Top 3 Reasons To Buy a Home Before Spring

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, you may be focused on the spring market. And hoping that when spring does hit, you’ll see:

• Mortgage rates drop a little more.
• More homes hit the market.

But here’s what most buyers don’t realize. Buying just a few weeks earlier could mean paying less, dealing with less stress, and feeling less rushed.

Here are three reasons why accelerating your timeline over the next few weeks could actually be a better play.

1. Holding Out for Lower Rates May Not Pay Off 

A lot of buyers are hoping mortgage rates will fall even further. But that’s not the best strategy. Here’s why. Experts are pretty aligned on this: rates are expected to stay roughly where they are.

Forecasts throughout the…

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Is the Brookings Real Estate Market Finally Normalizing? What This Week's Data is Telling Us

For the past few years, the real estate market has felt anything but normal. Rapid price increases, low inventory, bidding wars, and higher mortgage rates kept buyers and sellers guessing.

But here’s the big question making headlines this week across the real estate world:

Is the housing market finally starting to normalize in 2026?

At Home Team 605 pwrd by Krogman & Company Real Estate, we’re seeing signs that the answer may be yes—especially here in Brookings, South Dakota.

Let’s break down what “normalizing” actually means and why it matters to you.

What Does a “Normal” Real Estate Market Look Like?

A normal or balanced housing market typically includes:

• Reasonable days on market

• Fewer bidding wars

• …

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It’s Getting More Affordable To Buy a Home

There’s finally a little good news for anyone who’s been priced out or sitting on the sidelines.

Buying a home is getting more affordable.

Monthly payments have started to come down, and the squeeze buyers have been feeling for the past few years is slowly loosening. Now, that doesn’t mean everyone can suddenly afford a home, but with how tough the market’s been, the improvement we’re seeing matters.

Affordability Is Finally Moving in the Right Direction

One of the best ways to see this shift is by looking at how much of a household’s income it takes to buy a home.

According to Zillow, housing is typically considered affordable when it takes 30% or less of your monthly income to cover your expenses.That includes your mortgage…

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Mortgage Rates Pulled Back Again: What a Small Dip Means for Brookings Home Buyers

If you’ve been watching mortgage rate headlines lately, you probably noticed something important this past week: rates dipped again. Not drastically—but enough to get buyers talking.

And here’s the truth we’re seeing every day at Home Team 605 pwrd by Krogman & Company Real Estate: even a small change in mortgage rates can have a big impact, especially here in Brookings, South Dakota.

Let’s break down what’s happening and what it really means for local buyers and sellers.

What Happened with Mortgage Rates This Week?

Over the past week, national mortgage rates eased slightly after holding steady for a while. We’re not talking about a massive drop—but even a quarter-point change can shift buying power and monthly payments.

This type of…

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Home Insurance Costs Are Rising: What Buyers Should Plan For

Buying a home is one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make. And homeowner’s insurance is what protects that investment. Think of it as your safety net. NerdWallet explains it:

• Covers Repairs and Rebuilding Costs: If your home is damaged by fire, storms, or other covered events, it helps pay for repairs and possibly even a full rebuild, if that’s deemed necessary.
• Protects Your Belongings: It can also cover personal items like furniture, electronics, jewelry, and clothing if they’re stolen or damaged.
• Provides Liability Coverage: And, if someone gets injured on your property, your policy can help cover medical bills or legal expenses.

But that peace of mind does come with a cost, and lately those costs have been rising.

…

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Why So Many Homeowners Are Downsizing Right Now

For a growing number of homeowners, retirement isn’t some distant idea anymore. It’s starting to feel very real.

According to Realtor.com and the Census, nearly 12,000 people will turn 65 every day for the next two years. And the latest data shows as many as 15% of those older Americans are planning to retire in 2026. And another 23% will do the same in 2027.

If you’re considering retiring soon too, here’s what you should be thinking about.

Why Downsize?

Now's the perfect time to reflect on what you want your life to look like in retirement. Because even though your finances will be going through a big change, you don’t necessarily want to feel like you’re living with less.

But odds are, what you do want is for life to feel easier…

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Top 2026 Housing Markets for Buyers and Sellers

Who doesn’t love a top 10 list? Well, here are two top 10 lists for the housing market this year. But before you take a look, there’s something you should know.

If a move is on your radar for 2026, here’s the most important thing you need to understand upfront: there isn’t one housing market this year – there are many.

Experts agree 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most geographically split housing markets in years. Some areas are tilting in favor of sellers, while others are opening real doors for buyers. Who has the advantage depends almost entirely on where you are. Selma Hepp, Chief Economist at Cotality, puts it this way:

“Looking ahead to 2026, regional differences will remain pronounced, with demand favoring areas that offer…

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You May Not Want To Skip Over That House That’s Been Sitting on the Market

When you see a house that’s been sitting on the market for a while, the reaction is almost automatic. You start thinking:

• What’s wrong with it?

• Why hasn’t anyone bought it yet?

• Am I missing something?

That mindset made sense a few years ago. But in today’s market, you may actually miss out.

More Time on Market Isn't Automatically a Concern Anymore

A few years ago, homes sold in just a matter of days. Sometimes, hours. Anything that lingered longer than that raised concerns. But that’s no longer the baseline.

Inventory has grown. Buyers have more choices. And homes are taking longer to sell across the board. Those are some of the reasons why the typical time it takes a home to sell has climbed this…

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Escrow Costs Are Rising: What That Means for Your Monthly Mortgage Payment

When most people think about buying a home, they focus on two numbers: the home price and the interest rate. But there’s a third number that has been quietly climbing across the country and right here in South Dakota…

Escrow.

At Home Team 605 pwrd by Krogman & Company Real Estate, we’re seeing more buyers surprised by how much their monthly payment really is once escrow is added in. Let’s break down what’s happening and what you can do about it.

What Is Escrow, Anyway?

Escrow is the part of your mortgage payment that covers:

• Property taxes

• Homeowners insurance

• Sometimes flood insurance or special assessments

Your lender collects this money every month and pays those bills for you when they come due.…

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Mortgage Rates Recently Hit a 3-Year Low. Here’s Why That’s Still a Big Deal.

If you’re one of the thousands of homebuyers waiting for rates to fall, you should know it’s already happening. And they recently crossed an important milestone. Rates officially dipped their toes into the 5s – something that hasn’t happened in about 3 years.

This moment marked a critical threshold. Now, rates are sitting in the low 6% territory. And expert forecasts project they’ll hover near this range throughout the year.

Here's why that’s so good for you.

Why Current Rates Are Such a Big Deal

A mortgage rate doesn’t just affect the interest you end up paying on your home loan. It shapes your entire buying experience.

When rates were up around 7% just one year ago, a lot of buyers felt priced out. Payments were higher. Budgets…

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