If there's one word that's probably the most used to describe the current crisis in today's housing market, it would be "affordability", hands down. Zillow is among those making claims about the cause of this persistent problem. In the article linked below, they hit on the usual culprits with a shortage of homes among them, citing an estimated shortfall of about 4.7 million homes being needed to keep pace with demand and offset affordability. We agree with the notion that more inventory is needed, but suggesting Builders should "build us out of this crisis" is unrealistic. New home construction has slowed, but that's only part of this equation. Later in the article they further state that building more homes could be the "bigger solution" and that lower rates alone will not make housing more affordable. This is a short-sighted view because how can they expect more construction while rates and prices remain high? The affordability crisis began to take shape in 2021, when app'x 54% of homes listed for sale were considered affordable to the median household income Buyer. Fast forward to 2023, and in only 2 short years that number reduced to 33%! Here at PropertyBuyersConnect.com we know that finding a home to fit your budget is becoming more challenging by the day. We also know that offering solutions without considering all factors that contributed to the affordability crisis does no good either. Clearly, waiting for new construction to bridge the gap will help, but is not the long-term solution so many are convinced that it is. Ask yourselves what Zillow, or anyone else for that matter, won't tell you. How many homes are on the sidelines and not listed for sale now? And for what reasons? Consider these numbers: In the US there are approximately 149 million total housing units. Single-family homes make up between 82-86 million of them. As of September 2026 there were approximately 1,140,035 Active listings in the US according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis (FRED). Sometimes a solution can be found by doing something different, which is what we're trying to provide. With less than 1% of housing units in America listed for sale, does it make more sense to wait for new listings or new construction? We want to give you the tools to reach Owners and potential Sellers instead of relying on the hope that a listing will arrive to fit your needs, and more importantly, your budget. Visit out site to learn more. Yeah, we're different. #realestate #housing #property #realtor #broker #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate #realestateinreverse #property #propertysearch #FRED #interestrates #mortgageinterest msn.com/en-us/money/real-est…

Friday Thoughts. The adage that "Chance favors the prepared" is true in most every aspect of life, and it couldn't be more true than it is right now in this market. Whether you're trying to buy a home, or even rent one, the old traditional methods are still in play, but now more than ever you need to be doing everything you can to get a leg up in this marketplace. Is the only thing you're doing just waiting for that "right Listing to appear? Are you engaging Owners and potential sellers or Landlords? Are you posting your real estate need to buy or rent to a wide audience who can reply directly and confidentially to create a potential opportunity that may not be available for all to see? Are you posting that real estate need so that Realtors® and Agents can reach out to you in a direct and confidential reply with information about Private Listings, Office Exclusives, or opportunities they have in the works but have not made public yet? Are you using your power as a consumer to potentially create an opportunity just for you? Waiting for listings is something that will always be done, but remember that the same listing you're waiting for has countless others doing the same. One of the best ways to beat the competition is to not allow them to become competition. Chance favors the prepared, so make sure you're doing everything you can to increases your chances for success. Check us out to learn more about creating real estate opportunities and reduce competition. Yeah, we're different. PropertyBuyersConnect.com #realestate #housing #property #realtor #broker #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate #househunting #realestateinreverse

Even though our service was created for Buyers and Renters to create a post highlighting their real estate needs, every so often there are Users who use the platform to give a shout out for properties they wish to sell or rent. It’s a good bet that if they post the details of a property here that it’s likely a private person or entity trying to get some attention! Here at PropertyBuyersConnect.com we still think it’s important to share posts like these because it still puts our primary goal front and center; to create an opportunity for people to communicate about real estate. All correspondence between Individual Users is direct and confidential, so if you’re in the St Pete area, take a look at this opportunity or share it with someone you know! Use the link in this Want to Buy post to contact the author directly! Yeah, we’re different. #realestate #stpete #stpetehouse #stpeterealestate #stpeterealtor #realtor #stpetehousing #housing #property #propertysearch propertybuyersconnect.com/po…

