When demand improves and supply moves slowly, prices tend to stay supported.Looking ahead, Fannie Mae and Pulsenomics’ Home Price Expectations Survey (polling 150 economists) projects 15% cumulative home price growth over the next five years.Put simply:A $500,000 home could gain roughly $75,000 in value over that time.That’s why timing the “perfect rate” can carry real opportunity cost.Wholesale Inflation Surprises HigherJanuary’s Producer Price Index (PPI) came in hotter than expected:+0.5% month over month+2.9% year over yearCore PPI +0.8% monthly, +3.6% annuallyThat’s sticky inflation.What this means for mortgage rates:The Federal Reserve remains in a balancing act:Cooling labor data argues for easingPersistent inflation argues for cautionHot wholesale numbers likely keep the Fed patient in the near term.That doesn’t mean rates spike — but it does mean aggressive cuts aren’t imminent.Is Gig Work Masking Labor Market Strain?

You can probably find a local bank or credit union in your area that will offer investment HELOCs too.

(Just like most Realtors, us brokers know this too.)The legit wholesalers take it internally and flip houses themselves.

Strong peak months can mask weaker shoulder periods, so underwriting needs to hold up when occupancy drops and weather becomes less predictable.

What they didn’t realize is that professionalism without alignment still produces risk.Fragmentation is especially dangerous because it masks itself as flexibility.

I didn’t expect the HVAC system to cost as much as it did, and the roof was expensive too.

@Travis SteinemannThis happened to me too.

@Sean Graham is right that the sweet spot starts around $200K-$500K for residential, but the study costs have come down so much that properties in the $150K range can pencil out too.

That really is our fear with waiving the inspections too. the small stuff wont usually kill the deal. 

Like most cities there are good and bad areas too.