X, formerly known as Twitter, can be a great place for information, but it can also be a terrible place for misinformation. Well, a great X/Twitter thread popped up on my feed recently discussing things that a first time homebuyer should and shouldn't when house searching. Some of the responses were spot on, and others were... not so helpful. So let's have some fun and talk about the thread and what it got right about home buying... and what it got wrong. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

After 1.5 years of campaigning, we finally know that Donald Trump will return to Washington as the 47th President of the United States. Some people are elated, others are mortified, but wherever you stand on the election results, the question remains: will Trump help or hurt the housing market? There are many possible scenarios for Trump in play - taking over the Federal Reserve, privatizing (again) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, injecting stimulus into the slumping housing market, creating futuristic cities on federal land, mass deportation of immigrants, etc. But at the end of the day, Trump is going to have to find a way to get mortgage rates lower or else likely none of it will matter. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Recently, I decided to do a cash out refinance on two identical duplexes that I own that are located next to each other. A cash out refi is a great way to take advantage of the equity you have in a property without having to sell it, and that's exactly what I hoped to do. Get cash, keep the property, have rental income pay off the mortgage, and everyone goes home happy. Well, all seemed to be going smoothly until the appraisals came in, with one being dramatically different than the other, despite the properties being identical. Never in my career have I seen something quite like this, and it drove me crazy! So I dug into the two appraisals to figure out why they were so different, and after many twists and turns... well, you'll have to listen to find out what happened in this crazy story! This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Mortgage rates have soared nearly an entire percentage point the past few weeks and as a result, September 2024 yielded the first year-on-year decline in the median sales price in Greenville since March 2023. Why is this happening now, and does it mean we're entering a buyers market? This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Negotiation is one of the most important aspects for a real estate transaction, and yet many people don't know their negotiation style or that of those they are negotiating with. In the old school of thought, it didn't matter what style the person across the table from you had - you simply negotiated aggressively with them and tried to win the negotiation at their expense. However, in recent years, negotiation tactics have shifted and are more focused on trying to achieve a situation where both parties feel like they have experienced a "win-win," rather than one party feeling like they lost to the other. But you can't do this if you have no knowledge of negotiating styles, so let's talk about the four types of negotiators, how they impact a real estate transaction, and where their strengths and weaknesses lie. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

"Listing agents don't do anything besides put the home on the multiple listing service," is a phrase I hear frequently from people. And while some listings require less work than others, every listing requires many hours of work, and some require literally *weeks* worth of work. So today I tell the story of my listing from this year that has had a little of everything - messed up contracts, "low" appraisals, FHA flip rule issues, issues with engineers reports, missing data plates, etc. I don't even have time to get into every single thing that happened in this transaction, but I'm confident you'll still enjoy my 30 minute rant about some of what happened and will have a better sense of the home selling process as a result. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Homeowners insurance premiums have increased dramatically the past 4 years in the US, specifically in the Southeast region of the US, which, coincidentally, is where Greenville is located. Thankfully, SC hasn't suffered the worst of the premium increases when comparing to states like Florida, but with our state getting hit hard by Helene and the possibility of other storms hitting us this year before storm season has come and gone, we can expect insurance premiums to be on the rise in 2025. There's nothing we can do about that, but there are some practical steps you and I can take to ensure that when we insure our home, we aren't paying more than we need to. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

I may be on my fourth straight day without power, but that's not going to stop me from reporting from the front lines on the unbelievable and devastating damage caused by Hurricane Helene to the Greater Greenville Area and to Western NC. In this episode, I discuss how Greenville was hit by a 1/100 year weather event, what it means for me and those I know, and what it means for our local real estate market. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Even though this podcast is all about Greenville real estate, still by far the main question I get from listeners and others is, "What are you seeing happening in the market?" Are buyers still active? Are sellers still getting top dollar? Have investors given up? Some of these we can answer with data, but data is dry and can only take us so far. So let's answer the question of what's happening with some real life scenarios and stories that I'm actually experiencing every day in the Greenville, SC real estate market! This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

It's Fed week! And by the time most people watch/listen to this episode, we will already know whether the Fed decided to drop the Fed Funds Rate by 25 basis points or by 50 basis points. What impact will their decision have on the real estate market? And while we're talking about the impact of national politics on real estate, what about former President Trump or Vice President Harris? They have made multiple proposals for real estate that are also worth discussing to determine how much of an impact they will have and whether that impact might be good or bad for Greenville real estate. Usually our focus is on local real estate trends, but let's take a step back and look at the national trends and what they mean for the future of our housing market. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

