Chuck Barberini Real Estate

  "Just Thinking" We made it through another Christmas, I had a thought that Christmas Day reminds me a lot of Thanksgiving dinner. There are lots of preparations that take forever to complete, then it is over in a flash. Christmas this year was quite different for us, Chris worked both Christmas eve and Christmas day, Charlie was out of town celebrating with his fiancé’s family, Mom is with siter Carolyn’s family in Nevada and Dad has been gone 5 years now. We were all able to get together and celebrate our Christmas last night and had a great time. During this quiet Christmas, I couldn’t help but reflect on the chaotic Christmases of years gone by. Some timeless memories of when the kids were young, staying too long celebrating with friends on Christmas Eve, getting home late, putting exhausted kids to bed, with thoughts of sugar plumbs dancing in their head, Next was operation Santa, assembling toys, wrapping presents and transforming the front room into a magical wonderla...

  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter As the real estate market continues to evolve, experts are predicting key trends that will shape the home-buying landscape in 2025. It's no secret that the housing market has experienced unprecedented highs and lows since the pandemic. To prepare for these constant changes, real estate experts monitor the industry to predict the next big trends for homebuyers. “Given the anticipated economic trends—high interest rates, slower market activity, and price stabilization—buyers can take advantage of opportunities with a well-considered approach,” says Jon Howard, mortgage loan originator at Lucid Lending. “With a patient approach, buyers can leverage the slower pace and increased inventory to find properties that align with their budgets and priorities."    In this article, we’ll examine the emerging trends experts anticipate will affect homebuyers in 2025. 1. Longer Time on the Market One of the biggest concerns for many buyers in recent year...

  "Just Thinking" I was searching for a movie on the TV the other night while sitting in my chair, in my sweats with a fire going in the fireplace. There were plenty of new titles to choose from, many of which were in the theaters a month or so ago.  Netflix, Amazon, HBO plus others now have their own studios and are releasing movies directly to television. This trend of front-line movies being released directly to streaming services started a while ago, but escalated during the pandemic and does not seem to be returning to pre-pandemic trends in the future. This started me thinking if movie theaters would be following video store and drive-ins on the road to obsolescence. Going to the movie theater has been more then just seeing a movie, it has been a destination, a place to go on a date or a social event with friends. From the time when we were young, going to the movies was a treat, an adventure, an excuse to check out from the normal day to day. Going to the movies has go...

  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter If you ask buyers, sellers, and agents what 2025 holds for the housing market, you’ll get one clear answer:  It’s complicated.  We have a pretty good sense by now of what experts are predicting about 2025. Now, let’s get into what consumers think. With home prices expected to rise, mortgage rates still in flux, and buyers and sellers split on key market dynamics, next year is shaping up to be anything but predictable.  A new report from Clever Real Estate reveals insights into buyer and seller expectations, challenges, and the ongoing role of real estate agents in navigating the market.  Having already reviewed expert predictions on the 2025 housing market, this article will focus more on consumer perspectives. While optimism remains high, a clear gap exists between what buyers can afford, what sellers expect, and how long each group thinks the process will take.  Here’s what the report reveals about the trends shaping the ...

  "Just Thinking" He is no John Wayne, but he is a pretty darn good cowboy. With the final episode of Yellowstone airing on Sunday, it seems like a good time to talk about the series, its spinoffs and some of Kevin Costner’s roles that have cemented him as a cornerstone of the modern Western genre. Yellowstone and its off-shoots, 1883 and 1923 really brought westerns back to the forefront of our public consciousness. Set in Montana,  the series  centers around the Dutton family and its patriarch John Dutton - Kevin Costner, who owns the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, which is the largest contiguous ranch in the US. The story is a high-stakes blend of family drama, political intrigue, and violent power struggles. It explores themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the enduring conflict between tradition and progress. 1883  is  a prequel to  Yellowstone  and is a story of the Dutton family as they journey westward in search of a new life. Led by James Dutton - Tim ...

  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter ​ Americans are moving, but not in the ways you’d expect.  While fewer people relocate today compared to decades past, more than 24 million movers in 2023 made strategic choices to improve their housing, careers, or overall lifestyles. New research from Rent Cafe highlights the top reasons Americans changed addresses last year. The 24,239,188 Americans who relocated in 2023 make up the lowest number of movers in the last five years.  Using IPUMS data for 107 U.S. metro areas, Rent Cafe grouped these Americans into three categories:  Housing (better or more affordable homes) Jobs (new job opportunities or back-to-office policies) Lifestyle (warmer weather, lower climate risk, health reasons, retirement) Over half of those who moved in 2023 (13 million) did so in pursuit of better housing, while another five million were chasing job opportunities.  More than 7% of all the movers surveyed packed up and moved to achieve homeownershi...

  “Just Thinking” Life imitates art – Martin Scorsese’s 1990 movie Goodfellas creeps into my psyche several times a year. This is a crime movie based on the true story about a mob associate named Henry Hill played by Ray Liotta and offers an insider’s view of organized crime. The film begins with the classic line, "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster." This sets the tone for the story of Liotta’s role as Henry Hill along with his 2 buddies Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) and Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro). There are some really wonderful scenes in this flick that have lasted the test of time. When Pesci confronted Liotta with the "Funny How" line, omg, everyone felt the tension. The Lufthansa Heist showcases the mob's planning and greed, leading to paranoia and betrayal. The part during the card game when Pesci shoots and kills Spider. When Billy Batts tells Pesci to grab his shoe box to shine his shoes. De Niro and Pesci viciously beat Batts...

  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter It’s no secret the cost of living in America has been climbing, with daycare and preschool prices up 21% and home maintenance expenses rising nearly 26% in just four years. While inflation has started to cool as of mid-2024, many Americans are still grappling with high prices for basics like groceries and utilities. Curious if your state is among the priciest? Using data from the Council for Community & Economic Research, Stacker has broken down the 10 states with the highest cost of living based on the 2024 Q2 Cost of Living Index. This index considers the price of over 60 goods and services, with 100 as the national average. States scoring below 100 are more affordable, while those above 100 are pricier. Unsurprisingly, coastal states dominate the list, with high housing costs, taxes, and utility prices driving up expenses. Here’s a quick look at the states with the highest cost of living: Hawaii California Washington, D.C. Massachusetts New ...