Bob Henderson's Blog Posts

Quick gut reaction. Which investment do Americans trust more than stocks, gold, savings accounts, and bonds? The answer hasn't changed in 14 years. It's real estate. And this year, that answer

Saving for a down payment can feel like the hardest part of buying a home. And with affordability as tight as it’s been lately, it’s fair to wonder how anyone manages it right now. Here

A few years ago, sellers could get away with saying "no" to just about everything.No repairs.No concessions.No negotiation.If buyers wanted the house, they pretty much had to take it on the seller's

If affordability has been the biggest thing standing between you and a home, there's a little good news. Asking prices have started to come down.The typical seller listed their house for a

Let's be real with each other for a second about affordability. Because you deserve someone who will be honest and transparent about what’s going on, especially if you’ve got a move on

You may be telling yourself you’re going to wait to move – maybe you’re hoping mortgage rates will come down, prices will fall, or the market will feel a little easier.And?

You may have seen the headlines lately about mortgage debt in America hitting a record high. And maybe your brother-in-law brought it up at the dinner table like he’s been waiting all week to

Selling your house this season? You’ve probably heard you should stage it before it hits the market. But what does that really mean – and is it worth the effort?The short answer is ;

When you put your house on the market, you don’t just want it to sell. You want it to sell fast. But the thing is, nationally, it’s taking a little longer to sell lately. And that

According to Google Trends, online searches for down payment information recently hit an all-time high. And that’s a clear sign more buyers are trying to figure out what they really need to

For a lot of people, the math on buying a home just doesn’t really work right now. Maybe that’s how it feels for you too. You look at the cost of buying. Then you look at the cost of

If you’ve been looking for a home lately, you’ve probably felt how tough affordability still is. And that's exactly why more buyers are opting for adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs.Here

Be honest. Have you started looking at homes online yet? If you have, it’s already time to get pre-approved. Because here’s what not enough people know.If buying a home is on your radar

Buying your first home is exciting, but it can also be a little nerve-wrecking because it’s something you’ve never done before. And trying to think of everything you need to do can feel

You’ve probably seen posts on social media talking about how “home prices are falling.” And when you see something like that, it’s normal to wonder:Is this the start of a

Brand-new homes are offering buyers something that’s been hard to find lately: choice and leverage.Across the Kansas City metro, more new construction homes are available right now, and

If it feels like you’re seeing new construction signs pop up everywhere, you’re not wrong. Builders have been busy. And it’s left some people wondering: Are we overbuilding like we

If you follow national real estate headlines, you’ve probably seen plenty of stories painting the housing market as uncertain. But here in Kansas City, the story is a little different.When I

When I meet with new buyers across the Kansas City metro, the first question I usually hear is, “How much home can I actually afford?”It’s a great question — and the truth,

If you’ve been following real estate news lately, you’ve probably seen headlines saying home prices are flat. And at first glance, that sounds simple enough. But here’s the thing.

You want mortgage rates to fall – and they've started to. But is it going to last? And how low will they go?Experts say there’s room for rates to come down even more over the next year.

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, there’s one expense you can’t afford to overlook: closing costs.Almost every buyer knows they exist, but not that many know exactly what

For the past couple of years, it’s been tough for a lot of homebuyers to make the numbers work. Home prices shot up. Mortgage rates too. And a number of people hit pause because it just didn

The Federal Reserve (the Fed) meets this week, and expectations are high that they’ll cut the Federal Funds Rate. But does that mean mortgage rates will drop? Let’s clear up the.

If your selling strategy still assumes you’ll get multiple offers over asking, it’s officially time for a reset. That frenzied seller’s market is behind us. And here are the

If your house is on the market but you haven’t gotten any offers you’re comfortable with, you may be wondering: what do I do if it doesn’t sell? And for a growing number of

If you tried to buy a home a few years ago, you probably still remember the frenzy. Homes were listed one day and gone the next. Sometimes it only took hours. You had to drop everything to go and

When you sell a house, the last thing you want is for the deal to fall apart right before closing. But according to the latest data from Redfin, that’s happening a bit more often lately. The

Believe it or not, there are clear signs buyer interest is heating up again.Let’s talk about what’s really going on behind the scenes, and why the housing market might not be as quiet

Buying a home is exciting… until you start thinking about the down payment. That’s when the worry can set in.“I’ll never save enough.”“I need a small fortune

Depending on where you live, the housing market could feel red-hot or strangely quiet right now. The truth is, local markets are starting to move in different directions. In some places, buyers are

Are you thinking about selling your house in the Kansas City area? Some common mistakes today can make the process more stressful or even cost you money.Fortunately, they’re easy to avoid, as

Buying your first home is a big milestone – and the right support is going to make it a whole lot easier.Because while this process might be brand new to you, it’s not new to your agent.

