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Curious about how inflation is reshaping the real estate landscape? Join us in this enlightening episode as we chat with Brendon Bland from Neighborhood Loans. Brendon sheds light on the complex relationship between inflation and interest rates, unpacking the ripple effects on home values and everyday costs. He breaks down the Federal Reserve's strategy in taming inflation and shares promising news from the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which hints at a potential fall in mortgage rates. Whether you're a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned market watcher, Brendon’s insights offer a clearer view of what to expect in the coming months.

As we transition from summer to winter, the real estate market's dynamics shift, and we’re here to navigate that change with you. Brendon discusses the possible surge in buyer activity if interest rates drop, and highlights the emotional aspects of purchasing a home in this competitive market. Listen in for his practical advice on prioritizing affordability over trying to time the market. Drawing from personal experiences and professional insights, we emphasize making informed, confident decisions that benefit you and your family. Don’t miss this episode if you want to stay ahead in the ever-evolving housing market!

To connect with Brendon:
Brendon Bland
614-747-3530
[email protected]
https://www.instagram.com/mortgagemademodern/
https://www.facebook.com/brendon.bland

Sarah Thress
614-893-5885

First Time Home Buyer course: https://sarahthress.graphy.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarah_thress_realtor/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SarahThressRealtor/
https://www.youtube.com/@LIFEINCOLUMBUS

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What if the key to financial freedom lies in a chance meeting at a hair salon? Join us for an inspiring conversation with Keisha Smith-Jones, president and CEO of Executives Wealth Advisor Group, as she recounts her incredible journey from Navy service to becoming a powerhouse in financial advising. Discover how personal challenges, like navigating a divorce and moving cross-country with her children, shaped her career. Keisha shares profound insights on the importance of financial planning, drawn from her own family's experiences with early retirement and the impact of General Motors' bankruptcy. 

In this episode, we explore the advantages of holistic financial planning and how it can transform your financial future. Keisha talks about her unique approach of acting as a client's financial COO, assembling a "personal board of directors" for strategic decision-making. We also dive into the nitty-gritty of homeownership, offering practical advice on understanding the full financial picture—beyond just the mortgage. From property taxes to navigating market dynamics, Keisha provides essential tips to help you avoid becoming "house poor" and achieve lasting financial stability. Tune in for a wealth of knowledge and actionable advice that could change the way you think about money and homeownership!

Contact Keisha:
https://www.facebook.com/ksmithadvisor
[email protected]
executivesadvisor.com
https://www.instagram.com/i_am_mrs_smithjones/

Sarah Thress
614-893-5885

First Time Home Buyer course: https://sarahthress.graphy.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarah_thress_realtor/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SarahThressRealtor/
https://www.youtube.com/@LIFEINCOLUMBUS

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Ever wondered if selling your home without a realtor is worth the risk, or if it’s just a recipe for financial disaster? This week on Come to Find Out, we tackle these questions head-on with our special guest, Stephanie Ricinski from Red Frog Realty. Stephanie shares her unique experience of selling her home two decades ago, contrasting it with today's high-stakes real estate environment. Learn how modern tools like social media algorithms can make a world of difference and why a skilled realtor is more indispensable than ever.

We unravel the complexities and hidden costs of For Sale By Owner (FSBO) transactions, revealing why the perceived savings might be an illusion. From legal pitfalls to marketing challenges, we discuss why many FSBO sellers end up spending more time and money than they bargained for. Stephanie offers invaluable insights into negotiating realtor commissions and outlines various service levels available, helping you understand the real value of professional assistance.

To put the risks into perspective, we share real-life stories of homeowners who tried to go it alone and faced significant financial and legal setbacks. Emphasizing that selling a home is often the largest financial transaction of one's life, we detail how investing in a professional realtor can safeguard your financial future. Tune in for an eye-opening episode that uncovers the hidden intricacies of home selling and the crucial role a seasoned realtor plays in ensuring a smooth, profitable transaction.

Stephanie Rucinski, Broker 
Red Frog Realty
[email protected]
https://www.redfrogrealty.com
https://www.facebook.com/StephTheRealtorOH
https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.rucinski

*Statistics discussed came from this website
 https://listwithclever.com/real-estate-blog/fsbo-statistics/#regrets

Sarah Thress
614-893-5885

First Time Home Buyer course: https://sarahthress.graphy.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarah_thress_realtor/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SarahThressRealtor/
https://www.youtube.com/@LIFEINCOLUMBUS

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This episode is all about the new buyers agreements and what that means for buyers. This change is coming from the large real estate settlements that are in the news. the first thing to know is it isn't really changing much- the seller was always able to negotiate the amount of commission they would pay and if they would pay the buyers agents. The only thing that changes is if they decide not to pay a buyers agent then now the buyer will have to pay whatever is negotiated ahead of time with their agent. 

