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Call Guthrie Group Homes, Real Estate at (925) 628-2436 | DRE #01117537Guthrie Group Homes, Real Estate - Keller Williams East County
Real Estate - Home » Home Buyers

Articles for Home Buyers

Are you thinking about buying a home?

These articles are here to provide essential information to Home Buyers in Northern California.

* Discover if you should Own or Rent.
* 15 Tips for First-Time Home Buyers.
* Home Buyer Myths, and more.

Want to talk to a real person instead? Call Libby at (925) 628-2436

5 Roadblocks to Affordable Homeownership (and Ways to Move Past Them)

April 7, 2025 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

5 Roadblocks to Affordable Homeownership

Dreaming of a new home but feeling priced out? You’re not alone! According to a recent survey by Bankrate, 78% of aspiring homebuyers cite affordability issues as their primary deterrent.1 According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, home prices have risen around 32% since the pandemic, and elevated mortgage rates have caused monthly payments […]

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Filed Under: Home Buyers Tagged With: Credit Score, First-Time Home Buyers, Home Buyer Tips

Multigenerational Home Buying: How to Find a Home That Fits Your Whole Family

November 7, 2024 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

Multigenerational Home Buying Guide

For many homebuyers, multigenerational living used to be considered an option of last resort: it was a route families took only when they needed to ride out a financial storm or care for ailing family members. But that mindset is on the decline: A growing number of families now say that they are embracing multigenerational […]

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Filed Under: Home Buyers Tagged With: Credit, Home Buying Tips

7 Common Homebuyer Regrets (And How To Avoid Them)

August 10, 2023 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

7 Common Homebuyer Regrets (And How To Avoid Them)

To avoid buyer’s remorse, be sure to consider your future self when shopping for a home. Most new homebuyers don’t regret becoming homeowners. In fact, according to a survey by LendingTree, 80% of recent buyers who successfully overcame a challenging housing market say they’re glad they found their current homes.1 But that doesn’t mean newly-minted […]

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Filed Under: Home Buyers Tagged With: Home Buyer Tips, Homeowner Tips

How to Become a Homeowner on a First-Time Buyer’s Budget

May 11, 2023 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

How to Become a Homeowner on a First-Time Buyer’s Budget

It’s not easy being a first-time homebuyer right now. At the end of last year, housing affordability hit an all-time low.1 Additionally, mortgage rates have risen significantly since 2021, while inventory remains tight for many property categories, but especially for starter homes. Even lower-priced condos are harder to snag these days, as investors and downsizers […]

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Filed Under: Home Buyers Tagged With: California Real Estate, First-Time Home Buyers, Home Buyer Tips

5 Questions to Ask Before Purchasing Your First Home

October 17, 2022 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

5 Questions to Answer Before Purchasing Your First Home

Buy Now or Rent Longer? Should you buy a home now, or should you continue to rent an apartment or house? Let’s go over some considerations before you decide. Deciding whether to jump into the housing market or rent instead is rarely an easy decision – especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer. But in today’s […]

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Filed Under: Home Buyers Tagged With: California Real Estate, First-Time Home Buyers, Home Buyer Tips

New Build or Existing Home: Which One Is Right for You?

November 15, 2021 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

New Build or Existing Home - Which One Is Right for You

Thinking about buying a new home? You have a choice between a resale home or a new home from a home builder. Homebuyers today are facing a huge dilemma. There simply aren’t enough resale homes for sale.1 Nationwide, there were 1.27 million active listings in September 2021, down 13% from the previous year. According to […]

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Filed Under: Home Buyers Tagged With: California Real Estate, First-Time Home Buyers, Home Buyer Tips, Home Buying Tips

Finding a New Home for Your Next Stage of Life

May 17, 2021 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

Finding a New Home for Your Next Stage of Life

Imagine the first place you lived as a young adult. Now imagine trying to fit your life today into that space. 🙄 Not pretty, right? For most of us, our housing needs are cyclical.1 A newly independent adult can find freedom and flexibility in even a tiny apartment. That same space, to a growing family, […]

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Filed Under: Home Buyers Tagged With: California Real Estate, Home Buying Tips, Homeowner Tips, Moving Tips, Older Adults

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guthriegrouphomes

Libby Guthrie, Realtor
@ Keller Williams 865-966-5005
🏡 Helping You Make the Move to Knoxville
📱 Cell: 865-364-0200
🏡 Good People, Great Homes!

𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 😱⁣ ⁣ Think yo 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 😱⁣
⁣
Think your mortgage payment is locked in? Think again. 🔒⁣
⁣
While your fixed-rate mortgage provides payment stability, the escrowed components—taxes and insurance—aren't so stable. As of December 2025, the average insurance premium for a new policy rose 8.5% year-over-year. Climate disasters, higher rebuilding costs, and insurer risk recalibration continue driving these increases with no signs of reversing.⁣
⁣
Property taxes aren't truly fixed either. The average reached $4,271 in 2024, with many homeowners seeing increases of 16% or more. Even where tax rates stay flat, rising home values keep actual bills climbing—creating the irony that your home's appreciation increases your annual expenses.⁣
⁣
The reality: A homeowner can receive a letter from their mortgage servicer saying their payment is increasing $200-300 because insurance premiums rose and the property was reassessed—without moving, refinancing, or renovating. No action taken, yet annual housing costs just jumped $2,400+.⁣
⁣
💡 Takeaway: When budgeting for homeownership, expect these "fixed" costs to rise. True stability requires planning for volatility.⁣
⁣
Link in Bio⁣
⁣
Libby Guthrie, REALTOR® 🏡⁣
Cell: 865-364-0200⁣
Keller Williams 865-966-5005⁣
GGHKnoxville.com⁣
Libby@GuthrieGroupHomes.com⁣
⁣
⁣
#RealEstate #Homeownership #PropertyTaxes #HomeInsurance #RealEstateTips #HomeBuying  #HousingCosts #knoxvilletn
Your mortgage payment is only part of the story. 🏡 Your mortgage payment is only part of the story. 🏡⁣
⁣
Most homebuyers focus exclusively on their monthly mortgage payment when calculating affordability. But here's the reality: that payment typically represents only 70-80% of what homeownership actually costs each month.⁣
⁣
The average cost of owning and maintaining a single-family home in the U.S., excluding the mortgage, is estimated at around $21,400 in 2025—roughly $1,800 per month. When you factor in these costs, a $2,500 monthly mortgage can grow to over $4,000 in total housing costs.⁣
⁣
💡 Key takeaways:⁣
⁣
-	Nearly 45% of homeowners report post-purchase regrets, most commonly due to higher-than-expected maintenance and hidden costs⁣
-	Insurance and property taxes continue rising annually—sometimes jumping $200-300/month in a single year⁣
-	Home maintenance now averages around $8,800 annually, with first-year owners often facing higher costs⁣
-	The solution? Budget for mortgage PLUS approximately $1,800 monthly in carrying costs⁣
⁣
True affordability isn't what a lender approves—it's what lets you sleep well at night when the water heater fails or insurance premiums spike.⁣
⁣
Link in bio⁣
⁣
Libby Guthrie, REALTOR® 🏡⁣
Cell: 865-364-0200⁣
Keller Williams 865-966-5005⁣
GGHKnoxville.com⁣
Libby@GuthrieGroupHomes.com⁣
⁣
⁣
#RealEstate #Homeownership #HomeBuying #FirstTimeHomeBuyer #RealEstateTips #HomeownershipCosts #RealEstateAdvice #HousingMarket
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Hours & Info – Guthrie Group Homes, Real Estate

Location
191 Sand Creek Rd #100,
Brentwood, CA 94513

Contact Us
info@guthriegrouphomes.com
Office: (925) 628-2436

Broker:
Keller Williams East County

Real Estate License
Lic #01117537

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Wednesday - 9AM–5PM
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