Blog - Lori Blank & Associates

30

Sep

Real Estate Tips

Why You Should Check How Far the Water Heater Is From the Rooms That Use Hot Water

When touring a home, buyers may notice the water heater long enough to check its age or condition. What they may not consider is where it is located compared with the faucets, showers, and appliances that depend on it. That distance can become surprisingly noticeable once you actually live in the home.Follow the Hot WaterStart by locating the water heater, then think about the home's layout.Is it in the garage beside the kitchen? Is it tucked into a utility room at one end of a long house? Where are the primary bathroom, secondary bathrooms, laundry room, and kitchen in relation…

29

Sep

By Lori Blank

Home Buying Tips

Why Vacant Homes Can Be Harder to Judge Than Furnished Ones

An empty home might seem easier to evaluate because there is nothing distracting you from the property itself. Surprisingly, vacant rooms can sometimes make a home more difficult to judge. Without furniture providing scale and context, buyers may misinterpret everything from room size to how comfortably their belongings will fit. Empty Rooms Can Play Tricks on Your EyesWithout a bed, sofa, dining table, or other familiar object for comparison, estimating dimensions becomes harder.A bedroom may appear surprisingly small when empty but comfortably accommodate a bed and nightstands. In another home, a large-looking vacant living room may become much tighter once…

28

Sep

By Lori Blank

Financial Reports

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – September 28th, 2026

With a light week the previous week, only a few data reports will have any far reaching impact, with the M2 money supply and the Federal Reserve Balance sheet giving the most insight. The M2 Money supply has really only increased ever since the COVID pandemic, and has more or less kept in line with the rate inflation has been impacting the costs of many sectors. While the Federal Reserve balance sheets show a trend of increasing lately, it has shown there is still restraint by the Federal Reserve which is evidenced by the recent increase in interest rates. They…

25

Sep

By Lori Blank

Real Estate Tips

The Grocery Test: How Far Is the Trip From Your Car to Your Kitchen?

When touring a home, buyers naturally pay attention to the kitchen, garage, and overall layout. But there is a simple way to evaluate how those spaces work together that rarely makes the home-shopping checklist. Imagine arriving home with a trunk full of groceries. How many doors, stairs, hallways, and rooms stand between your car and the kitchen? It may seem like a tiny detail during a showing. Once you live there, you could make that trip several times every week. Start Where You Would Actually ParkDo not automatically begin the test at the front door. If the home has a…

24

Sep

By Lori Blank

Real Estate Tips

What Your Delivery Driver Might Know About a House That You Do Not

Homebuyers usually evaluate a property from their own perspective. They consider the commute, parking, layout, yard, and nearby amenities. But there is another perspective worth considering: the person trying to find and access your house for the first time. Thinking like a delivery driver can uncover practical issues that may otherwise go unnoticed during a showing. Is the House Easy to Find?Some addresses are surprisingly difficult to locate. House numbers may be small, poorly illuminated, hidden behind landscaping, or positioned where they cannot easily be seen from the street. Homes located down shared drives, private roads, or unusually configured developments…

23

Sep

By Lori Blank

Real Estate Tips

Why Two Identical Floor Plans Can Feel Like Completely Different Homes

Two homes can have the same square footage, the same number of bedrooms, and even the exact same floor plan, yet walking through them can feel completely different. Buyers sometimes assume that once they have seen one version of a particular layout, they know what another will be like. In reality, the blueprint is only part of what determines how a home feels. Window Placement Changes the ExperienceNatural light can dramatically influence how large and inviting a room feels.The same floor plan positioned differently on a lot may receive sunlight from completely different directions. One living room might feel bright…

22

Sep

By Lori Blank

Home Buyer Tips

What Happens to Your Street After Everyone Gets Home From Work?

A quiet residential street at 11 a.m. can be very appealing. Driveways are open, curbside parking is plentiful, and getting in and out of the neighborhood seems effortless. But that may not be the street you actually experience after moving in. Before buying a home, consider returning after the workday ends and seeing what happens when everyone comes home. Watch the Parking ChangeOne of the biggest differences may be street parking. During the day, many residents take their vehicles to work. By early evening, those cars are back. Households with several vehicles may fill their driveways and use curbside spaces…

21

Sep

By Lori Blank

Financial Reports

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – September 21st, 2026

Expectations that the Federal Reserve would raise rates to combat significant inflation have come to pass, with a modest 0.25% increase in the rate. The Federal Reserve has stated that it remains committed to restoring inflation to its 2.0% target, which will likely include further rate increases in the future. The rest of the week featured a light economic calendar with very few impactful releases, leaving the Federal Reserve’s rate decision as the primary driver of market activity.FOMC Rate DecisionAt its September 15–16, 2026 FOMC meeting, the Federal Reserve raised the federal funds target range by 25 basis points, from…

17

Sep

By Lori Blank

Home Buyer Tips

The Five-Minute Test: What Happens When You Sit Quietly Inside a Home?

Most home showings involve constant movement. Buyers walk from room to room, open closets, discuss features, ask questions, and imagine where their furniture might go. With all that activity, it is easy to miss something surprisingly important: what the home sounds like. Before leaving a serious contender, try spending five minutes doing absolutely nothing. Stop Talking and Start ListeningChoose a room where you expect to spend significant time, such as the living room or primary bedroom. Put away the phone, stop discussing the house, and simply listen. You may suddenly notice road noise that disappeared beneath the conversation. Perhaps you can…

16

Sep

By Lori Blank

Home Buyer Tips

Why You Should Visit a Home When the Neighbors Are Home

A home showing at 11 a.m. on a Wednesday can give you an excellent look at the property. It may not give you an accurate picture of the neighborhood. Many residents are at work, children are at school, vehicles are gone, and the street may be unusually quiet. Before buying, consider visiting again when the neighbors are actually home. Come Back After WorkA neighborhood can change considerably between afternoon and evening. When residents return from work, you may discover that street parking fills quickly or that several neighboring households have multiple vehicles. A street that seemed wide and open during…