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Fall In Love With Your Home

February 17, 2021

The 5 Love Languages

 You’ve likely heard of the 5 Love Languages; 5 different modes of expressing and receiving love between two people. Just as we express and receive love for other people, we can have those same emotions about our homes.

Starting the home buying process can be overwhelming. The excitement of finding a brand new place to call home, the stress of organizing your finances, the anxiety of wondering if your offer will beat out all the rest, and so many other emotions pop up. At the end of it all, you find your dream home. Buying a house is one thing, but making it a home is another. 

The concept of the 5 Love Languages was introduced by Dr. Gary Chapman who experienced a pattern of unmet needs in his marriage counseling clients. All of the complaints he heard could be categorized into 5 categories: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Acts of Service, Gifts, and Physical Touch. Just as it takes effort to build a lasting relationship, it takes time to create a loving home. 

Words Of Affirmation

This love language is all about expressing how you feel through words. This doesn’t just mean constant affirmation of love, but can also include words of encouragement, compliments, and affections. When you are talking about your home, how are you talking about it? Maybe you describe your bedroom as the coziest place on earth or your kitchen as filled with warmth and light. These words don’t necessarily translate to love, but they reinforce the positive emotions you feel in your space. 


Describing how your home makes you feel can deepen your connection to it. It can also show you patterns or signals you should be wary of. For example, maybe you avoid going into the spare bedroom because it feels empty. If you find yourself speaking negatively about a space in your home, take action to reverse your feelings about it. Replace the lights, add a new comforter, and decorate the walls to give that empty spare room a little more life.


Quality Time

This one seems pretty straight forward. A home is built by the memories we make in it. To make your house feel more like home, find ways to spend some more quality time inside it. This could mean sitting at the table for dinner with your family every night to catch up with each other and share some laughs. It could mean dedicating one night to lounging on the sofa and watching movies with your partner. Dedicate your bathroom to your morning routine, try out new recipes in the kitchen, play pretend with your kids in the backyard. 


Your home shouldn’t just be the in-between of work and soccer practice and sleep. It should be your favorite spa retreat, the best restaurant you’ve ever been to, and the comfiest place to rest after a long day. Quality time spent in your home will give you more reasons to love it.


Acts Of Service

This love language is all about doing things for others. Finding the perfect home isn’t just about the four walls. Consider the community you want to be apart of when deciding on what your perfect home would be. If you value giving back to local charities, research a local community initiative you could join. If you want to play an active role in your faith, shop around for the right place of worship for you and your family. Maybe you want to be close with your neighbors and want your kids to have friends close by. When looking for your new home, don’t be afraid to knock on doors and introduce yourself or ask questions about the neighborhood culture.


Acts of service could also be more personal. If you want to volunteer at your kids’ school by contributing to bake sales or classroom snacks, a spacious kitchen should be on your wants list. If you love hosting large parties or family holidays, an open floor plan with room for lots of seating would be important. Keep your values and lifestyle in mind when searching for your new home to ensure you can keep serving in every way you love to.


Gifts

You may be thinking that your house can’t give you gifts and this love language is a stretch, but keep reading. If your personal love language is receiving gifts, how can your home mirror that? Perhaps you love a fresh bouquet of flowers every week. Maybe you have a biking hobby and love getting new gear for yourself. Consider things like food or drink subscription services, new clothes, etc. Would your home have room for a bike rack in the garage? Is there a large refrigerator for your weekly subscription? A custom closet organization system? Counter space for vases of flowers? Your home should work for you and all the gifts you love receiving.


Your home also offers up its own gifts. The gift of a safe and warm place to live. The gift of community. It gifts you rest, space to live, and a place to grow your family. These gifts are less tangible, but they are just as valuable as any material gift you may want.


Physical Touch

Now don’t go hugging your walls or anything. When thinking about physical touch in your home, think about the way it makes you feel. If we are taking the physical touch literally, maybe your carpets are soft and plush, your kitchen counter is a beautifully smooth granite or the throw blankets hanging on every couch and chair are a cozy dream. 


But how does your home make you feel? Do you feel relief every time you collapse into bed after a long day? Maybe you have a favorite spot to curl up and read a book because the light is just right. Cooking in the kitchen could be your creative outlet. Soak up each emotion your home brings you. 


