September 29, 2026

By Courtney Orlando, REALTOR® | Courtney Orlando Group | Compass Real Estate

When buyers search for a home online, one number is almost impossible to ignore:

Square footage.

It is easy to compare.

1,800 square feet.

2,200 square feet.

2,800 …

The best time to sell a home is rarely determined by one headline or one mortgage-rate forecast. It usually starts with a much more personal question: what would selling allow you to do next?

Some homeowners are thinking about downsizing. Others want to move closer to children or grandchildren, …

A buyer can scroll through hundreds of listings online and still feel as though there is nothing to buy. That sounds contradictory, but it describes an important part of today’s market: total inventory and desirable inventory are not the same thing.

Across the areas we focus on most—Morris, Somerset, …

Mortgage-rate forecasts have one frustrating habit: they change when the economy changes. That is why a prediction made six months ago may look very different today.

As of late September 2026, 30-year fixed mortgage rates are still around 7%. Economists and housing organizations continue to update their expectations because …

A mortgage rate around today’s levels can feel unusually high to anyone who bought or refinanced during the ultra-low-rate years. History provides a useful reminder: housing markets have operated through much higher borrowing costs before, and they did not all react the same way.

The most dramatic example was …

Mortgage rates are one of the first things buyers and homeowners notice, but they are also one of the most misunderstood parts of the housing market. When rates move up or down, it is tempting to assume the Federal Reserve simply changed them. The reality is more complicated.

The …

September 24, 2026

By Courtney Orlando, REALTOR® | Courtney Orlando Group | Compass Real Estate

You may remember exactly when you remodeled the kitchen.

You may remember what you paid for the new roof.

You may even have photographs of the finished basement from the day …

September 22, 2026

By Courtney Orlando, REALTOR® | Courtney Orlando Group | Compass Real Estate

For many New Jersey homeowners, property taxes are simply part of the monthly mortgage payment.

They get paid.

They get added to the annual cost of owning the home.

And …

August 20, 2026
By Courtney Orlando, REALTOR® | Courtney Orlando Group | Compass Real Estate

There is a problem with following the New Jersey real estate market too closely.

It can make you think there is one market.

There isn't.

A statewide housing report may show …

August 13, 2026
By Courtney Orlando, REALTOR® | Courtney Orlando Group | Compass Real Estate

Buying a home has always required careful financial planning. But in 2026, the calculation is becoming broader.

For many New Jersey buyers, the question is no longer simply:

“Can I afford the …