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Welcome to Christopher Garguilo’s Blog.

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Welcome to my new blog.  I always wanted to have a professional looking blog, and have given this a lot of thought.  The template is called the “Hemingway Rewritten”, and I figured I always wanted to write and have lots of characteristics of this great American writer like a round belly and white beard.  But seriously, the header photo has a beautiful country image, a site that I enjoy seeing now living in Virginia.  But my roots are from Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in a land of concrete front lawns and the smell of asphalt on a hot summer morning.  And on that hot summer day, you cooled down by not going to a beach a few minutes from your house (I am right by Buckroe Beach), but by opening up a fire hydrant, (aka Johnny pump) and using a seared open tin soda can to jettison the water on your friends and oncoming cars.

I will always love Brooklyn, and do miss it (I spent 49 years there), but Hampton is now my home.  I’ve grown accustomed to say hello to strangers I pass on the street, enjoy having the beach 3 minutes away, enjoy a bit slower pace (but really not that much slower) and love not having to spend 45 minutes looking for a parking space.

After teaching for over 21 years in Brooklyn, my main profession now is Real Estate, (however, I was also a Real Estate Agent there as well) and my blog will be focused mostly on those matters. Sure I will talk about new listings, mortgage rates and new construction. But real estate is much more than that.  It is about what concerts, shows, and exhibits that are happening in the area as well as sporting events.  It is about new stores and restaurants and the local economy.  And that is what I am going to accomplish in my new blog.

But those who know me as friends, clients, students and social media friends, you know that I love comedy as well, so you will see some funny posts as well.

On my sidebar, I have listed centers of music, arts, plays, performers, etc.  The list will increase as I add more to my blog.  For me, the area to which you reside has to be fun, and entertaining.  I hope you agree.

I hope you enjoy, I hope you come back, often!

Foreclosure Numbers Are Nothing Like the 2008 Crash

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If you’ve been keeping up with the news lately, you’ve probably come across some articles saying the number of foreclosures in today’s housing market is going up. And that may leave you feeling a bit worried about what’s ahead, especially if you owned a home during the housing crash in 2008.

The reality is, while increasing, the data shows a foreclosure crisis is not where the market is headed.

Here’s the latest information stacked against the historical data to put your mind at ease.

The Headlines Make the Increase Sound Dramatic – But It’s Not

The increase the media is calling attention to is a little bit misleading. That’s because it’s comparing the most recent numbers to a time when foreclosures were at historic lows. And that lopsided comparison is making it sound like a much bigger deal than it actually is.

Back in 2020 and 2021, there was a moratorium and forbearance program that helped millions of homeowners avoid foreclosure during challenging times. That’s why numbers for just a few years ago were so low.

Now that the moratorium has come to an end, foreclosures are resuming and that means numbers are rising. But it’s an expected increase, not a surprise, and not a cause for alarm. Just because foreclosure filings are up doesn’t mean the housing market is in trouble.

To prove that to you, let’s expand the comparison out a bit more. Specifically, we’ll go all the way back to the housing crash in 2008 – since that’s what people worry may happen again.

The graph below uses research from ATTOM, a property data provider, to show foreclosure activity has been consistently lower since the crash in 2008:

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What the data shows is that things now aren’t anything like they were surrounding the housing crash. The bars in red are when there were over 1 million foreclosure filings a year. In 2023, there were roughly 357,000. That’s a big difference.

A recent article from Bankrate explains one of the reasons things aren’t like they were back then:

“In the years after the housing crash, millions of foreclosures flooded the housing market, depressing prices. That’s not the case now. Most homeowners have a comfortable equity cushion in their homes.”

Basically, foreclosure activity is nothing like it was during the crash. That’s because most homeowners today have enough equity to keep them from going into foreclosure. And that’s a really good thing for homeowners and for the market.

The reality is, the data shows a foreclosure crisis is not where the market is today, or where it’s headed.