The (10-year/2-year) yield curve has been inverted now for quite some time. Since 1955, every recession has been preceded by a similar yield curve inversion, but when the curve uninverts (as it did recently), does that mean things are getting better or worse? Headlines say better, economists say worse, but this is a Greenville real estate podcast. So let's just ask the question: are we going into a recession, and if so, what does that mean for Greenville real estate? It's not as obvious as you may think. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Greenville hit an all time high for prices in July, but housing affordability still improved. Why? Because mortgage rates have moderated and are (as of this recording in late August, 2024) sitting at 6.37%, way down from their 8.03% peak in October. Long story short, sellers are getting high prices and still fairly favorable selling conditions while buyers are seeing greater affordability on monthly costs and more supply than has been accessible in years. So here's an update on where things stand in the Greater Greenville area and where I see them going in future months. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

In 2021 we saw record high real estate demand coupled with record low supply. Those dynamics aren't the case anymore in 2024, but how much has the market flipped? Let's compare the 2021 numbers to 2024 to get a sense of where things are at. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Unexpectedly, many real estate firms this past week, including my own real estate brokerage, rolled out new policies for listings that fully decouple buyer agent commissions from listing agent commissions. The result? Well, beyond it being a confusing new system to navigate that now means a lot more back and forth between agents, some real estate sellers may end up paying fewer commissions than they have in the past. So will this mean sellers will list their homes for cheaper, making it better for buyers too? Unlikely, but let's unpack what all this means and what I am seeing firsthand the week after the most drastic changes the real estate world has seen in decades were implemented. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Several months ago, it was announced by the National Association of Realtors that, in light of several antitrust lawsuits that were being waged against the NAR and other real estate organizations, major changes were coming to the real estate industry. And chief among those changes were changes to how realtors, specifically buyers agents, would be compensated. We discussed these changes on this podcast at the time they were first announced, but now (this week!) those changes are finally being implemented, and it's time to revisit them and what they mean for realtors and real estate buyers and sellers. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

"You cannot fool the real estate market" is a phrase I love to use, because many home sellers seem to think that overpricing a listing is the best strategy to use when selling a home. But homebuyers aren't stupid, and they will identify an overpriced home quickly and simply ignore it, with the end result usually ending up worse for the seller than it would've been had they simply priced it right to begin with. Don't believe me? Well, I have data on my side, and I'm ready to share it. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

We talk a lot about how the real estate market has shifted and what that means for buyers and sellers, but how does that actually impact your strategy for buying or selling real estate? Let's discuss five points for buyers and five points for sellers for how to educate themselves, strategize, and maximize their opportunities in an ever-evolving real estate market. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Looking at the data we now have for Greenville through June 2024, there are increasing signs of weakening demand coupled with increasingly growing supply. In fact, we are seeing record new listings coming on the market all the while the average price of a home in Greenville has soared above $400,000 for the first time ever. What does all this mean, and how does it compare to Greenville's traditional, seasonal trends? Lots to talk about as we scour the market stats for the Greater Greenville Area. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

A lot of headlines right now are focused on homes losing value from their 2021 peak, but the headlines are national, and we need to assess what's happening specifically in Greenville. Thankfully, we have a simple way of doing this - we can look at all homes sold twice or more since 2021, evaluate the spread between the first sold price and the second one, and then run some basic formulas to determine whether homes are losing or gaining equity in this shifting market (with some help from ChatGPT). Long story short: Greenville homeowners by and large are doing just fine. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

At the end of 2023 into the beginning of 2024, I did a "bold predictions" episode where I discussed what I thought would happen to the Greenville real estate market in 2024. Well, now that half the year is over, it's time to do a preliminary review of the predictions to see how well they're doing. So let's go through all 10 of my 2024 bold predictions and compare them to the most up-to-date data to see whether I am the Nostradamus of Greenville real estate or if I need to make sure I don't quit my day job as a realtor to become a real estate prophet. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Election years always have a weird impact on real estate, and that's never been more true than this year. Not only are the Presidential elections impacting real estate (a well-known phenomenon that happens every four years), but in Greenville, more than ever, state and local races are proving to be hugely influential in things like development, infrastructure, etc. Long story short, we are entering a new era of Greenville and Spartanburg voters backing politicians who are more focused on conservative virtue signaling than on improving our state and county. It's not all doom and gloom - much of what is going to happen the next few years is already set in motion, and Greenville County and the SC as a whole will continue to remain great places to live - but don't expect elected officials in the upcoming years to have effective solutions for fixing infrastructure issues, improving housing affordability, etc. any time soon, particularly if the "penny sales tax" doesn't get a majority vote in November. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