Buying real estate is enough of a challenge, especially in a market like this one. In August of 2024 the National Association of Realtors (NAR) settled a class-action lawsuit that, among the allegations, claimed "that hundreds of thousands of sellers were forced into paying their real estate agents untenable commission fees." Part of the settlement requirements was the mandated use of Buyer-Broker Representation Agreements between Buyers and Realtors®. This was intended to have several goals upon when unveiled, but even the best laid plans often go awry. The existence and use of the agreements was already in place in numerous states, and even where it wasn't mandated, some Realtors® and Brokerages already used them. For many others, their implementation was not seamless and, despite one of the goals suggesting this new practice would eventually lower commissions, but that didn't happen either. Part of the new mandate requires that Realtors® secure these agreements prior to bringing prospective Buyers to a property. That led to the practice of potential Buyers signing these agreements literally on-site and at the threshold of previewing the property. On its face that seems rather innocuous, until you consider the potential ramifications of signing without the benefit of being able to review the document prior to the showing. The author of the linked article below cites many examples of "red flags" in the agreements, and further uses the California Association of Realtors Buyer Representation Agreement as an example. Quoting from a report by Tanya Monestier, a professor at the University at Buffalo Faculty of Law, who stated “The Agreement is far too disorganized and complex for the average homebuyer to understand. No layperson will be able to understand and appreciate the terms they are agreeing to.” Here at PropertyBuyersConnect.com we love our Realtor® community and we understand how difficult their jobs are. We also understand that these agreements can create confusion and skepticism if not handled correctly. Because our platform is designed with our Individual Users privacy at top of mind, if you create a "Want to Buy" post and a Realtor® responds, you have the ability to ask this, and any other question that you may have prior to moving forward with that person. In short, we think if a Realtor® is hesitant about answering questions that are important to you before you decide to give them the opportunity of representation, then perhaps that's not the candidate for you. We think there's nothing wrong with giving the consumer some control in the Buying process too. Yeah, we're different. #realestate #housing #buyerbrokerrepresentation #realtor #broker #nar #property msn.com/en-us/money/real-est…

There's an old comedy routine that goes something like this: Guy goes into his Doctor's office and says "Doc, it hurts when I do this." The Doctor says "Then don't do that." Should finding your next home be entirely different? The article linked below from CBS News shares a feeling from a New Jersey couple that far too many have felt over these past years. The story in the article highlight familiar issues that many have shared. While searching for their next home, only to have suffered one disappointment after another, Thomas Louis and his wife are now even considering leaving the state! He stated that "It's actually almost getting worse because more people with more money are buying the houses cheaper because they're not worried about the rates." He further stated; "But it's just becoming almost untenable to stay here." How does this relate to an old comedy line? Easy. They're losing bids in multi-offer scenarios, which is the "Doc, it hurts when I do this" part. We think finding houses before they reach this point could be the same as the "Then don't do that" part. At PropertyBuyersConnect.com we want to try and provide the tools to find the Owners first, then use direct and confidential communication so that Owners can become Sellers or Landlords. There's always more Owners and Sellers than there are listings, the trick is finding them, because not every one of them wants the spectacle, pageantry, and headache of a public listing. Realtors® know this as well as anybody, especially if they represent Buyers or Tenants who've suffered the same fate as that described above. Finding and creating opportunities before others do is not a guarantee of success, but it sure does increase the chances. Yeah, we're different. #realestate #housing #property #propertsearch #realtor broker buyingrealestate realestaterental sellingrealestate msn.com/en-us/money/loan/mor…

Friday Thoughts. Life isn't easy, and because of this universal truth, failure will appear sooner or later. The same is true in real estate. Finding a home to own or rent is as challenging today as it's ever been, and like the description of life above, failure will find you sooner or later. But, it's how you react that will set you apart! We want to give you the tools to help you on your journey. Check us out to learn more! PropertyBuyersConnect.com #realestate #housing #fridaythoughts #property #propertysearch #realtor #broker #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate #realestaterental

This is how a lot of people are looking at real estate right now. They’re wondering what’s coming next. Doesn't matter if your an Owner, Seller, Realtor®, Agent, or a Buyer...when markets do things they haven't done in a while, everyone has this look at some point. Could there be a better time to create a post that says that you "Want to Buy (or Rent)" than times like now? We've said it before and we'll say it again, there are more Owners and Sellers than there are listings, so why not invite them to join you in a confidential conversation? There are also "quiet" listings, sometimes called "pocket" or "private placement" listings that Realtors® would love to share, but MLS and NAR rules limit how they can engage with the public about them. But, they can respond directly to your post about them! PropertyBuyersConnect.com tries to provide the tools and the forum to be proactive about your real estate needs to "create" conversations and opportunities rather than waiting and hoping the right one comes along. Control the part of the conversation that brings opportunity to you, let the others sit back and watch. #realestate #housing #property #realtor #broker #nar #mls #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate #propertysearch #househunting