Bottom Line

Right now, putting the data into context is more important than ever. While the housing market is experiencing an expected rise in foreclosures, it’s nowhere near the crisis levels seen when the housing bubble burst, and that won’t lead to a crash in home prices.

Shaping Your Space: Crafting the Perfect Yard with Precision Hedge Trimming 

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Article submitted by Sarah Velasquez, website OurPerfectAbode.com

 
Photo by Pexels 

In the world of gardening, the importance of maintaining well-groomed hedges cannot be overstated. Hedges act not only as natural borders within your garden but also enhance the aesthetic and privacy of your space. To achieve and maintain beautiful hedges, precision hedge trimming is essential. In today’s post, courtesy of Christopher Garguilo of Realty Connect, we offer a detailed guide to help you perfect your yard’s look with expert hedge trimming techniques. 

Design Before You Trim 

The first step to successful hedge trimming is planning. Just as architects create blueprints to guide their constructions, gardeners benefit from sketching out their landscaping plans. This initial design phase should consider the hedge’s intended height and shape with the overall layout of your garden and the architectural style of your home. For example, if you’re aiming for a formal look, geometric shapes and straight lines might be your goal. Conversely, for a more natural garden setting, softer, organic shapes could be more appropriate. This planning doesn’t only apply to the visual aspects; it’s also practical. Planning helps in predicting the growth patterns and space requirements of your hedges, preventing future issues with overgrowth that can affect both your plants’ health and your garden’s design. 

Optimize Trimming Schedules 

The best time to trim your hedges greatly influences the health of the plants and the ease of the task. Trimming during the cooler parts of the day — early morning or late afternoon — is ideal. This timing prevents the plants from being exposed to excessive heat, which can cause stress and dehydration post-trim. Additionally, during these times, the sunlight is less intense, which means less risk of burning the freshly cut edges of the plants. Seasonally, the timing of your trimming should align with the growth cycles of your plants. For most hedges, late winter or early spring before the first growth spurt is the perfect time for major trimming. Maintenance trims can follow in summer and early fall to keep the hedges in shape and healthy. 

Select the Appropriate Tools 

Choosing the right tools for hedge trimming impacts the efficiency of the task and the health of your hedge. For large hedges, battery-powered hedge trimmers are advantageous because they combine mobility with power, allowing for swift, clean cuts without the mess of fuel or the restriction of cords. These tools are especially useful for maintaining long stretches of hedge. However, for detail work on smaller or more delicate hedges, manual tools like pruning shears and hedge clippers offer more control. These tools allow for careful shaping and are less likely to damage the plant if used correctly.  

Maintain Tool Sharpness 

The condition of your tools directly affects the health of your hedges. Dull blades crush and bruise stems, leaving them susceptible to disease. Sharp blades make clean cuts that heal quickly and promote healthy growth. Regular maintenance of your tools, including cleaning and sharpening after each use, is crucial. This not only extends the life of your tools but also ensures they are ready for each use. Additionally, well-maintained tools require less effort to use, reducing physical strain during long trimming sessions. 

Techniques for Vigorous Growth 

Effective trimming is as much about promoting health as it is about shaping. Begin each trimming session by removing any dead or diseased branches. This not only cleans up the appearance of the hedge but more importantly, prevents the spread of disease. When trimming, make selective cuts to improve light and air penetration, which is essential for the health of the plants. This approach encourages dense, vigorous growth from the inside out. Additionally, ensuring that the base of the hedge receives as much light as the top prevents the lower parts from thinning out and becoming sparse. Regularly assessing the hedge’s overall health during these sessions can also help you catch any potential issues early, further protecting the plant’s vitality. 

Tailored Trimming Approaches 

Different hedge types require different care. Understanding the particular needs of your hedge species — whether it’s a fast-growing privet or a slow-growing yew — can guide how often and how much you trim. Some hedges may need frequent light trims, while others do better with less frequent but more substantial cuts. Knowing your plants’ needs helps you tailor your approach, ensuring your hedges are not just surviving but thriving. Additionally, the specific growth patterns and foliage density of each type can influence the best techniques for trimming, impacting the overall health and appearance of your garden. 