As we look at the Greater Greenville Association of REALTORS market stats, a theme emerges: supply is increasing faster than demand, resulting in a softening market. Does that mean it's a buyers market? Not yet, but we may be closer than people realize to it *feeling* like a buyers market, even with prices as high as they remain. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Solar panels are one of the most controversial topics in real estate in SC, with some believing homeowners have a moral responsibility to use solar to help with climate change, while others on the opposite side of the spectrum believe that solar panels are nothing more than an expensive scam. Well, I finally had a chance to purchase and sell a home with solar panels, and it was a big learning experience. If you've ever wondered what buying, owning, and or selling a home with solar is like, this is the episode for you! This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: ‪(864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Should I hold, or should I sell? That's a question investors ask themselves daily, but people who own real estate, even if they aren't "real estate investors," should also be thinking about this. There are a lot of changes coming - potential declining populations, rising insurance costs, decreasing supply for homes with acreage, etc. - that will almost certainly impact the value of real estate in the future. So let's discuss 10 types of properties and whether they are hold or sell candidates. This episode is sponsored by Piper Insurance Group, who can help you with all your home, auto, and umbrella insurance needs. Contact them for a free quote at: (864) 350-9329 / [email protected] / https://piperinsurancegroup.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

For the first time since Selling Greenville was inaugurated, Stan has solicited listener questions for a massive mailbag episode. Tune in to learn about what headwinds are in the Greenville market, when it makes sense to rent or buy, what differentiates Greenville from the rest of the US in terms of our real estate market, and even whether a hot dog is a sandwich!   As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

We finally have the April market stats for the Greater Greenville area, and several things stand out. Most significantly, even though we are finally seeing things like active inventory normalize to pre-pandemic levels, many numbers, such as days on market, median sales price, etc. still point to Greenville being a seller's market. So why does it feel to many like a buyer's market? In this week's episode, Stan and Joel Mangin discuss these stats and why perception and reality don't always agree when it comes to the state of the real estate market.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

For the first time in 5 years, we're seeing foreclosures, short sales, and cheap (potential) flips coming online in Greenville, SC. Oh and questionably low appraisals are back too! Are we in or entering a buyers' market? And how will rates coming down, realtor compensation changes, etc. impact the state of the market? Let's talk about where things stand in the Greenville RE market and why it feels a lot different now than it has for nearly half a decade.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

It's election season, and real estate is top of mind for those running for office in Washington, DC, in SC, and in Greenville. I've spoken to legislators, politicians, and people running for office at all levels of government, and it's time to crack open the notebook and spill all my secrets on what is happening behind closed doors, and what it means for real estate, and our local elections.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

One of the things that scares people the most when buying a home is the possibility of it having structural issues. The reality is that most issues we deem "structural" are relatively easy and inexpensive to fix, but it's still helpful to be able to identify structural issues and diagnose their severity as much as possible prior to getting a home under contract (or prior to listing a home, if you're selling one). It's something I am very conscientious of when walking through a home, so let's discuss 10 signs that a home may have structural issues and what they could mean for that home.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Very seldom do we see a real estate market driven by retirees, but that's exactly what we see now with Boomers having a much larger portion of real estate market share than normal. Meanwhile Gen X has been almost left behind and Millennials are still trying to find their way in a historically unaffordable market. What is the cause of these seemingly upside down demographics, and what other factors impact home buying and selling in this market? Let's look at some fascinating data the National Association of REALTORS® produced recently for answers.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Looking at the final data we have for Greenville in Q1 2023, the market is finally starting to see some stability. Some of the data shows potential market softening, but much of it is indicative of strong demand still pushing up prices, pendings, and closings while driving down days of market and affordability. The question now is will mortgage rates go up, down, or stay roughly the same throughout the remainder of the year? That will ultimately determine whether we see demand continue to strengthen or to succombe to some of the softer patterns in the data.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

