(Photo Credit: Christopher Burns)
In a normal housing market, whether you’re buying or selling a home, you need an experienced guide to help you navigate the process. You need someone you can turn to who will tell you how to price your home correctly right from the start. You need someone who can help you determine what to offer on your dream home without paying too much or offending the seller with a low-ball offer.
We are, however, in anything but a “normal market” right now. The media is full of stories about an impending recession, a trade war with China, and constant political upheaval. Each of these potential situations could dramatically impact the real estate market. To successfully navigate the landscape today, you need more than an experienced guide. You need a ‘Real Estate Sherpa!’
A Sherpa is a “member of a Himalayan people living on the borders of Nepal and Tibet, renowned for their skill in mountaineering.”&nbs. ...

Learning the lingo of home buying is an important part of feeling successful when buying a home.  From APR to P&I, you need to know the acronyms that will come up along the way, and what they mean when you hear them.  
We are here to help you feel informed from start to finish, so here's a quick 'Home Buying Acronyms 101' lesson to increase your home buying confidence!

5 Home Buying Acronyms You Need To Know
APR (Annual Percentage Rate)
Annual cost of borrowing money based on the loan amount, interest rate, and certain other fees.
FRM (Fixed-Rate Mortgage)
Interest rate that doesn't change during the entire term of your loan.
DTI (Debt-to-Income)
Percentage of your monthly income that goes toward your monthly debt payments.
PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance)
Insurance that protects lenders from losses if a homeowner is unable to pay their mortgage. It's required for homebuyers who make down payments less than 20% of the home purchase price.
P&I (Prin! ...

(Image credit: Lark & Linen)

You might have heard she was voted 'Best Residential Real Estate Agent' in Eastern Jackson County the last three years in a row, but did you know our broker Amy Arndorfer has barista skills, too?  
Basic or not, Amy knows that when autumn rolls around, many of us dream of enjoying a tasty pumpkin spice latte from our favorite coffee shop.  She also knows it can be expensive to support that habit, so Amy's sharing a Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe with us.  Now, we can make our own how we want, when we want, and save some money.  Thanks for thinking of us, Amy!

Amy's Pumpkin Spice Latte
Ingredients
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus a bit for the garnish
Freshly ground black pepper 
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (or more or less, to taste)
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 cups whole milk
1 or 2 shots espresso (about a quarter cup) or 1/3 to 1/2 cup of very strong bl! ...

Purchasing a home is most likely the largest financial investment most of us will make in our lifetime, so it's essential to be wise during the process.  Consider these 10 strategies to set yourself up for a successful home-buying process... and a smart long-term investment.  


1. Buy for the long haul
A home is a BIG investment.  Buy a home you'll want to live in for at least five years; a home equipped (or soon to be equipped) with the features and space you need, both now and in the future.

2. Buy to improve your life, not speculate with money
Your home is more than a financial investment; it’s where you eat, sleep, host friends, raise your kids... it’s where your life happens!
The housing market is too unpredictable to buy a primary home purely because you think it will net a large short-term financial return.  You'll most likely be living in this home for several years, regardless of how it appreciates, so your first priority should be f) ...

Chrissy, our Director of Marketing, loves the autumn season and all the scents and flavors that accompany it.  Several years ago, she started a fall tradition of making this delicious skillet caramel apple pie for her family.  It's SO GOOD we wanted to share it with you!  If you give it a whirl, let us know how it turns out.

Easy Skillet Caramel Apple Pie
Ingredients
  4 pounds Granny Smith Apples, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  3/4 cup granulated sugar
  1/2 cup butter
  1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  1 (14 oz) package refrigerated pie crusts
  1 egg white
  2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  Caramel sauce
  Ice cream (Chrissy suggests vanilla, butter pecan, or salted caramel)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Peel apples and cut into 1/2 inch thick wedges.  Toss apples with cinnamon and 3/4 cup granulated sugar.
Melt butter in a 10 inch cast ...