Home Matters! The Cobb Group Blog - Market Trends & Insider Insights

Why It’s Still a Sellers’ Market

From The Cobb Group: As a seller are you worried that you “missed” the market? We are pretty sure you did not. There are still plenty of buyers. Price your house correctly, and it will sell. Call us to discuss comparable and top notch strategies to sell strong and quick.

As there’s more and more talk about the real estate market cooling off from the peak frenzy it saw during the pandemic, you may be questioning what that means for your plans to sell your house. If you’re thinking of making a move, you should know the market is still anything but normal.

Even though the supply of homes for sale has been growing this year, there’s still a shortage of homes on the market. And that means conditions continue to favor sellers today. That’s because the…

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Perks of Selling Your Home Could Outweigh Challenges of Buying

While it’s a notoriously tough time to buy a home, the incentives to sell the one you’re in could be too good to pass up.

Most (89%) of current homeowners who want to list their homes right now say something is preventing them from doing so, according to NerdWallet’s recently released 2022 Home Buyer Report. The most commonly cited roadblocks: concerns about finding a new house and paying too much for a new house.

It’s true that finding a home and especially finding one that fits all of your needs is a challenge right now. Competition over the few homes on the market is driving prices up. It’s taking multiple offers and sometimes a hot tip on a house not yet listed to close a deal. However, current owners have an edge. By making the most of the…

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Snapshot of the Market Today

Warm & Wet! Do we have your attention? Warm weather and beach...that is! This is our real estate insurance in the Lowcountry. People always have and always will want warm & wet, and Bluffton and Hilton Head Island have plenty of that to offer. The doom and gloom that some folks are seeing in the news fortunately does not apply here the same way as it does in other places. We are a destination location, and we have what people want. Purchasers are always going to be coming down this way from up north to retire and live out their dream of living by the beach. Those people that can be creative or have figured out how to work from home can make our “slice of heaven” their full time home too. The secret is out that our quality of life is better than…

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8 Popular Bedroom Paint Colors

Here's what designers say are their favorite color palettes for the owner's retreat.

Bedrooms are meant to be a calm, relaxing spot. A coat of paint can help achieve that in the design. But what color should you choose? Fixr, a home improvement website, recently surveyed interior designers to find out their favorite paint colors for the bedroom. Some of the colors are traditional favorites—but check out number six on the list for a more unexpected choice. Color pops are entering more spaces within the home—bedrooms included. What do you think?

article from NAR, thumbnail picture from Spacejoy on Unsplash

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The Life-Changing Magic of Using a Bidet

When you mention using a bidet to someone, you’ll likely hear one of two wildly divergent responses. The first might be “Eww, that’s so weird!” The second might be akin to someone squealing with pleasure and exclaiming, “It’s the best home improvement I’ve ever done.”

Those in the pro-bidet camp need no convincing. But if you’ve never tried a bidet, how can you tell whether it’s right for you or not?

Bidet interest in this country is on the rise, thanks partly to the toilet paper shortage we experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Bidets clean you with a spray of water; therefore you don’t require much, if any, toilet paper.) So bidets are considered very green because of the trees saved.

Americans are late to the trend, but if you travel…

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More Americans Choose Real Estate as the Best Investment Than Ever Before

Americans’ opinion on the value of real estate as an investment is climbing. That’s according to an annual survey from Gallup. Not only is real estate viewed as the best investment for the ninth year in a row, but more Americans selected it than ever before.

The graph below shows the results of the survey since Gallup began asking the question in 2011. As the trend lines indicate, real estate has been gaining ground as the clear favorite for almost a decade now:

If you’re thinking about purchasing a home, let this poll reassure you. Even when inflation is high like today, Americans recognize owning a home is a powerful financial decision.

How an Investment in Real Estate Can Benefit You During High Inflation 

Because inflation reached…

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7 Ways to Make Your Yard & Home a Bug-Free Zone

Be the home on the block that bugs run from.

A lush spot for outdoor entertaining? Great. Perfect. A constant swarm of insects that invade your patio and home? No, thank you. Here's how to keep bugs away from your patio and yard, and from getting inside your house.

#1 Install Patio Fans

Mosquitos may have a tough sting, but they're wimps when it comes to standing up to a breeze. Patio fans can keep your outdoor entertaining space free from mosquitoes (and other little flyers) with the flip of a switch.

And you'll get the benefit of a cool breeze. 

#2 Don't Mulch Too Much (or Too Little)

While mulching is generally a good thing for curb appeal, overdoing it can cause problems.

It could give cockroaches and ants the ideal…

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What Does the Rest of the Year Hold for the Housing Market?

The Hilton Head Island & Bluffton real estate market has been on fire the last two years but nothing lasts for ever. The big questions remains how will the market evolve? If you’re thinking of buying or selling a house, you’re at an exciting decision point. And anytime you make a big decision like that, one thing you should always consider is timing. So, what does the rest of the year hold for the housing market? Here’s what experts have to say.

The Number of Homes Available for Sale Is Likely To Grow

There are early signs housing inventory is starting to grow and experts say that should continue in the months ahead. According to Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com:

“The gap between this year’s homes for sale and last year’s is…

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What You Need to Know About Quartz Countertops

Your kitchen needs countertops with looks and durability. See if quartz is right for you.

The kitchen tends to be the home’s gathering place, so it's only natural you want it to look and feel welcoming. But as the hub of your home, your kitchen needs durable countertops, especially if you have little ones helping with the cooking. Quartz countertops are a trendy choice for kitchens, but before you get in touch with your contractor, it's important to assess the pros and cons and review some alternatives. 

What Are the Pros and Cons of Quartz Countertops?

Pros of Quartz Kitchen Countertops

• Durable: Quartz countertops are highly durable, made from a mix of stones and stone-like materials bound together with resins. Makers of quartz…

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The Million Dollar Question

Everywhere I go people keep asking about my thoughts on the local real estate market. Is it going to flatten? Will home prices go down if we wait to buy? How is rising inflation, and how are the interest rates affecting the local real estate market? Should I buy now? I don’t want to miss the market, should I sell now? First of all, we don’t have a crystal ball. There are so many factors involved in this equation that we can’t predict but we can look towards the past. History is the greatest predictor of the future. That being said, we are in unique times, and we would never have been able to predict that a worldwide pandemic would spur the wild west type real estate market of the last two years! As the world settles down, history is still the greatest…

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