In this episode, we delve into the dynamic Greenville real estate market, now grappling with the impact of rising mortgage rates. We'll explore the significant price adjustments sellers are making—how often are prices being dropped, and by what average amount? What implications do these changes hold for both buyers and sellers? Join us as we unpack the latest trends and forecasts, providing you with the insights needed to navigate this evolving landscape.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

There are a lot of misconceptions about the Section 8 rental program in Greenville, but I heard one recently that I had never heard before, and that's that it was an "unpredictable" program. Not only is this not true, but the Section 8 program in Greenville is substantially *more* predictable than the private rental market as a whole. The end result of this is that when market rents sometimes come down as a result of various market forces, Section 8 rentals can actually be a great rent deflation hedge for landlords/landladies.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Doomers are constantly talking about "the real estate bubble bursting," but the reality is that the dynamic we saw in 2007-08 of the entire US housing market crashing at one time is unusual and not likely to repeat itself any time soon. What we do see, however (and particularly since COVID), is localized markets forming bubbles that inevitably burst. In fact, we are experiencing this currently in one very specific part of the Upstate of SC: Laurens County, which has seen substantial price declines since the 2022 price peak. So how do we identify markets that could be in a bubble vs. ones that have sustainable demand likely to continue indefinitely? Let's look at the indicators that help determine sustainable growth vs. that of a soon-to-be bursting bubble.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

As we look at the most recent market stats for the greater Greenville area, some weird data trends begin to appear. Listings are up but pendings are down. Pendings are down, but closings are up. Prices are still high and increasing but not everywhere. Closings in the sub $500,000 price point are decreasing whereas above that price point are increasing. What is the cause of all these odd blips in the data? Let's talk about it, with a focus more on the big picture of what's happening in today's market.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

On March 15 the National Association of REALTORS® announced a proposed realtor compensation settlement for the Sitzer/Burnett case, and the national media immediately put out a ton of clickbait headlines about the sudden "end of the 6% commission." As with most things, the media got this one wrong, but there is MUCH to talk about with regard to this settlement. Buyer agents are going to have to work with their clients in very different ways moving forward, and we may be entering into a completely new world of real estate with multiple tiers of realtors. And sellers, while they may have more negotiating power in the wake of this settlement, may need to think twice before taking a scarcity mindset towards buyer agents. There is a whole lot more to discuss here, so let's dig into the details of this settlement and what it might mean for the future of real estate!  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

During his State of the Union address on March 7, 2024, President Biden outlined multiple proposals for how to make housing more affordable: -A $400/mo credit for first time homebuyers or people "trading up" -Title insurance reform to reduce fees -Measures to stop anti-trust violations and price-fixing among big landlords -Cutting red tape on federal financing for developers, etc. Some of these proposals sound good on the surface, but without question, several of them are legitimately dangerous ideas that are likely to cause increased inflation in real estate and an increased risk of a housing recession down the road. So let's discuss the good, bad, and ugly about President Biden's real estate proposals and what they could mean for us in the future.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

"The Greenville real estate market is strong," is what we keep hearing, but making a statement like that is painting with broad strokes. Some parts of the Upstate of SC are getting stronger and some are softening, but which is which? Thankfully, there is a little known report called the Market Conditions Addendum Report that I can run that looks at where the market is trending. And so in this episode, we break down 12 sub-markets to see which areas of the Upstate are getting softer, which are staying stable, and which are seeing increased activity. All data presented is based on information from the Multiple Listing Service of Greenville, South Carolina, Inc. for the period March 4, 2022 through March 4, 2024.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

There are rumblings in the Greenville investor community about how there are more rental portfolios being sold off than usual, and these rumblings usually come with an innuendo or suggestion that maybe being a landlord in Greenville isn't what it's cracked up to be. So what is actually happening here? Are the rumblings true? Is there a problem with rental real estate in Greenville (or even in SC as a whole)? And what does this mean for those looking to start investing in real estate? Lots to discuss, so let's dig in!  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

As mortgage rates have crept up in recent weeks, buyer activity has slowed down. Seller activity, on the other hand, hasn't, with a record number of new listings in January. The result? Inventory is increasing, giving buyers more options and sellers more competition. But in spite of that, prices remain near all-time highs, with no relief to buyers. Will that change in the near future? As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