The article below asks a simple question: Why are millions of empty homes not helping to solve the current housing crisis. The author then goes on to give several valid reasons for this phenomenon, citing things that include how the US Census Bureau defines a "vacant" home, the number that are seasonal and vacation homes, rental property vacancy rates, and of course where they may be located. The one thing that's been overlooked is a simple truth; just because so many homes are vacant, for whatever the reason, this does NOT mean the Owners are not interested in selling them. Here at PropertyBuyersConnect.com we understand a simple progression; that homes don't become Listings until the Owner decides to also become a Seller. How this Owner decides to transform into a Seller is where the "rubber hits the road", so to speak. Our platform was designed to provide a different path to Owners, a path based on published Buyer (or Renter) needs that results in a direct and confidential correspondence. These "Want to Buy/Want to Rent" needs can be created by private individuals, by Realtors® and Agents on behalf of clients, by Brokers, literally anyone can share a real estate need. With millions of homes sitting vacant, and likely millions more homes just sitting on the fence about whether and how to sell or not, it's not wise to assume that they simply don't want to sell. We think that maybe, just maybe, they haven't heard the right approach yet. Ask yourself this question as a Realtor® or Broker; Which of the following do you think would be more prone to a response from a homeowner? A) "I'd like to help you sell your home." B) "I represent a Buyer who would be interested in buying (renting) your home." Option A represents something owners probably hear with regularity, especially if the home is in a desirable area. Now Option B, on the other hand, is one that may raise an eyebrow because it's not the usual "go to" talking point for Realtors® and Agents may employ to transform Owners into sellers. So, who's to say that an Individual can't post a Buying or Rental need and use this same strategy? Houses sitting vacant or houses not listed are not going to "list themselves", so we try to give you the tools to find the next best thing...the owners. There's an old saying that Realtors® have used for decades that says "If you want the listing, you have to ask for it." Well, we here at PropertyBuyersConnect.com think that if you want to buy or rent that home, you need to ask for that too. yeah, we're different. #realestate #property #vacanthomes #realtor #broker #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate #wanttobuy #wanttorent #propertysearch msn.com/en-us/money/general/…

Attention Landlords, Property Owners, Property Managers, Realtors, and Agents: Prospective Tenant Seeks Rental in the Orlando, FL Area including zip code 32839. View the listing on our website by using the link below to respond directly and confidentially and connect with this potential tenant for more details. propertybuyersconnect.com/po… #realestate #property #house #realtor #realestateagent #househunting #broker #housing #realestate #wanttorent #wanttobuy #32839realestate #32839realtor #32839rental #32839landlord #32839homesforrent #32839propertymanager #32839housing

Friday Thoughts. Housing has never been easy. Lately, it’s been impossible for many. That’s wrong. We want to give you new tools to fix an old problem. Check us out. PropertyBuyersConnect.com #realestate #housing #property #realtor #broker #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate #propertysearch

Here at PropertyBuyersConnect.com we see lots of good articles about "home buying hacks", "money saving hacks for homeowners", or "things to watch out for..." addressed to both current owners as well as would-be homebuyers. Many times, they're full of good information and useful tips that can easily get overlooked. The article linked below is a great example of both useful tips, but also missing some information that could be helpful to current and potential homeowners as well. Yes, hot water heaters can be an unexpected expense, so any of the tips listed in this article aimed at prolonging the life span of the appliance are worth reading. What they don't discuss is the way in which insurance companies now consider water heaters in many states, both in terms of both age and location. In addition to considering these life extending tips and expenses, make sure that you have an insurance company that will insure the heater based on its "current" age, which varies based on locale and by carrier. Also, make sure that you also discuss the location of the water heater as part of this equation as well. Insurance companies may offer coverage longer for a tank that's in a basement or garage than they might for one located inside in a laundry room or utility closet. The more you know... hashtag#realestate hashtag#hotwaterheaters hashtag#insurancecoverage hashtag#homeinspection hashtag#buyingrealestate msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/othe…