Precision hedge trimming is an art that balances aesthetics with plant health. By meticulously planning, using the right tools, and understanding the needs of your plants, you can transform your garden into a well-defined, healthy, and attractive space. Each cut shapes not just the physical appearance of your garden but also its overall health and vitality. Through thoughtful and precise hedge trimming, your yard will not just grow 

Ready to elevate your real estate experience? Connect with Christopher Garguilo at Realty Connect for unmatched expertise and a personalized approach to buying or selling your home anywhere in the U.S.  

The Best Way To Keep Track of Mortgage Rate Trends

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If you’re thinking about buying a home, chances are you’ve got mortgage rates on your mind. You’ve heard about how they impact how much you can afford in your monthly mortgage payment, and you want to make sure you’re factoring that in as you plan your move.

The problem is, with all the headlines in the news about rates lately, it can be a bit overwhelming to sort through. Here’s a quick rundown of what you really need to know.

The Latest on Mortgage Rates

Rates have been volatile – that means they’re bouncing around a bit. And, you may be wondering, why? The answer is complicated because rates are affected by so many factors.

Things like what’s happening in the broader economy and the job market, the current inflation rate, decisions made by the Federal Reserve, and a whole lot more have an impact. Lately, all of those factors have come into play, and it’s caused the volatility we’ve seen. As Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at First American, explains:

“Ongoing inflation deceleration, a slowing economy and even geopolitical uncertainty can contribute to lower mortgage rates. On the other hand, data that signals upside risk to inflation may result in higher rates.”

Professionals Can Help Make Sense of it All

While you could drill down into each of those things to really understand how they impact mortgage rates, that would be a lot of work. And when you’re already busy planning a move, taking on that much reading and research may feel a little overwhelming. Instead of spending your time on that, lean on the pros.

They coach people through market conditions all the time. They’ll focus on giving you a quick summary of any broader trends up or down, what experts say lies ahead, and how all of that impacts you.

Take this chart as an example. It gives you an idea of how mortgage rates impact your monthly payment when you buy a home. Imagine being able to make a payment between $2,500 and $2,600 work for your budget (principal and interest only). The green part in the chart shows payments in that range or lower based on varying mortgage rates (see chart below):

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As you can see, even a small shift in rates can impact the loan amount you can afford if you want to stay within that target budget.

It’s tools and visuals like these that take everything that’s happening and show what it actually means for you. And only a pro has the knowledge and expertise needed to guide you through them.

You don’t need to be an expert on real estate or mortgage rates, you just need to have someone who is, by your side.

Bottom Line

Have questions about what’s going on in the housing market? Let’s connect so we can take what’s happening right now and figure out what it really means for you.

What You Really Need To Know About Home Prices

/ Christopher Garguilo / 2 Comments

According to recent data from Fannie Mae, almost 1 in 4 people still think home prices are going to come down. If you’re one of the people worried about that, here’s what you need to know.

A lot of that fear is probably coming from what you’re hearing in the media or reading online. But here’s the thing to remember. Negative news sells. That means, you may not be getting the full picture. You may only be getting the clickbait version. As Jay Thompson, a Real Estate Industry Consultant, explains:

“Housing market headlines are everywhere. Many are quite sensational, ending with exclamation points or predicting impending doom for the industry. Clickbait, the sensationalizing of headlines and content, has been an issue since the dawn of the internet, and housing news is not immune to it.”

Here’s a look at the data to set the record straight.

Home Prices Rose the Majority of the Past Year

Case-Shiller releases a report each month on the percent of monthly home price changes. If you look at their data from January 2023 through the latest numbers available, here’s what you’d see:

a graph of green bars

What do you notice when you look at this graph? It depends on what color you’re more drawn to. If you look at the green, you’ll see home prices rose for the majority of the past year.