Lenders are working on ways to help buyers cover that so I asked Brendon Bland, of neighborhood loans, to come on and talk to us about what this will look like for buyers and what options they have now. The VA has made changes as well as FHA and Conventional changes so you will definitely want to make sure you tune in to learn more. 

To connect with Brendon:
Brendon Bland
614-747-3530
[email protected]
https://www.instagram.com/mortgagemademodern/

Sarah Thress
614-893-5885

First Time Home Buyer course: https://sarahthress.graphy.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarah_thress_realtor/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SarahThressRealtor/
https://www.youtube.com/@LIFEINCOLUMBUS

Send a text

This week we are doing a state of the market update. I was joined by Brendon Bland of Neighborhood loans, who has been a reoccurring guest on the show. His industry knowledge and the way he can explain things is so good! 

Brendon talked about what is affecting the interest rates and what he is seeing on the lending side of things. Inflation is a hot topic we discuss in this episode and how it is contributing to a lot of things we're seeing in the world now. Rates have started to go down, but they're not as low as people predicted last year. Insurance is another thing we talked about. The rising rates of insurance and the changes we're seeing nationwide with insurance carriers is another thing affecting the market. 

This will be a reoccurring thing, where we give our insights into the market and what we're seeing. Make sure you listen to the podcast, share it with others, leave a review and subscribe so you never miss another episode.  

Brendon Bland
614-747-3530
[email protected]
https://www.instagram.com/mortgagemademodern/

Sarah Thress
614-893-5885

First Time Home Buyer course: https://sarahthress.graphy.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarah_thress_realtor/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SarahThressRealtor/
https://www.youtube.com/@LIFEINCOLUMBUS

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This week I wanted to share the rest of the foreclosure story so that people could hear the hassle it creates if you let your house go into the foreclosure process. My goal is to help people avoid getting into the situation that my sellers got into and have the knowledge of how to navigate it all. 

First of all, please know that you are not alone in this journey. There are many people in this same boat and there are people out there that want to truly help you.  So do not feel ashamed and be proactive and it will help you in the end. If you know you are about to miss a mortgage payment, please contact your lender BEFORE you miss the payment so you can see if they can help you modify your loan or refinance it. This will at least give you some options to consider. Please make sure this will actually help you and not just provide a band aid for 1 month. If it doesn't make sense in the long run to do that then move on to the next option, which is contact a realtor to explore that option. The realtor can help you figure out what your home would sell for and help you create a plan to get out of your home and make some money to help with your future purchase or your rent for a little bit until you can get back on your feet. 

The bottom line is, don't just bury your head in the sand and hope for the problem to go away because it won't. It will continue on whether you like it or not and you will end up with nothing at all and a bad ding on your credit if you take no action. 

Please listen to the episode and leave a review- feedback is a gift!
Share this episode with others- that is the greatest compliment you can give me.
And Subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode. 

Sarah Thress
614-893-5885

First Time Home Buyer course: https://sarahthress.graphy.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarah_thress_realtor/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SarahThressRealtor/
https://www.youtube.com/@LIFEINCOLUMBUS

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This week I am joined by Steve Greaves with Tithe lending and Chris Dreger with Search2close title. We have all been working on a short sale together and learned a lot we wanted to share with everyone. 

Being in a financial crisis is never fun for anyone, but there are ways to make it impact your credit less. First of all, if you find yourself in the position of having to decide on paying your cc bill or your mortgage- always choose your mortgage! Missing a mortgage payment will impact your credit score more than a cc and will potentially signal the bank to start foreclosure proceedings. The best thing to do if you are going to miss a payment is to call you mortgage company and ask for a modification or a refinance to see if either thing can help you. You have to call before you miss the payment though because 1 missed payment can disqualify you from some of these options. If this will not be a route that works for you and you still can't make a payment, then talk to a great real estate agent who can give you the value of your home and help you figure out the best plan to sell your home so you can get out of this situation. 