Nothing is safe from "shrinkflation", not even housing. In the last decade the average size of a single-family home sold in America went down 11.6% from 2,724 in 2015 down to 2,409 in 2025. During that same time though, the average price per square foot increased from $100.02 up to $171.95, for an increase of 71.9%. The article below cites many reasons why this occurred, but that doesn't make it any easier to digest. It's a similar story with new construction as in the resale market. Builders face increased costs of land, labor, materials, and interest rates as well. There is also the issue of demand for smaller homes, which seems to be becoming much more prevalent. Housing sizes in the South, West, and the Mid-West all showed considerable reductions in average sizes of homes sold, with only the Northeast showing a modest increase of about 1.1% in the average size home sold over the decade from 2015-2025. Affordability still remains one of, if not the largest concern facing would-be home buyers, so adding new and unique search methods to find potential owners and sellers can turn out to be a productive habit. Here at PropertyBuyersConnect.com we try to give you the tools to help do just that. Sometimes creating your own opportunity can lead to many advantages, potential savings being one of them. Yeah, we're different. #realestate #housing #housingaffordability #realtor #broker #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate #pricepersquarefoot msn.com/en-us/money/personal…

If anyone ever tells you that being a Realtor® is an easy job, it's pretty clear that person has never been one. It becomes even harder when an article like the one below is published with a misleading headline about the practices of Realtors®. The truth of the matter is this headline SHOULD read; "6 Things Real Estate Agents Wish They Could Tell You (But Usually Can't)". Having their hands often tied over things they can or can't say is just another challenge of being a Realtor® or Agent. Here at PropertyBuyersConnect.com we know that the housing market relies heavily on Realtors® and Agents. We also know that much of what you want them to share with you they can't, not because they don't want to, but because they can't for fear of potential ethics and licensure violations imposed by The National Association of Realtors (NAR) and/or their MLS Board. We built our platform so that everyone from Realtors® to potential Buyers, Renters, Owners, and Sellers could communicate directly and confidentially. Just remember that some questions you ask, no matter how private, are just off-limits for a licensed real estate professional. Some of these restrictions are common-sense, some don't make a lot of sense, but these are the rules they're by which they're required to play. For a Realtor®, knowing what to say is incredibly important, and also knowing what NOT to say can be as well. They need your understanding as much as you need theirs. Yeah, we're different. #realestate #housing #nar #fairhousing #realtor #broker #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate #property #propertysearch msn.com/en-us/money/real-est…

Happy Labor Day. It honors the social and economic contributions of American workers and unofficially marks the end of summer. The long weekend runs Saturday, September 5 through Monday, September 7. The first Labor Day celebration was a parade of about 10,000 workers in New York City on September 5, 1882. Oregon was the first state to make it a legal holiday (1887). President Grover Cleveland signed it into federal law on June 28, 1894, after many states had already adopted it. Credit for proposing the holiday is often shared between Peter J. McGuire and Matthew Maguire. The September date was chosen in part to sit between Independence Day and Thanksgiving and to distance the U.S. observance from May Day / International Workers’ Day.

Friday Thoughts. Information and wisdom are not the same. Knowing the difference will help you with everything. Real estate is no different. In the ecosystem we want to help foster, “information” is a lot of AI generated blather about listings that all sound the same after a while. “Wisdom” is the art of finding the opportunities before everyone else. Check out our site to learn more. PropertyBuyersConnect.com #realestate #housing #property #realtor #broker #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate

Attention Landlords, Property Owners, Property Managers, Realtors, and Agents: Prospective Tenant Seeks Rental in the Orlando, FL Area. View the listing on our website by using the link below to respond directly and confidentially and connect with this potential tenant for more details. propertybuyersconnect.com/po… #realestate #property #house #realtor #realestateagent #househunting #broker #housing #realestate #wanttorent #wanttobuy #orlandorealestate #orlandorealtor

