Real Estate Right Now

Ever notice how a house can feel bigger the day after you clean out a closet? That isn’t your imagination. Clutter doesn’t just take up space in your home; it takes up space in your head. And when it’s time to sell, move, or downsize, all that “stuff” can turn an exciting new chapter into an overwhelming one. In this episode I’m sitting down with Deborah Zechini...

Finding the right property is one of life’s greatest milestones—a vibrant chapter filled with dreams, anticipation, and the thrill of building a future. True pride of ownership goes beyond falling in love with an open kitchen or a sunlit backyard; it comes from knowing, with absolute certainty, that your sanctuary rests on a solid foundation. Real confidence transforms the buying experience from a...

Today on Real Estate Right Now , we’re tackling the number everyone’s talking about — and nobody’s happy to see. Mortgage rates just crossed 7% for the first time in over a year, capping four straight weeks of increases. My guest is Paul Fitts, senior lending officer at Advantage Lending , and he’s here because he’s been in this business long enough to know that headl...

Everyone’s got an opinion on the Triangle real estate market right now. Tony Fink doesn’t do opinions — he does data. In this episode of Real Estate Right Now, I’m sitting down with Tony Fink , Listing & Buyers Expert with the Linda Craft Team, REALTORS®, to break down his August “Fink’s Facts” — and the numbers tell a story you need to hear before you make...

Everyone keeps saying “the market has changed.” Fine — but changed for whom? Because “the market” isn’t one thing. It’s a negotiation happening in real time between buyers who suddenly have leverage and sellers who aren’t used to sharing it. Today on Real Estate Right Now, we’re putting that question on the table: Real Estate Has Changed — Who Has the Advantage Now? And we’re not guessing at the a...

What if the difference between listing your house as-is and walking away with real money came down to knowing exactly where to put $10,000 — and exactly where not to? That’s the question I dug into on this episode of Real Estate Right Now with Steve Kruger, Senior Listing and Sales Expert with Linda Craft Team, REALTORS. Steve’s team built a Fix & Flip program that lets sellers ren...

What if the biggest risk to your next closing isn’t a low appraisal, a shaky buyer, or rising rates — but the laptop sitting open on your desk right now? Wire fraud, phishing emails disguised as title company updates, and data breaches are quietly costing real estate professionals and their clients real money, and most of us have no idea how exposed we actually are. That’s exactly why...

Are you holding off on buying a home because you think you need 20% down, or that interest rates have priced you out of the market entirely? You might be leaving real money on the table. On this episode of Real Estate Right Now , Jay sits down with Dwayne Reece , Listing Expert with Linda Craft Team Realtors, to reveal a major resource for North Carolina renters: the NC 1st Home Advantage Down Pay...

The housing market just pulled off something it hasn’t done in decades — and if you’re a buyer, renter, or anyone thinking about making a move in 2026, you need to hear this before the weekend. Mortgage rates jumped back to 6.22% this week after teasing a dip, new home sales dropped sharply, and yet somehow the data is quietly stacking up in the consumer’s favor. How is that poss...

The Architect of the Market: How Jim Allen Builds the Future… Most people see a “For Sale” sign and think the story starts there. The truth? The real money and the biggest moves happen years before a foundation is even poured. Today on Real Estate Right Now, we are sitting down with the man who sees the finish line before the race even begins. Jim Allen isn’t just a top-tier name...

Stop doom-scrolling through Zillow and assuming you’re priced out of the Triangle real estate market. The headlines want you to believe that without a 20% down payment and an 800 credit score, you’re stuck renting forever—but the actual math tells a different story. In our next episode, we are cracking the door open on the specific, often-overlooked programs that are helping normal people buy home...

Luxury and Ultra-Luxury A Different Way of Thinking About Real Estate When does a home shift from “luxury” to “ultra-luxury,” and why does that distinction matter significantly to your bottom line? The high-end real estate market is often viewed as a monolith, but the strategies required to navigate the stratosphere of ultra-luxury properties are vastly different from stand...

Declutter and Increase Your Home Selling Value Is your home working for you, or are you working for your home? Whether you are preparing to put your house on the market, in the middle of a chaotic move, or simply drowning in “stuff,” the state of your environment directly impacts your peace of mind and your property value. In this episode of Real Estate Right Now , we are tackling the...

This week on Real Estate Right Now we’re going to talk about something every homeowner eventually faces but almost nobody plans for: what do you do with a lifetime of “stuff” when it’s time to move on? My guest is Gavin Martin, Owner and CEO of Grandma’s Basement Estate Sales & Services , a veteran-owned company right here in North Carolina that specializes in estate sales, cleanouts, antiques...

  What’s Going On with Mortgages? Paul Fitts of Advantage Lending joining us to break down what’s really going on in mortgages right now. First off: rate talk. The 30-year fixed is hovering near the low-to-mid 6% range—down from the peaks, yet still above what many buyers hope for. That means timing and strategy matter. We’ll dive into smart lock-windows, what “good enough and done” means in...

Get ready for a really powerful episode of Real Estate Right Now dropping tomorrow, November 6, 2025 at 9 a.m. Eastern! I’m pumped to welcome the incredible Cara Gibbons, Closing Attorney and Branch Manager at Sterling Law in Apex, NC . Whether you’re buying, selling, or simply keeping your finger on the pulse of the market, this is not one you’ll want to miss. Cara brings the sharp, boots-o...

The real estate market has changed—and if you’re a home seller, you’ve probably felt it. This week on Real Estate Right Now , I’m joined by Home Selling Expert Steve Kruger of Linda Craft Team, Realtors , who will help us make sense of what’s really happening. We’re diving into the truth behind today’s inventory increase, why homes are sitting a little longer, and how pricing strategies need to ev...

When you’re buying or selling a home, one number can make or break the deal — the appraisal . On this week’s Real Estate Right Now , I’m joined by Everett “Vic” Knight , one of North Carolina’s most respected appraisers and former Chair of the NC Real Estate Commission. With decades of experience in real estate and property valuation, Vic brings the inside scoop on how appraisals really work and w...