Chuck Barberini Real Estate

  “Just Thinking” There are so many old sayings that we use, or at least we used to use, that we say out of habit and know what we intend them to mean but have no idea of the origin. Here are a few that I came up with and how they came to be, let me know if you have any that I missed. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater - Used as a caution against rejecting all parts of a plan because there are problems with parts of it. This came from the household before there was running water, a large tub was filled and the family would take turns bathing, starting with the father and descending by seniority. By the time the baby had its bath, the water was so dirty that it was difficult to see through it. Bite the bullet - To endure something painful or difficult with courage. This comes from times when soldiers would bite on a bullet during surgery to cope with the pain before painkillers. Going Cold Turkey – To quit something abruptly without gradual steps. One theory on this that when a

The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) report for September 2024 is in, and by the looks of it, consumer optimism has significantly improved.  The overall index went up 1.8 points from August to 73.9—its highest level in over two years.  The most likely reason for that is the general expectation among consumers that mortgage rates will continue on a downward trend over the next 12 months.  According to Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey for September, a record 42% of consumers expect rates to decline—up from 39% the previous month and 24% in June. This also compares to 31% who expect rates to remain the same and 27% who expect them to rise.  Source: Fannie Mae Also, nearly four in ten (39%) survey respondents expect home prices to increase in the next 12 months—up from 37% in August—shedding some light on why the improvement in overall consumer sentiment hasn’t yet translated into a boost in home sales.  Overall perception of homebuying conditions went up a tick this mon

  Check Out This Weeks Newsletter Zillow’s latest seller report includes recent data on seller motivation—specifically major life events and specific changes sellers are looking for in their next home. It also highlights the decision-making process for buyers across  generations , including the time spent considering their decision (before listing) and the share of sellers who consider renting out their property rather than selling it. Read on for the highlights. Life Events Drive Homeowners to Sell Nearly eight in ten sellers (78%) cited at least one major life event as a factor behind their decision to sell. The most common was a change in household or family size, with more than half of all sellers (51%) citing it as a strong motivator. In second place, more than two-thirds (37%) cited a job change or transfer (37%). Life events most likely to motivate homeowners to sell/move:  Change in household or family size (51% of total sellers) New job or job transfer (37%) Working remotely m

  “Just Thinking” Its fall kids are back in school, football is in full swing and its playoff time for major league Baseball. After 162 games the top 6 teams from each league fight it out for the chance to compete in the fall classic. The World Series, the best of seven game series to determine baseball’s champion for this year. It’s historic, it has happened every fall since 1903, the tradition, the pageantry, the history.  The brightest stars shine in the World Series, so many epic events are forged in our memories forever. Rudy Giuliani throwing out the 1 st  pitch after 9/11, Bill Mazeroski’s Walk-Off Home Run in 1960, Kirk Gibson’s Limping Home Run in 1988, The Shot Heard 'Round the World, Bobby Thomson's walk-off home run to put New York Giants into the 1951 World Series, the Boston Red Sox breaking the "Curse of the Bambino" and winning in 2004 after an 86 year drought, Joe Carter’s Walk-Off Home Run for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993, David Freese’s Heroics for