In July, the number of U.S. homebuyers hit a new low at 966,752, according to Redfin. Meanwhile, nearly 1.46 million sellers were in the market. That means sellers outnumbered buyers by nearly half a million people. Which means buyers still in the market are facing less competition for available homes, creating real negotiating power with motivated sellers. 
 
In fact, nearly 80% of the largest U.S. metros (39 out of 49) are buyer’s markets. 
 
But real estate is local, and not every seller will be willing to make a deal. So how can you tell when you may have leverage on a particular home? National trends provide context, but the clearest clues are often hiding inside the listing itself. Here are seven signs that a seller may be ready to negotiate, and how you can use that opportunity.

 
Potential Sign #1: The Home Has Been on the Market Longer Than Similar Properties
The longer a home sits on the market, the more motivated a seller may become. Aa ...

For the first time since 2023, more Americans say buying beats renting. 
 
That’s the headline stat from Bank of America’s 2026 Homebuyer Insights report. Based on responses to their national online survey, 53% of respondents say it’s better to buy a home in the current market than to rent or move in with family (47%).  Aside from that, other stats from the survey reveal some interesting trends, including improved levels of optimism around buying a home, despite ongoing affordability challenges. 
Read on to see why and how this impacts you as a buyer or seller in Fernandina Beach and Northeast Florida
How Americans Feel About Homeownership Right Now
According to the methodology details for Bank of America’s 2026 survey, respondents are adults 18 years of age or older who “make or share in household financial decisions, and who currently own a home/previously owned a home or plan to own a home in the future.” Of the 2,000 respt ...

First the disclosure: I do not sell insurance. I recommend talking with someone that does before making any changes. This is just to get you thinking...
 
If your homeowners insurance bill went up this year, you're not alone. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, 71% of U.S. homeowners say their insurance costs have increased over the past few years. And it's not a small bump for most people. A full 42% say their costs have gone up "a lot." Here in Northeast Florida, I've been hearing the same thing from my clients. People open their renewal notice and do a double take. Some are calling their insurer for the first time in years. 
 
The good news is you're not stuck. There are concrete steps you can take to bring your premium down without putting your home at financial risk. Let’s walk through what's actually driving these increases and what's worth trying right now.
 
Why Premiums Have Climbed So Fast
The short version: insurance companies h. ...

Based on article by Ya?l Bizouati-Kennedy on April 13, 2026 for Realtor.com The Silent Killers of Real Estate Wealth: 6 Surprise Home Repairs That Cost the Most—and How To Avoid Them
Homeownership comes with a lot of things nobody warns you about. The mortgage you planned for. The $12,000 roof replacement? Not so much.
Most people know things break eventually. It's just part of owning a place. What catches us off guard is how fast a small problem can spiral once a home starts aging and repair costs keep climbing. A slow drip under the sink becomes a subfloor replacement. A rattling HVAC becomes a full system swap. It happens faster than you'd think, and rarely (if ever) at a convenient time.
The good news is most of these expensive surprises aren't actually that surprising if you know what to look for. The repairs that blindside homeowners tend to follow a pattern: they stay hidden, and then one day they don't. It feels random. It’s usually not. 
Knowing what tho ...