With mortgage rates at around 7%, anyone who got used to the near 3% home loans of 2020/21 will think they're high.

But a look back in time proves they are actually closer to normal today!

From the mid-1990's through 2000, annual averages ran about 7% to 8%. The long-run average since the 1970's is roughly 7.5–7.8%. Rates then spent most of 2009–2019 in the 3's and 4's, and hit an all-time low near 3% in 2021. The jump since 2022 reversed that unusual stretch.

So 7% is not a new world. It is a very normal one.

Here's the practical difference on a $500,000 conventional 30-year fixed loan, principal and interest only:
At 6.25%: about $3,079 per month
At 7%: about $3,327 per month
Gap: about $248 extra per month

Remember also that most buyers don't keep their original loan for its entire life. Refinancing when it's beneficial to do so may reverse higher monthly payments.

Should you just wait? Home prices, available inventory and your own timeline actually matter as much as the rate, often even more so.

If you can live with the extra monthly payment today, with the option to refinance later, that's frequently a stronger plan than waiting for the perfect number that may, or may never, arrive, and possibly after prices have already moved out of your favor.

Give us a call to informally discuss your best strategy - 435-327-2090.

No-one truly knows what will happen to the economy in the coming months, but what we can say for certain right now is that 10-Year Treasury yields are currently at a multi-year high, around 5%.

This is key for current and prospective home sellers and buyers, as mortgage rates tend to rise and fall in line with yields, and we are already seeing this.

Mortgage rates just surpassed 7% on a 30 year fixed loan. The big unknown is whether 7.5% to 8%+ is coming and it's just been announced that the Federal Reserve is raising general interest rates for the first time since 2023. It's safe to say, it'll get worse, before it gets better. With all the current economic turmoil, there is NO quick fix or solution in sight. 

Now could prove to be a better time to sell than later, not least because significant further mortgage interest rate rises will inevitably see home price erosion, with lower returns for sellers moving forward.

If you're planning to list in the coming months, it is worth considering moving those plans forward. Fall is a great time to sell, with highly motivated buyers and less competition for them.

Feel free to call us for an informal discussion at 435-327-2090.

The latest market data shows that home sales gained momentum through early spring before leveling off in February and softening in recent months.

Interestingly, that slowdown happened around the same time geopolitical uncertainty increased with the conflict involving Iran and mortgage rates moved back above 6.5%. 

While it’s difficult to tie market activity to one single factor, those conditions likely caused some buyers to pause and take a more cautious, wait-and-see approach.

At the same time, inventory remains elevated across many price ranges, giving buyers more options than they’ve had in years. Even though new listings have recently started to decline, the overall number of homes available for sale remains high, keeping us in a buyer’s market throughout much of Iron County. The market is not crashing, but it has slowed, and buyers are being more selective.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the third and fourth quarters of 2026. Hopefully the peace agreement with Iran holds, rates settle back down and we see the overall market and economy rebound quickly. 

For now, homes that are priced competitively, marketed properly and show well are still selling. In today’s market, price and presentation matter more than ever.

Contact us for further advice - 435-327-2090.

We're delighted to have received two significant performance accolades from RE/Max.

We achieved the Highest Average Closed Transactions Per Sales Associate for 2025 in the whole of Utah and also ranked second for Commercial Commissions Paid in the entire state last year.

These awards represent a lot of hard work, drive and motivation put in by our entire team. They also give you an indication of the exceptional support we take great pride in providing to all of our wonderful clients.

While you will receive a lot of promises from agents wishing to represent you, it's also vital to balance those claims against actual performance and track record.

Why not contact us and find out more about why we've received this state-wide recognition - 435-327-2090.

As we approach the middle of February, it's good to be able to report that we've seen a lively start to the year in real estate in the area.

We are seeing the usual pick up following the holiday/winter period and there should progressively be a lot more buyers on the market as we head into spring.

It's also true to say that we can expect more sellers to list as well, so why wait until then?