[Episode has been updated to correct initial audio issues.] One of the biggest headaches of being a homeowner is having to deal with pests. I (Stan) have personally dealt with mice, rats, bats, cockroaches, termites, ants, carpenter bees, and much more in my homes over the years. And every time I have, I've reached out to my longtime friend Andrew Dixon, owner of Dixon Pest. Andrew has a wealth of knowledge about pest control, and in this discussion we cover everything from bed bugs, to bat bugs, to cockroaches, termites, high moisture issues, mold, etc. Thankfully, any sort of pest is treatable, but Andrew has the inside scoop on which ones are easily treatable or not and which ones should cause you to be concerned or not. If you have any pest control needs in the Upstate of SC, you need to use Dixon Pest! Reach out to them here: 864-266-3876 / [email protected] / dixonpestsolutions.com  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

The last week was a wild one for treasuries and mortgage rates, with a lot of economic data released, a FOMC statement sent out, multiple statements from Federal Reserve members, and a 60 Minutes interview of Fed Chair Jerome Powell. The end result was that mortgage rates briefly went over 7%, and (as of this recording) are hovering at 6.99%, despite having been 6.6% just a few days ago. How did this happen, and what does it mean? Let's discuss a little oral history of the past week and why all the data and statements that were released sent rates soaring.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Hope Brooks is a local real estate investor who has worked behind the scenes with a lot of Greenville's major REI players. And it just so happens that she and I (Stan) were attacked on social media recently by someone who apparently believes all landlords are inherently greedy and immoral. It may surprise some that this sentiment about landlords is an increasingly common one, as people look for someone to blame for rising rent costs. So it's time to address landlord/rent misconceptions head-on and have a little fun doing it as Hope and I roast real estate ignorance. If you want to learn about and/or contribute towards Hope's cancer battle, please do so here: http://tinyurl.com/yc4j24p7 If you want to connect with Hope, her IG is: https://www.instagram.com/hlbrooks221/ and her email is [email protected].  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

As we take one last look at 2023 by means of the most recently released Greater Greenville Association of Realtors Market Stats, a few things jump off the page. Most significantly, we can now say definitively that Greenville saw strong price growth for the year, particularly in contrast to some other parts of the country that are getting headlines for home values depreciating. But there are plenty of other interesting nuggets in the data - a stronger than expected end of the year in general, low inventory numbers, higher days on market, etc. What does all this mean? At the very least, it appears the trends we saw at the end of 2023 are bleeding into the beginning of 2024, setting us up for a hectic year of real estate.  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

A debate rages on social media these days about whether it's better to rent where you live or buy and be a homeowner. The reality is that in most places (including Greenville, at least for now) the monthly costs are cheaper if you're renting, but this doesn't take into account other important parts of the discussion, most significantly, real estate value appreciation. Renters don't benefit from appreciation, whereas homeowners do, but renters can take the savings they are pocketing from renting and invest that in other things to potentially make more money than a homeowner would via mere appreciation. That model works in theory, but how does it work in practice? Let's analyze the data, courtesy of Aziz Sunderji, to determine what conditions would make it better to rent your home vs. what conditions would make it better to be a homeowner. Access to Sunderji's article, for those curious, is here: https://www.home-economics.us/p/buy-or-rent  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

We have a winner! In this episode we announce the winner of the $200 Amazon gift card from the giveaway that was announced in episode 200! But we also need to talk about the CRAZY start to 2024 that we're experiencing. Is it possible that people have woken up from their 2023 slumber and are ready to buy real estate again? The early returns would indicate that that may very well be happening. Tune in for that and more!  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Happy New Year! It's that time again - we need to come up with ten bold predictions for what will happen in Greenville real estate in 2024. Will rates go up or down? What about prices? Will listings linger longer than in 2023? And what's the Fed doing these days? Lots to discuss with lots of predictions to be made! Have your own predictions? Let me know!   As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].

Who doesn't love an end of year giveaway? Well, to celebrate 2023 and the 200th episode of this show, we're randomly giving away a $200 gift card to one lucky listener. Listen to this episode for more details. Oh, and we also have to recap 2023! So let's talk about the wild ride that was this past year in the real estate market and where things are going from here. For the link to the Fox News article that quoted Stan, click here: https://www.foxnews.com/media/south-carolina-number-one-place-americans-moving-experts-checks-boxes  As always, if you have any questions or comments (or, of course, need a realtor), feel free to reach out to Stan McCune directly by phone/text at (864) 735-7580 or by email at [email protected].