Featured Blog Posts

May 2022 Market Update

It is most notable that there is a significant shortage of homes in inventory, which is putting upward pressure on sales prices. This is most likely due to the combination of pent-up demand being released as well as buyers pushing to get under contract in anticipation of rising interest rates. It is also significant that sales volume for the month of April is at a 5-year low and the rate at which home values are increasing is slowing. This could be a potential indicator of the market moving closer to a state of balance as higher interest rates push some buyers out of the market. 

January 2025 Market Update

We continue to see the shortage of homes available be a significant factor in our market. It is most noteworthy that sales volume for 2024 was the lowest it had been since 2011 following the market crash of 2008. However, values remain strong, experiencing a 9.0% increase year over year.

Pricing Your House

Naturally, most of us want to make as much money as possible when we sell our homes. At the same time, we don’t want to price our homes so high that they are “out of the market.” Finding just the right price point for our homes can often be a difficult process, with few guarantees that we have hit just the right point. In what follows, we will discuss some concepts relating to real estate price and value with a view to helping you understand the process of pricing your home.

February 2023 Market Update

For buyers, the market is beginning to show signs that are in the buyer’s favor following two years of an extremely strong seller’s market. However, we are seeing interest rates remain high despite the long-term projections. It is important for buyers to take into consideration their buying power as higher rates put pressure on monthly payment amounts.

By Nick Ward | 3 years ago

January 2023 Market Update

It is most notable that while there is still a significant shortage of homes available in inventory, the market is showings signs of moving back to a state of relative equilibrium. Prices remain strong though marketing times are increasing significantly. This is likely due to seasonality of the market (see graph “Number of Sales by Month”), combined with high interest rates.

By Nick Ward | 3 years ago

Benefits of Investing in Residential Real Estate

Investing in residential real estate can be a great way to build wealth and financial security for you and your family. There are many benefits to this type of investment, including the potential for long-term appreciation, steady rental income, and the ability to leverage your investment. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of investing in residential real estate and how it can help you build generational wealth.

By Nick Ward | 3 years ago

December 2022 Market Update

Month-over-month sales in Champaign-Urbana saw and increase of 8.1% between October and November ($181,000 in October and $195,500 in September). This follows a decline in median sales prices in Q3, which stabilized in September. Marketing times have risen significantly, at 100 days on average, and is well above the average for the prior two years

By Nick Ward | 3 years ago

November 2022 Market Update

Month-over-month sales in Champaign-Urbana saw median sales prices stabilize after two months of decline in August and September. ($181,000 in October and $181,500 in September).  Marketing times remain low – below 30 days.  Please also note that year-over-year median sales price increases are still above average 6.1%.

By Nick Ward | 3 years ago