At the Shane T. White Team, we’ve seen firsthand how smart real estate investments can transform financial futures. If you’ve been dreaming about stepping into the world of real estate investing, your first and most powerful tool might be closer than you think—your home equity.

Equity is the difference between your home’s current market value and what you owe on your mortgage. As property values in Liberty Hill and Central Texas continue to remain steady, homeowners in our area are uniquely positioned to tap into this growing equity to fund real estate investments. Here’s how you can use your home equity to get started and build wealth over time.

1. Understand Your Equity Position

Start by determining how much equity you have in your home.…

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While spring is often considered the prime season for buying and selling homes, winter is the perfect time to lay the groundwork for a successful move. Whether you're planning to upgrade, downsize, or relocate, taking advantage of the quieter winter months can make your spring transition smoother and more rewarding.

Let’s dive into a few reasons why getting a head start now is a smart move!

You Have Time to Prep Your Home

If you're selling, winter gives you plenty of time to get your property ready for the competitive spring market. Use the slower pace of the season to declutter and organize your home, as well as tackle small repairs and maintenance tasks. It’s also a good idea to take a look around your home and consider some larger home…

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The holiday season is the perfect time to escape, spend time with loved ones, or simply take a much-needed break. However, leaving your home unattended during this busy time of year requires a little extra attention to ensure your property remains safe and secure. Let’s dive into some helpful precautions to take when you're planning to be away from home for the holidays.

1. Lock Up and Secure Entry Points

It may seem like an obvious step, but double-checking your home's locks is essential before leaving for an extended period. This includes all doors and windows, including those that are rarely used. Don’t forget to secure sliding glass doors with a locking bar or rod to prevent them from being forced open.

2. Set Up Timed Lights

A…

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Purchasing your first home is a huge milestone, and 2024 offers a unique landscape for first-time buyers. With fluctuating interest rates and constantly changing market trends, navigating the current real estate market can feel overwhelming. But with the right preparation and the right people in your corner (hint, hint), it’s possible to turn your dream of homeownership into reality.

 

How To Succeed As A First Time Homebuyer In 2024

Here are four tips to succeed as a first-time homebuyer in 2024.

Get Pre-Approved and Set A Budget

One of the best ways to show sellers that you’re serious about buying is to get pre-approved for a mortgage. Your pre-approval not only sets your budget but also gives you an advantage in a competitive market, letting sellers know that you’re financially…

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Selling a home can be stressful in any real estate market, but with the right strategies, you can attract buyers and secure a sale faster than you might think. Whether your home is already on the market or you’re getting ready to list it, here are some proven secrets to help you sell your Central Texas property quickly (and hopefully for top dollar!)

Professional Photography

Professional photography is crucial in today’s digital age because high-quality images create a strong first impression and draw more buyers to your property. Most buyers start their search online, and stunning images can make your home stand out from the competition, driving more clicks and showings on the property. The more engagement you can get from your property online,…

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As you’ve probably heard, interest rates are the lowest they’ve been in over a year and a half. This means more buyers are coming off the sidelines and starting their homebuying search. More buyers mean more homebuyer demand, bringing more sellers into the market looking to sell their homes for top dollar.

How Low Interest Rates Can Affect Your Purchasing Power - Shane T White - Shane T White Team - Texas Real Estate


Interest rates are a huge economic factor that affects the market's direction and where it’s going. Low interest rates can help increase your purchasing power and ability to navigate the market. Let’s dive into the importance of low interest rates below! 


Increased Borrowing

When interest rates decrease, the cost of borrowing money decreases, directly affecting how much buyers can afford. Even the slightest decrease in interest rates…

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Regardless of whether the real estate market favors sellers or buyers, sellers are always looking for an upper hand, leading many to list their homes for a higher price. While higher list prices potentially mean more money at closing, it can lead to many downfalls if the home doesn’t sell.

Let’s dive into 4 disastrous downfalls if you overprice your home.


Price Reductions

Due to low inventory and buyer demand, when a new listing hits the market, showings roll in immediately, as long as it's priced right. So, if you’re not getting a lot of showings, you can assume your home is overpriced, meaning you’ll want to reduce the list price. Price reductions leave buyers wondering what is wrong with the home that the price dropped, and if you keep…

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Over the past few months, we have been in a strong seller’s market with many buyers waiting for the perfect home with the most perfect terms. The truth is, there might not ever be a perfect time to buy a home, but with affordability improving nationwide, now seems to be a prime opportunity to get off the sidelines!


If you’ve been waiting to buy, here are 3 reasons why now is the best time to purchase a home! Let’s dive in!


Mortgage Rates Are Decreasing

Mortgage rates have always been a huge factor when it comes to buying a home, and it's been an extremely popular topic over the past few years. During the pandemic, we saw record-low rates that many homebuyers were hoping to see again, which is why many were holding off on buying. However,…

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As we prepare to return to school, the end of summer is near, and fall is right around the corner. While the warmer temperatures might stick around for a while, it’s time to start preparing your home for the fall season.

Here are 5 home maintenance tips to prepare your home for fall!


Clean Your Fireplace & Chimney

With cooler weather coming, you’ll want to start using your fireplace soon, making now the perfect time to clean it. Most chimney sweeps recommend cleaning your chimney once a year, but depending on how often you use it, you might not have to do a full sweep. This is also an excellent time to make sure you have firewood available for the chimney if it’s wood-burning.


Maintain Heating System

A properly working HVAC system…

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At the height of COVID, remote work became more popular among employers, and many employees still work from home. While working from home means you don’t need to be near your workplace or worry about your commute, it leads people to wonder if the location of a home is still as important as it once was to homebuyers. 


Let’s dive into the importance of location and why it’s still a top priority in today’s market.

Why Location Is Still Important In Today’s Real Estate Market


Amenities

Even if you work from home and don’t need to worry about proximity to your workplace or a commute, other amenities might be important for you to live by. If you have children, you probably want to be near their daycare so you can get them to and from daycare as quickly as possible. In addition, it might be important to…

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