A home should be the place you feel most comfortable and connected to yourself. It gives you the space to be who you are, connect with your loved ones, and rest at the end of each day. Connecting the 5 Love Languages to the way you create your dream home can help you to create a space that caters to the life you wish to live.


While it is very important to consider things like budget and financing in your home search, you can use these 5 love languages as a guide to finding the house that could become the perfect home for you.


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Q1 Recap

By Mikaylah Collins • April 12, 2023
We've begun to see signs that the Spring Market is here and could be robust! Here is what we know: According to NAR, home sales were up 14% in February over the previous month which marked the biggest monthly increase since July 2020. While March results are not yet published, the mortgage industry saw an increase in purchase applications for the 3rd straight month; a great sign for the housing market. Driving much of this activity is the stabilization of rates in January & February and lower interest rates this past month. We’re starting to see signs of a slowing economy and the markets are now pricing this in. This week we saw the 10-yr Treasury drop under 3.4%, a level it has not reached for quite some time and the lowest it’s been since September 9, 2022. This is great news for consumers as decreasing rates mean more home affordability. Over the past year, most markets have seen home prices stabilize if not even decline, albeit by a very small amount. This stabilization was still a relief for homebuyers as it helped to offset higher interest rates. As rates continue to decrease, we would expect home prices to again increase due to demand increases. In addition to increased demand, there is still a shortage of homes for sale nationwide and that will continue to worsen as more and more homebuyers enter the market.  So what does it all mean? Now is a GREAT time to buy a home! Rates and home prices are stable, there is not as much competition as there will be when rates do decrease, and buying a home is still extremely affordable for most. Once rates fall, we will likely see home prices rise and the competition for the shortage of homes will increase alongside it making the window of a buyer-dominated market very small.

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By Sarah Rubin • February 10, 2023
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Finding The Right Listing Agent For You

By Sarah Rubin • December 15, 2022
Buying a home is a huge investment and one we talk about often - BUT the flipside is that you have an opportunity to cash in on that investment when you’re ready to sell your home! While you do have the chance to cash-in, a lot more work goes into selling a home than you might think! If you are considering selling your home, working with a listing agent will help you market your home, negotiate with potential buyers, work through paperwork, and ultimately close on your home! So what is a listing agent? In its most basic terms, a listing agent is a real estate professional who represents the seller in a real estate transaction. The listing agent lists the home for sale and works on behalf of the seller to sell the home at the best price and terms for their client. Listing your home is a BIG deal and it is not a place to try and DIY. But why can’t you just grab a sign at Home Depot and try and sell yourself? Well, there are lots of reasons some of which include: Professional consultation: A listing agent will walk you through each step and tell you what to expect along the way! They should understand the specific community you’re in and the current market environment and will help you determine a competitive but realistic asking price for your home. Marketing and selling your home: Your listing agent will list your home on the multiple listing service (MLS) in order to better market your home to potential buyers. They also can make staging recommendations and hire a photographer to best show off your home and its features. They’ll schedule house showings, and can be present to answer any questions. Communication and negotiation: Communication is key to both buying and selling a home in order to minimize stress and misunderstandings. Listing agents take care of this important task, by staying in touch with interested buyers and their agents, fielding questions, handling paperwork, and negotiating the final sale price and terms. Recommendations: Seasoned listing agents might come with a list of professionals who they have worked with in the past that they enjoy working with in order to make the selling process smoother for you! Some of these professionals include: real estate attorneys or title companies, inspectors, stagers, those who specialize in home improvement AND of course trusted Loan Officers. How do I find the right listing agent for my situation? In order to find the right listing agent for you, make sure your agent is licensed and has experience, references, and a professional website where you can learn more about them and their qualifications. Most real estate agents work with both buyers and sellers, but some might specialize in one or the other. Once you find a few agents through referrals or online research, meet with them in person to ensure they meet your needs and work well with your personality. It is also important to ask questions during your meeting with them and it’s imperative that you determine what you’re looking for in an agent so you make sure you are happy with the product being delivered. Selling a home can be stressful, especially for first-time sellers. A listing agent can help by taking on some of the burden and providing the information and resources needed to help sellers make informed decisions. We work with agents on both sides of the transaction – if you have any questions or would like a recommendation for an agent in your area, please reach out to us!
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