Listing now offers several advantages! 

As mentioned, we're already seeing healthy buyer activity and if you wait a few more weeks then you can expect more competing homes in every sector of the market. This can affect your potential returns, when buyers have more options, plus you'll be competing for market visibility with more sellers.

It's widely anticipated that we'll continue to see mortgage rates going in the right direction, so it's a great idea to get ahead of the competition and allow buyers to view your home now.

Why not talk with us today about the best forward strategy matched to your own circumstances - 435-327-2090.

First of all a very Happy New Year to you.

We hope you and your family enjoyed the holidays!

And what a start to 2026 it is!

Mortgage rates are currently at a 3-year low, dipping to just below 6%, which is fantastic news for buyers and sellers alike.

This can only stimulate the early year market in Iron County and our strong advice is, if you can buy or sell right now, to do exactly that, because there's no guarantee how long these lower rates might last and, as ever, the only certain market in real estate is the current one!

Yes, they could fall even further, but compared with any time in the recent past, the opportunity to lock in a lower rate than for some time is a huge incentive.

Why not contact us today to discuss your best options in the current very positive market - 435-327-2090.

Fall is little more than a couple of weeks away, with some promising signs for real estate in our area.

The main headline is that mortgage rates recently dropped and are currently at the lowest level they've been in over a year (6.5% for a 30-year home loan). Many experts are predicting that they should hold around this level for the rest of the year.

Inventory of available homes for sale is almost 25% higher than a year ago, which means that buyers have a good deal more choice than for some time.

The combination of these two key factors is very promising for buyer sentiment. While inventory has been rising for some time, there has been a reluctance among many buyers, largely due to mortgage rates. However the news of the lowest rates than at any time in the past year is bound to improve sentiment.

Looking at last month's local market statistics, pending listings were over 31% higher than August 2024, again pointing to more buyer enthusiasm.

It all sets up a potentially exciting period ahead, at a time when we see some of the keenest, most focused buyers in the annual cycle.

Contact us at 435-327-2090 for an informal chat about prospects for the coming weeks, related to your specific needs and situation.

Today's local real estate market has its challenges, but homes are still selling. The problem is that not every agent is performing equally well.

Above you can see just a sample of our recent sales successes.

This is the result of our consistent commitment to excellence and leaving no stone unturned for our clients.

The market has changed from the boom times of a few years ago, so the marketing techniques used to sell your home now have a far greater influence on whether your home sells or not in a very competitive situation.

We have always applied the same techniques and determination in good times as well as more difficult ones, which is why we continue to get great returns for clients.

If your home isn't selling then talk with us about how we're making a difference right now - 435-327-2090.

We're delighted to bring you news of additional help that's available to reduce the initial costs of buying a home.

Utah Housing has a new down payment assistance program available in Utah. They are calling it the Deferred Down Payment Assistance program.

The down payment assistance is a loan available up to 3.5% of your sales price with a maximum loan amount of $27,500. The interest rate on the loan is locked in at 3.5% for the life of the loan. The helpful part of this is there are no payments due or required on this part of the loan until the property is sold, or refinanced.

The biggest advantage between previous Utah Housing down payment assistance and their new Deferred Down Payment Assistance is that since there is no monthly payment due on this loan it will help buyers qualify for more home than they currently could have under the traditional down payment assistance Utah Housing offers.

This information sheet contains more details, including eligibility criteria.

For more specific advice, please contact Dewey Warner of Intercap Lending at 435-586-9740 or dewey@intercaplending.com.

The above latest statistics for the Iron County real estate market demonstrate that key metrics related to listing, sold and pending homes are nicely up on the same time last year.

The numbers clearly show that things are very much moving in the right direction here, which is an exciting prospect, given that we are now heading into the peak summer selling months.

If you've been on the fence as to whether or not to sell right now, this is compelling evidence that this may be a very good time, with buyer sentiment so clearly in a good place.

Why not talk with us about the best forward strategy in your individual situation - 435-327-2090.