Sharon R. Starke - NMLS 14138-Cardinal Financial

05/28/2026

Price Cuts Get Bigger the Longer a House Sits Without Offers

Pricing your house high just to “see what happens” can cost you. Buyers today are quick to ignore overpriced homes. And the longer a house sits without any offers, the less it usually sells for. Want to know the right list price for your house to avoid this headache? Let’s chat.

05/27/2026

After a year or more of rates coming down, things have changed. And lately, mortgage rates have been climbing again.

And if that's made you wonder whether you should delay your move until they drop, you're not the only one.

The honest truth is that rates probably won't come down much until inflation cools off and some of the global uncertainty settles. And no one knows exactly when that'll be.

But what most headlines won't tell you is that rates aren't the only thing that affects affordability. Sure, they’re a big factor, but not all of the affordability news is bad.

Wages, home prices, and inventory are all trending in a direction that could still help make your move possible.

Want to know what that actually looks like for your situation? Drop a comment or send me a DM.

Because even though rates are higher, there are pockets of opportunity in any market, if you know where to look.

05/26/2026

🏡 HUGE NEWS FOR FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS! 📉👇

If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines waiting for a sign to jump into the housing market, this morning just handed you a massive win.

Here is the quick breakdown of what’s happening right now and why it matters for your wallet:

What Happened?
Over the weekend, major news broke that the U.S. and Iran have agreed in principle to a peace deal. While the headlines might seem far away, the global financial markets reacted instantly—and favorably for you.

Why This Is Amazing News For Your Home Search:
Mortgage Rates Are Dropping: Because of this peace expectation, 10-year Treasury yields just took a dive to their lowest levels in weeks.

More Buying Power: Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) are up significantly this morning. In plain English? This puts downward pressure on mortgage rates, giving you more bang for your buck on your monthly payment.

Cheaper Gas & Goods: Oil prices just plummeted by about $5 a barrel, which is a great sign for inflation and your everyday budget while you save for that down payment.

💡 The Bottom Line: The market is officially reacting to peace, not rumors. If you've been stressed about high rates cutting into your budget, today’s market shift is a breath of fresh air.

Are you ready to see how much more house you can afford with today's shift? Let’s chat and look at some numbers! 📲✨



MBS Live

05/26/2026

Tempted to price your house high just to see what happens? You should know, overpriced homes generally don’t sell right away, they sit. And that delay will cost you.

The longer a house is on the market without any offers, typically the lower the eventual sale price.

So, how do you know that right number to list at? You lean on a pro.

The best list price depends on your neighborhood, and what buyers are actually paying right now. That’s where I can help.

DM me and let’s talk about a realistic strategy that’ll get your house sold for as much as possible (and as quickly as possible). Because overpricing may actually leave money on the table.

05/25/2026

You’ve probably heard of the Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan. But do you know what it offers?

In a recent survey, 68% of Veterans didn’t know they may be able to buy a home with zero money down. 77% didn’t know PMI isn’t always required.

Many also have no idea they may be able to count their Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) as income.

Any of those VA loan benefits could make homeownership more achievable than you realize.

If you’ve served (or know someone who has), get in touch with a trusted lender for more information on VA home loan options and what you may qualify for.

05/24/2026

Now might be a smart time to look at newly built homes.

Builders are motivated to keep their inventory moving, so they’re offering incentives like mortgage rate buydowns and closing cost help to draw in buyers.

It also means they may be more flexible on price. In fact, the median price for newly built homes just hit a five-year low for this exact reason.

Builder perks and lower prices? That’s a combo worth paying attention to.

DM me to talk through what’s available in our area and which builders are offering the best incentives today.

05/23/2026

Newly Built Home Prices Hit a 5-Year Low

Builder incentives and lower new home prices are working to your advantage in a way they haven't in years. Want to see what's available in your area and what kind of deal a builder may be willing to make? Let's connect.

If you’ve always assumed a newly built home is just not in your budget, you should know the math just got a little friendlier.

05/22/2026

“What if I buy… and home prices go down?” It’s one of the biggest hold ups some buyers have right now.

And honestly, with everything in the news lately, it's easy to see where that's coming from.

No one wants to make a big financial decision at the wrong time.

But here’s the part buyers need to see.

When you look at home prices over the last several decades, data proves prices usually go up, not down.

Yes, there are a few dips in there. But they’re typically small and short-lived. So, while a few markets are seeing slight declines right now, the bigger trend is clear.

Over time, home prices almost always rise.

That’s why buying a home is generally considered a safe long-term investment (especially if you plan to live there for 5+ years).

So, try not to get too caught up in what might happen with home prices next month or next year. Focus on the bigger picture.

Want to talk through what prices are doing in our market? Send over a DM.

05/21/2026

Record High Mortgage Debt Sounds Scary. Here’s What the Headlines Leave Out.

Record mortgage debt makes for a scary headline. But context matters.

Equity is near an all-time high, home values have surged, and the vast majority of homeowners are in a position of real financial strength. The conditions that made 2008 a crisis simply don't exist right now.

If you're wondering what all of this means for your situation, whether you're thinking about buying, selling, or just trying to make sense of the market, reach out anytime. No pressure, just answers.

You may have seen the headlines lately about mortgage debt in America hitting a record high.

05/20/2026

This news is fantastic, immediate help for your budget.

Mortgage rates don't track the Federal Reserve; they track the bond market.

Headlines hinting at a major peace agreement involving Iran calm inflation and energy fears, causing investors to flood into government bonds.

When bond demand surges, interest yields tumble.

Here is the quick, high-impact breakdown of what this means for you over the next 24 to 48 hours: Instant Rate Drop: The 10-year yield and Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) shifted favorably the moment this hit the wires.

You can expect mortgage lenders to improve their pricing today, potentially shaving $0.125\%$ to $0.25\%$ off recent peaks.More

Buying Power: A quarter-point drop saves you roughly $65 a month on a $400,000 mortgage. For a young buyer with strict Debt-to-Income (DTI) limits, that savings can mean the difference between getting approved or denied for a home.