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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 » California Real Estate

Real Estate Articles about California

Articles and information about real estate in California.

The real estate market is constantly changing, stay on top of the latest news and trends in the housing market at Guthrie Group Homes, Real Estate.

What Actually Makes a Listing Stand Out in 2026

March 9, 2026 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

What Actually Makes a Listing Stand Out in 2026

The playbook for selling a home has changed fast. Buyers have more options, more leverage, and they are using it. Active housing inventory rose more than 16% year-over-year in 2025 — one of the largest annual increases since the pandemic-era crunch.¹ At the same time, 62% of homebuyers in 2025 paid below the original list […]

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Filed Under: Home Sellers Tagged With: California Real Estate, Home Seller Tips, Real Estate Market

2026 US Housing Market Forecast

January 12, 2026 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

2026 US Housing Market Forecast

Will the Market Find Its Footing? Will 2026 be the year buyers stop waiting? Forecasters are split, predicting anywhere from 1.7%1 to 14%2 growth in home sales. That 12-point gap reveals the central question facing the housing market: how much will slightly lower mortgage rates and slowly eroding lock-in effects actually unlock pent-up demand? Nearly […]

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Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: California Real Estate, Market Update, Real Estate Market

Can You Really Trust Online Home Estimates?

November 10, 2025 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

Can You Really Trust Online Home Estimates

For millions of homeowners, checking their Zillow Zestimate has become as routine as checking a stock portfolio, a quick hit of seeing your home’s estimated value, right at your fingertips. With 178 million monthly users and over 100 million homes covered, the platform’s instant, free, and convenient appeal is undeniable. But here’s a famous cautionary […]

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Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: California Real Estate, Home Seller Tips, Homeowner Tips

What Makes a Great Long-Term Rental Property? A Checklist for Smart Investors

September 8, 2025 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

What Makes a Great Long-Term Rental Property

If you’re wondering what a great rental property looks like for investment purposes, this blog post will guide you through the process. Real estate continues to dominate as America’s favorite long-term investment strategy. For the 12th consecutive year, 37% of Americans consider real estate the top investment choice, nearly doubling stocks at just 16%.1 This […]

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Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: California Real Estate, Real Estate Investing

Comparative Market Analysis vs. Zestimate

April 14, 2025 By Ken Guthrie Leave a Comment

Listimate™ vs. Zestimate – What’s Your True Home Value? Updated April 14, 2025 Today, we’re going to be clarifying the difference between a Comparative Market Analysis and a Zestimate. It’s well known among real estate agents, real estate appraisers, mortgage lenders, and other professionals in the business that good old Zillow’s “Zestimates” of home values are […]

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Filed Under: Homeowners Tagged With: California Real Estate, Comparative Market Analysis, Home Value

Mid-Year Real Estate Market Update for 2024: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know

June 11, 2024 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

Mid-Year Real Estate Market Update for 2024

Last December, when the Federal Reserve projected a series of benchmark rate cuts in the coming year, some analysts speculated that mortgage rates—which had recently peaked near 8%—would fall closer to 6% by mid-2024.1,2,3 Unfortunately, persistent inflation has delayed the central bank’s timeline and kept the average 30-year mortgage rate hovering around 7% so far […]

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Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: California Real Estate, Home Buyer Tips, Home Seller Tips, Homeowner Tips

6 Strategies to Save on Home Insurance Premiums

April 8, 2024 By Libby Guthrie Leave a Comment

From wildfires to floods, the past few years have brought a historic number of devastating climate and weather events to the United States. In 2023 alone, there were 28 individual weather-related disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damages each.1 These events triggered a huge influx of home insurance claims, and analysts expect the […]

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Filed Under: Homeowners Tagged With: California Real Estate, Insurance, Real Estate Market

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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!

Loving Your Home vs. Outgrowing It: 5 Questions to Loving Your Home vs. Outgrowing It: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself
Sometimes the hardest part about homeownership isn't the mortgage—it's knowing when to stay and when to move on.
You might love your home, but that doesn't mean it still fits your life. Here are 5 honest questions to help you decide if it's time for a change:
1.  Do you have enough space for your current lifestyle? Whether it's a growing family, a home office, or just needing room to breathe—space matters.
2.  Are you staying for the right reasons or just avoiding change? Sometimes we hold on out of comfort, not because it's the best choice.
3.  Does your home support your 5-year goals? Think about where you want to be. Does this home help you get there?
4.  Are you compromising daily comfort? If you're constantly working around your home's limitations, that adds up over time.
5.  Would a move improve your quality of life? Be honest—what would change if you found a home that truly fits?
There's no wrong answer here. Some homes are worth staying in forever. Others are meant to be stepping stones.
Let us know in the comments—are you team 'love it' or 'list it'?
Libby Guthrie, REALTOR® 🏡
Cell: 865-364-0200
Keller Williams 865-966-5005
GGHKnoxville.com
Libby@GuthrieGroupHomes.com
#RealEstateAdvice #HomeownerTips #LoveItOrListIt #RealEstateTips #HomeBuying #HomeSelling #RealEstateAgent #Realtor #RealEstateLife #HomeownershipJourney #MovingTips #RealEstateEducation
Maintenance Cost Reality Check Here's a question Maintenance Cost Reality Check
Here's a question most buyers don't ask until it's too late: What happens when the HVAC fails during a heat wave or the roof needs replacing? 🔥
Home maintenance now averages around $8,800 annually, with first-year homeowners often facing even higher costs. But here's where buyers get caught off guard—major repairs aren't possibilities, they're certainties with varying timelines:
-  HVAC replacement: $5,000-$10,000
-  Roof replacement: $8,000-$15,000
-  Water heater: $1,200-$2,500
-  Foundation repairs: $4,000-$12,000
The traditional 1% rule is outdated. On a $350,000 home, that's only $3,500 annually—barely enough to cover one major system failure. Experts now recommend planning for 2-3% of your home's value annually.
Without liquid reserves, a single emergency can derail your finances entirely. That 15-year-old water heater or aging roof isn't a deal-breaker—it's a budget roadmap. Buyers who understand these timelines plan strategically instead of scrambling when systems fail.
💡 Create a dedicated House Repair Fund separate from emergency savings. Treat it like a non-negotiable monthly bill so your wealth-building asset doesn't become a source of financial strain.
Read the full article: https://gghknoxville.com/the-true-cost-of-homeownership-what-you-pay-beyond-the-mortgage/Libby Guthrie, REALTOR® 🏡
Cell: 865-364-0200
Keller Williams 865-966-5005
GGHKnoxville.com
Libby@GuthrieGroupHomes.com#RealEstate #HomeMaintenance #HomeRepairs #Homeownership #RealEstateTips #HomeownerTips #HVACRepair #RoofReplacement
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