If you’ve been putting off buying a home because you thought getting approved would be too hard, know this: qualifying for a mortgage is starting to get a bit more achievable, but lending

Here’s something you need to know. The housing market is getting back to a healthier, more normal place. And even though it may not sound like it, this shift is actually a good thing.It&rsquo

After years of it feeling almost impossible to find a home you want to buy, things are changing for the better. Nationally, inventory is growing, and that gives you more options for your move.

When your house doesn’t sell, it doesn’t just feel frustrating – it feels personal. You put time, money, and emotional energy into this move. You told your friends and family it

Headlines are saying home prices are starting to dip in some markets. And if you’re beginning to second guess your plans based on what you’re hearing in the media, here’s what you

A lot of buyers are pressing pause on their plans these days, holding out hope that mortgage rates will come down – maybe even back to the historic-low 3% from a few years ago. But here&rsquo

Do you think a brand-new home means a bigger price tag? Think again.Right now, something unique is happening in the housing market. According to the Census and the National Association of Realtors

If you're a first-time homebuyer, chances are you'll come across some terms you’re not familiar with. And that can be overwhelming, especially while going through one of the biggest purchases

If you have a 3% mortgage rate, you’re probably pretty hesitant to let that go. And even if you’ve toyed with the idea of moving, this nagging thought may be holding you back: “why

Whether you’re planning to move soon or not, it’s smart to be strategic about which home projects you take on. Your time, energy, and money matter – and not all upgrades offer the

With all the uncertainty in the economy, the stock market has been bouncing around more than usual. And if you’ve been watching your 401(k) or investments lately, chances are you’ve felt

It’s not really a surprise that 70% of buyers paused their home search last year. Maybe you were one of them. And if so, no judgment. Conditions just weren’t great.Inventory was too low,

As we head into spring and summer, many homeowners start thinking about projects around the house. Whether you're planning to sell in the next year or simply want to make smarter improvements, it's

If buying a home is on your radar – even if it’s more of a someday plan than a right now plan – getting pre-approved early is still one of the smartest moves you can make. Why?

When you finally find the home you want to buy, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement. You’ve toured the place, imagined your furniture in it, maybe even pictured your morning

If you’ve been frustrated by the lack of homes for sale over the past few years, here’s some good news. You have more options, so it may finally be time to kick off your home search.

Recession talk is all over the news, and the odds of a recession are rising this year. And that leaves people wondering what would happen to the housing market if we do go into a recession.Let&rsquo

If selling your house is on your to-do list this year, the time to start prepping is now. That’s because experts say the best week to list your house is coming up fast.A recent Realtor.com

Want to know two reasons this spring might finally be your time to buy? Inventory has grown and sellers may be more willing to negotiate as a result. That means you’ve got more options and

If you’ve been holding off on buying a home because of high mortgage rates, you might want to take another look at the market. That’s because mortgage rates have been trending down

More people are taking steps to buy a home. And, if you’ve been  waiting for the right time to move, this may be the sign you’ve been looking for.For the past few years, a lot of

Many people are hoping mortgage rates will come down before they buy a home. But will that actually happen? According to the latest forecasts, experts say rates will decline, but not by as much as a

Missouri’s Property Tax Freeze initiative provides financial relief to senior homeowners by stabilizing property taxes on their primary residences. This program ensures that eligible seniors'

One of the most rewarding parts of my job isn’t just helping families find the perfect home—it’s knowing that, through the Gold Key Project, every family I help buy or sell a home

The Secret To Selling This Spring: Start the Prep Work NowSpring is the busiest season in the housing market. It’s the time of year when buyers are most active – that means it’s

This could be the year to sell your house – and here’s why. According to a recent NerdWallet survey, 15% of people are planning to buy a home this year. That

The past few years have been challenging for homebuyers, especially with higher home prices and mortgage rates. And if you’re trying to buy a home, it’s easy to worry you won&rsquo

If retirement is on the horizon, now’s the time to start thinking about your next chapter. And you probably want to make sure you’re set up to feel comfortable financially to live the

There’s one essential step in the homebuying process you may not know a whole lot about and that’s pre-approval. Here’s a rundown of what it is and why it’s so

Your credit score plays a big role in the homebuying process. It’s one of the key factors lenders look at to determine which loan options you qualify for and what your terms might.

You may have heard that staging your home properly can make a big difference when you sell your house, but what exactly is home staging, and is it really worth your time and effort?Here are a few

Turning a dream into reality starts with one thing: a plan. And if buying your first home is on your list of goals, now’s the perfect time to put a plan in motion to help you save.And the best

Have you ever thought about packing up and moving to be closer to the people who mean the most to you? Maybe you’re tired of long drives to see your family or wish your kids could spend more

Only an Expert Agent Can Give You an Accurate Value of Your HomeIn today’s digital age, it’s tempting to rely on automated tools for everything — including figuring out how much

You may be wondering if home prices are going to crash. And believe it or not, some people might even be hoping this happens so they can finally purchase a more affordable home. But