LaFleur Realty Group / KW Milwaukee Southwest

10/26/2026

To Sell or Rent? How To Choose the Best Path for Your House.

Your house isn't selling as quickly as you hoped. So, should you just rent it out instead? It's a question more homeowners are asking. And the numbers show just how common this backup plan is becoming.

According to Parcl, about 9% of homes currently listed for rent were originally listed for sale.

That's a lot of homeowners becoming landlords when selling didn't go according to plan.

But before you trade your "For Sale" sign for a "For Rent" sign, there's something worth considering.

Being a landlord isn't always the easy passive income opportunity it sounds like.
Landlord insurance typically costs about 25% more than regular homeowners insurance. Property management can eat up around 10% of your rental income.

And that's before unexpected repairs, vacancies, or late-night maintenance calls.
Suddenly, renting might not look quite as simple.

Now, that doesn't mean renting is a bad idea. For some homeowners, it's absolutely the right move.

But if selling is what you really want, don't give up on that plan just yet.
Sometimes, the difference between a house that sits and one that sells comes down to the changing the strategy.

Thinking about renting your house because selling feels harder than expected? Send a message. Let's compare the numbers and figure out which option actually makes the most sense for you.

10/25/2026

Buyers, this is big.

The housing market is giving you a level of negotiating power we haven't seen since the years following the housing crash.

According to Redfin, there are now 63% more sellers than buyers nationwide, and 41 of the 50 largest metros favor buyers. That means, in most places, you have more say in what you're willing to pay, what you're willing to accept, and what you want to negotiate.

And sellers have more reason to listen.

Of course this varies market to market, but this shift is creating opportunities for buyers who are ready to jump in – even with today’s higher rates.

DM me, and let's make sure you know how to take advantage of it.

10/24/2026

Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) are making a comeback, and it's easy to see why.

In October, starting rates for ARMs were running almost a full percentage point below fixed-rate loans. On a median-priced home, that can mean your payment could be roughly $150-300 less per month.

For buyers struggling with affordability, that’s worth considering. Just know that they do come with some trade-offs – the biggest of which is that your rate (and your payment) could rise after a set timeframe.

And just in case you’re thinking…aren't ARMs risky? You should know today's ARMs aren't like the ones from 2008. But they do work differently than a fixed-rate mortgage, so it pays to understand them first.

A trusted lender can help you explore how these loans work, how they can help, and walk you through the what-ifs.

10/23/2026

Confused by Home Price Headlines? Here’s Why.

National headlines can’t tell you what your home is worth or how much room you have to negotiate. Local data can. If you’re thinking about buying or selling, let’s look at how prices are moving in your area, so you can set your price or make your offer with confidence.

Whether you own a house already or you’re looking to buy one, you probably care about home prices.

10/22/2026

Are home prices going up or down? It depends on where you look.

Over the past year, prices in Chicago climbed almost 7%. In Seattle, they dipped about 1.6%. That’s a nearly 9-point gap between two major cities.

Look at little closer, though. Home prices are rising in 13 of the 19 major cities on this chart. And where prices are down, the dips are small (less than 2%).

So, this isn’t a crash. It’s just a market normalizing after overheating during the pandemic. And that’s hitting some areas differently than others.

Here’s what it really means. Your local market matters.

If you’re selling where prices are still rising, you may not need to cut your price. And if you’re buying where prices are softer, you may have more room to negotiate.

National headlines can’t tell you which side your neighborhood is on. Local data can. Let’s look at how prices are moving in your area, so you can set your price or make your offer with confidence.

10/21/2026

New Homes Cost Less in 1 in 3 Major Markets

Newly built homes now cost less than existing ones in about 1 in 3 major markets. How much less, exactly? Nationally, a newly built home typically sells for about $35,000 less. So, brand-new could be more budget-friendly than you think. Want to see how newly built and existing homes compare where you’re looking? Let’s tour one of each.

10/20/2026

Newly built homes now cost less than existing ones in about a third of major markets.

And nationally, the gap is pretty big. A newly built home typically sells for about $35,000 less than an existing one.

Prices can look very different from one area to the next, though. So, what neighborhoods do you have your eye on? Let’s tour a new home and an existing one, and see how they compare.

10/19/2026

Homes Are Still Selling – Even in a Slower Market

Don't let a headline about slowing home sales convince you no one is buying. Homes are still selling every minute of every day.

If you need or want to move, let's talk about what it'll take to make sure yours is one of them.

If you’ve seen headlines saying home sales are slowing down, you may be wondering: is this really a good time to sell?

10/18/2026

Same time of year. 2 very different stories. And mortgage rates are a big reason why.

Last fall, mortgage rates came down and the number of homes for sale barely budged. This fall, rates have climbed above 7%. Some buyers have pulled back, homes are taking longer to sell, and instead of coming off the market, more listings are sticking around.

Since August, the number of homes for sale has grown by about 25,000. So, what does that mean for you?

Buying? You’ve got more homes to choose from and potentially more room to negotiate on price, repairs, or closing costs.
Selling? Buyers have more options, so you’ve got to give them a reason to choose your house. That means getting the price right from day one and making sure your house stands out from the competition.

Want to know what this shift looks like where you live? Drop a comment or send me a DM, and let’s look at the local numbers together.

10/17/2026

Home sales may be slower than last year. But that doesn't mean buyers have disappeared.

At the current pace, almost 4 million homes are expected to sell this year. That's about 11,000 each day, 450 an hour, and nearly 8 every minute.

Why? Because even in this market, there are still buyers out there who have a reason to move.

People get new jobs, families grow, people retire, downsize, and move closer to the people they love. And those changes create buyers and sellers in every kind of market.

In fact, the latest report from NAR shows sales actually ticked up slightly in September, even though they're still below last year's pace.

So, don't let a headline convince you no one is buying. You don't need every buyer. You just need the right one – and a strategy that helps your house get their attention.

If you're thinking about selling, let's talk about how to make yours one of the homes that sells.