We have many goals at PropertyBuyersConnect.com, one of the most important among them is to try and provide additional resources to potential Buyers to help locate homes in a challenging market. At the same time, this creates an opportunity for Owners and would-be Sellers the chance to find Buyers on their own terms as well. We also like to share information relevant to the overall market and share ideas based on that information. It's especially important for Buyers, especially young and first-time Buyers, to connect with a Mortgage professional to obtain a pre-approval so you know the price range in which you can pursue homes. This is important for many other reasons, but one that's not talked about enough is about the potential for a rate buy-down. As mortgage rates continue to remain stubbornly closer to 7% than 6%, this concept could be helpful to everyone involved in your transaction. For purposes of this illustration, we're just going to use round numbers to show the concept of the effectiveness of a rate buy-down versus seeking just a price reduction. Again, round numbers using an "average" credit score (740-750 for purposes of this example) and a round number for the interest rate at 7% for a typical conventional mortgage: Loan Amount: $500,000 Rate: 7% Monthly P&I Payment: $3,326 As is a common practice in a challenging market, folks may first seek a price reduction to reduce their loan amount, down payment, etc. before discussing a buy-down with their Lender and/or Realtor®. Here's an example of why to spend a little more time talking this through: Loan Amount: $485,000 Rate: 7% Monthly P&I Payment: $3,226 *OR, try using that $15,000 price reduction toward a Buy-Down instead Loan Amount: $500,000 Rate: *6.25% (Using that $15,000 as a Seller Credit to Buy-Down Rate) Monthly P&I Payment: $3,078 The monthly payment for the original loan amount is actually lower than the payment for the reduced price at the higher rate. Again, these are round numbers for illustrative purposes, but math never lies. This approach can be an effective savings vehicle if used correctly. Make sure to discuss this thoroughly with your Mortgage Lender and Realtor®. The more you know! #realestate #housing #mortgageratebuydown #interestrates #realtor #mlo #mortgagelender #broker #property #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate msn.com/en-us/money/general/…

It doesn’t take calculations like this to tell you that there are more homes out there than there are Listings. We give you the tools to help find Owners, from there you’ll find the Sellers. Once you’ve done that, the homes will follow. PropertyBuyersConnect.com #realestate #housing #property #realtor #broker #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate #realestaterental

Potential Buyer Alert: At PropertyuBuyersConnect.com we do things a little differently. Our platform was designed so that you could confidentially disclose your real estate buying or renting needs to a public audience. Our choice to protect your privacy allows you to communicate with would-be Owners and Sellers in a direct and confidential setting. The article below speaks about some of the reasons that Buyers may have for submitting low-ball offers, and some of the ways in which sellers and Owners may choose to deal with them. How does this apply when using our site? Great question, keep reading. When you create a "Want to Buy/Want to Rent" you are prompted to include a price range to narrow the field. It's not required, but it is recommended because without it, potential Sellers or Owners may be less inclined to follow up. In essence, if you put in a price range well below market, especially for the type and location of the home you're looking for, you've essentially made a low-ball offer before actually making an offer. Huh? Think about it, let's say you post a Want to Buy that says you want a 4 BR, 4 BA, 3 Car Garage Pool Home in Malibu, CA overlooking the Ocean...that's an INCREDIBLE Want to Buy post to which anyone can respond! But will they if your price is ridiculously low? Not likely. Whether you're using a price range to solicit a response from Owners of Off-Market properties, Realtors® who may have a "Private or Coming Soon" Listing, or just about anyone who's considered Listing but hasn't, if you're desired Price Range doesn't remotely match the criteria, you've essentially done the same thing. Whatever the reason you decide to ever place a low-ball offer, consider all of the ramifications before-hand. If you're working with a Realtor® make sure to have a discussion as to why and make sure you discuss all of the possible outcomes you can imagine. By including a fair market price range for the home you want, you'll stand out over those who don't. Everybody likes to feel as if they've got the upper hand at some point, but here at PropertyBuyersConnect.com, we think the "upper hand" belongs to the person who walks away with the property they want and not just the property that's left. Adding a new method to your search just means you can reduce the chances that you'll have to "settle" for what's left. This is especially true in a market where inventory remains challenging and you manage to find a home that no one else has. How's that for an "upper hand"? Yeah we're different. Check out or site to learn more, and Follow us for more insight. #realestate #housing #property #realtor #broker #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate #realestaterental msn.com/en-us/money/real-est…

Friday Thoughts. Finding a house is hard. The market is challenging and feels out of reach for lots of folks. If there’s something telling you that you can’t do this…don’t listen. We want to help. PropertyBuyersConnect.com #realestate #housing #property #propertysearch #realtor #broker #buyingrealestate #sellingrealestate #realestaterental