You typically have to miss 3-6 mortgage payments before they will start the foreclosure process, but you want to be proactive during this time to help you make money off your asset. If you sell before the foreclosure process starts it a normal sale and you can keep the proceeds and start over fresh. If you don't then you have to do a short sale which will get you out from under the home, but will impact your credit and you make nothing off the sale. If you do nothing still and it goes to foreclosure, then your house will go to sheriffs auction and you will be out of the house within a week after the sale goes through and again you get nothing from your investment. Shortsales impact your credit less so it would only be 2 years instead of 7 before it falls off your credit. 

We cover so much more in this podcast and gives some real life examples so please:
1. listen to the episode
2. share it with others- that is the best compliment you can give me
3. leave a review- feedback is a gift
4. subscribe so you never miss another episode. 

Chris Dreger-
Search2close
https://www.facebook.com/Search2Close
https://www.facebook.com/chris.dreger.3
[email protected]
614-619-9252

Steve Greaves-
Tithe Lending
https://www.facebook.com/tithelending
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092691292376
[email protected]
314-221-8252

Sarah Thress
614-893-5885

First Time Home Buyer course: https://sarahthress.graphy.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarah_thress_realtor/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SarahThressRealtor/
https://www.youtube.com/@LIFEINCOLUMBUS

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This week we are talking about HOA's and condo associations and what you need to know about them. Marie Donofrio is a local attorney who knows all the ins and outs of HOA's and condo associations and it shows. She is also very passionate about making sure people know what they are getting themselves into when they buy a house with an HOA or a condo with association dues. 

Marie gives the top 3 things to look for in the massive document: 
1)purposes and restrictions- where you will find the things like pet restrictions, fence restrictions, car restrictions, etc 
2)insurance - where you will find who is responsible for what in the condo when it comes to insuring it. 
3) Maintenance and repair- this will spell out who is responsible for fixing what in the condo or home on the inside and outside

This one is such a great episode if you are looking for a home and considering going into a new build community. This information can truly save you some headache down the line. 

Please listen, leave feedback, share with others and follow the show so you never miss another episode! 

Contact Marie Donofrio:
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/Clevelandrealestateattorney/

Sarah Thress
614-893-5885

First Time Home Buyer course: https://sarahthress.graphy.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarah_thress_realtor/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SarahThressRealtor/
https://www.youtube.com/@LIFEINCOLUMBUS

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This week on come to find out I am talking with Ashley Garrison about divorces and top tips she gives women going through a divorce. Ashley is very passionate about helping women come out of divorce financially stable and stronger than they started the divorce. 
She shares on the podcast how she has experienced it first hand as a child of divorce and why she is so focused on making sure kids aren't effected by this process. 

She is also a huge advocate and supporter of my new program Thrive and Decide. It is a group of women that are passionate about helping women build a tribe so they don't feel alone while going through a divorce or the loss of a spouse. The goal of the group is to also help women come out financially stable on the other side. 

Reach out to learn more about thrive and decide and listen to the podcast to learn why Ashley could be the perfect fit for you in your time of need. 
Please leave feedback, share this episode with others and make sure you follow the show so you never miss an episode!

Ashley Garrison
[email protected]
614-565-7508

Sarah Thress
614-893-5885

First Time Home Buyer course: https://sarahthress.graphy.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarah_thress_realtor/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SarahThressRealtor/
https://www.youtube.com/@LIFEINCOLUMBUS

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This week I sat down with Jill Gershutz and Justin Sheryer to talk about Credit Union of Ohio and all they do for customers. They do a lot of financial literacy classes and help customers/members to save for a house, understand credit, understand the home buying process and beyond. They are committed to helping everyone be financially fit. 
I have taught first time home buyer classes with them for years and love getting to help people understand the home buying process so it feels less overwhelming. 

They are also very invested in the community and love getting involved as much as possible. They gave a significant donation to the Hilliard Food Pantry and consistently support the weekly outdoor celebrations at the station in downtown Hilliard. Jill serves on several boards and Kees her finger on the pulse of what is going on to keep the credit union involved in all she can. 

They do a great job teaching kids how to manage money too and how to be financially savvy. It is a really great program where they have kid debit cards and help parents teach them how to be smart about saving and spending. 

Check out the podcast, leave a review, share with others and make sure to follow the show so you never miss another episode. 

Jill Gerschutz 
https://www.facebook.com/johnsongerschutz
https://www.facebook.com/cuofohio
cuofohio.org

Justin Shreyer
https://www.facebook.com/justin.shreyer

Sarah Thress
614-893-5885

First Time Home Buyer course: https://sarahthress.graphy.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarah_thress_realtor/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SarahThressRealtor/
https://www.youtube.com/@LIFEINCOLUMBUS