But, if you’re drawn to the red, you may only focus on the two slight declines. This is what a lot of media coverage does. Since negative news sells, drawing attention to these slight dips happens often. But that loses sight of the bigger picture. 

Here’s what this data really says. There’s a lot more green in that graph than red. And even for the two red bars, they’re so slight, they’re practically flat. If you look at the year as a whole, home prices still rose overall.

It’s perfectly normal in the housing market for home price growth to slow down in the winter. That’s because fewer people move during the holidays and at the start of the year, so there’s not as much upward pressure on home prices during that time. That’s why, even the green bars toward the end of the year show smaller price gains.

The overarching story is that prices went up last year, not down.

To sum all that up, the source for that data in the graph above, Case Shiller, explains it like this:

“Month-over-month numbers were relatively flat, . . . However, the annual growth was more significant for both indices, rising 7.4 percent and 6.6 percent, respectively.”

If one of the expert organizations tracking home price trends says the very slight dips are nothing to worry about, why be concerned? Even Case-Shiller is drawing your attention to how those were virtually flat and how home prices actually grew over the year.

Bottom Line

The data shows that, as a whole, home prices rose over the past year. If you have questions about what’s happening with home prices in our area, let’s chat.

Myths About the 2024 Housing Market [INFOGRAPHIC]

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No Caption Received

Some Highlights

  • When it comes to the current housing market, there are some myths circling around right now.
  • Some of the more common ones are that it’s better to wait for mortgage rates to fall or prices to crash. But there are others about the supply of homes for sale and down payments. 
  • Let’s connect so you have an expert to help separate fact from fiction in today’s housing market.

Is It Getting More Affordable To Buy a Home?

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Over the past year or so, a lot of people have been talking about how tough it is to buy a home. And while there’s no arguing affordability is still tight, there are signs it’s starting to get a bit better and may improve even more throughout the year. Elijah de la Campa, Senior Economist at Redfin, says:

“We’re slowly climbing our way out of an affordability hole, but we have a long way to go. Rates have come down from their peak and are expected to fall again by the end of the year, which should make homebuying a little more affordable and incentivize buyers to come off the sidelines.”

Here’s a look at the latest data for the three biggest factors that affect home affordability: mortgage rates, home prices, and wages.

1. Mortgage Rates

Mortgage rates have been volatile this year – bouncing around in the upper 6% to low 7% range. That’s still quite a bit higher than where they were a couple of years ago. But there is a sliver of good news.

Despite the recent volatility, rates are still lower than they were last fall when they reached nearly 8%. On top of that, most experts still think they’ll come down some over the course of the year. A recent article from Bright MLS explains:

“Expect rates to come down in the second half of 2024 but remain above 6% this year. Even a modest drop in rates will bring both more buyers and more sellers into the market.”

Any drop in rates can make a difference for you. When rates go down, you can afford the home you really want more easily because your monthly payment would be lower.

2. Home Prices

The second big factor to think about is home prices. Most experts project they’ll keep going up this year, but at a more normal pace. That’s because there are more homes on the market this year, but still not enough for everyone who wants to buy one. The graph below shows the latest 2024 home price forecasts from seven different organizations:

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These forecasts are actually good news for you because it means the prices aren’t likely to shoot up sky high like they did during the pandemic. That doesn’t mean they’re going to fall – they’ll just rise at a slower pace.

3. Wages

One factor helping affordability right now is the fact that wages are rising. The graph below uses data from the Federal Reserve to show how wages have been growing over time:

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Check out the blue dotted line. That shows how wages typically rise. If you look at the right side of the graph, you’ll see wages are climbing even faster than normal right now.

Here’s how this helps you. If your income has increased, it’s easier to afford a home because you don’t have to spend as big of a percentage of your paycheck on your monthly mortgage payment.

Bottom Line

If you stack these factors up, you’ll see mortgage rates are still projected to come down a bit later this year, home prices are going up at a more moderate pace, and wages are growing quicker than normal. Those trends are a good sign for your ability to afford a home.