and other goals, and map out a path that works for you.

Anne Arundel County Real Estate Market Statistics June 2019

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Wishing you and yours a wonderful Summer!

Now that we are more than half way through the year, here are some updated market statistics.

Let me know if you would like the numbers for your neighborhood.  

Or if you’d like to get regular updates on homes for sale in your area, or another area that you are thinking about, just ask.

This year, the local real estate market started off stronger than it did last year.  Yet this past month of June 2019 was slower in sales.  

Here are some market statistics for you for the first six months of 2019 in Anne Arundel County, compared to last year:

  • Average Discount Off Original Price: 2.8% (was 2.9%)
  • Average Days on the Market: 72 (down 8.86%)
  • Total Sales: $1,862,945,250 (up 5.20%)
  • Average Sold Price: $408,630 (up 4.12%)
  • Real Buyers (Homes Sold): 4,565 (up 1.17%)

(Source: Bright MLS Copyright 2019 – Information deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed.)

While the year started off stronger than last year, we saw a slowdown in June, compared to last year.  Only 918 homes were sold, compared to 979 last year, a 6.23% reduction. 

These numbers tell a story, of what has happened in the past.  Everyone wants to know what is coming next.  What we are seeing on the street now is that some sellers who didn’t get their properties sold in the Spring are becoming more flexible, and buyers are often finding more negotiating room, and less competition, than earlier in the year.

If you or someone you know is looking to make a move, anywhere in the country, don’t hesitate to ask me for information.  I’d love to help.

As always, feel free to share this post with anyone who might be interested.

Anne Arundel County Real Estate Market Statistics 2019

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Wishing you and yours a good Memorial Day weekend.

It’s been a while since I sent out market statistics, so here’s an update.  

Let me know if you would like the numbers for your neighborhood.  

Or if you’d like to get regular updates on homes for sale in your area, or another area that you are thinking about, just ask.

This year, the local real estate market started off stronger than it did last year.  Here are some market statistics for you for the first four months of 2019 in Anne Arundel County, compared to last year:

  • Average Discount Off Original Price: 3.3% (was 3.3%)
  • Average Days on the Market: 81 (down 10.99%)
  • Total Sales: $1,019,277,477 (up 3.47%)
  • Average Sold Price: $392,030 (up 1.13%)
  • Real Buyers (Homes Sold): 2,605 (up 2.52%)

(Source: Bright MLS Copyright 2019 – Information deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed.)

If you or someone you know is looking to make a move, anywhere in the country, don’t hesitate to ask me for information.  I’d love to help.

And if you are looking for entertainment on Sunday, or would be interested in the home shown below, come and see me at the open house!  As always, feel free to share this post with anyone who might be interested.

P.S. Considering a move? Please call for a confidential chat. Your personal needs, wants, and finances are my priority and my passion and my specialties run from waterfront luxury estates to distressed properties.

Call me today for your Annapolis real estate needs, or for an introduction to a great real estate agent anywhere.

Carlyn Lowery, Associate Broker, eXp Realty, Annapolis Real Estate, Annapolis Waterfront Homes, Annapolis Luxury Homes, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 443-569-3977 or 888-860-7369 x146

Local web sites in and around Annapolis, Maryland

Real Estate Problems and Solutions in Anne Arundel County, Maryland

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Most of my clients who listed this Spring have found buyers already.  

A couple are still seeking the right buyers, and people are actively shopping, so I expect to find their buyers soon. 

Inventory is low – we have more buyers than sellers active in the market right now. 

Who do you know who has a house that they don’t need or want, and yet they also don’t want to go through the hassle of staging for sale?

Maybe they have a lot of other things going on in life, and they just don’t have time to deal with this real estate problem. ​

A tired landlord, who has had enough of tenants and toilets?  

An accidental landlord, who just couldn’t sell for enough to pay off the mortgage?

Or someone who doesn’t want the house, yet really needs the income that they get from the rent, and can’t afford to have their cash sitting the bank earning just a fraction above zero percent, or gambling in the stock market.

And maybe they don’t have time or energy to stage the house to make it look like a model home, or like the ones on HGTV.​

Whoever comes to mind with a situation like this, I can help.  Please introduce us.  It’s not too late for them to sell this Spring!  I am working with buyers who are knowledgeable in renovations and property management, and we may be able to solve their problems.

And if you or someone you know is thinking of moving up to a more expensive home, maybe waterfront, maybe larger, it’s important that you know that, according to Mortgage News Daily, “Lower Rates Boost Jumbo Credit Access.”  Better terms are being offered for large loans, and lending standards are loosening.

Are you in your “forever home?”  If not, we have homes of all kinds!  It’s a great time to move, and either rent or sell the current place!  

I’m curious, what would your dream home be like?Happy Mother’s Day!

P.S. Considering a move? Please call for a confidential chat. Your personal needs, wants, and finances are my priority and my passion and my specialties run from waterfront luxury estates to distressed properties.

Call me today for your Annapolis real estate needs, or for an introduction to a great real estate agent anywhere.

Carlyn Lowery, Associate Broker, eXp Realty, Annapolis Real Estate, Annapolis Waterfront Homes, Annapolis Luxury Homes, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 443-569-3977 or 888-860-7369 x146

Local web sites in and around Annapolis, Maryland