"But winter weather doesn't faze Desirae Allen, a real estate broker with Sound Realty in Valdez, Alaska. In a city that gets more than 300 inches of snow in a season, that's just business as usual. "I've got a showing that all of a sudden came unexpectedly, and I haven't got a guy over there to plow the driveway, " she says. "I've got to tell the buyers, you know, 'Grab your boots or grab your snowshoes - we're going to wade our way in.'""
"If you don't have one yet, now's a good time to shop around for a mortgage preapproval. Get a quote from at least three different lenders to make sure you're getting the best deal. A preapproval typically locks in your mortgage rate for 30, 60 or 90 days. Try to snag one on the longer side so you're covered through spring."
Winter is the slowest season for the housing market, yet roughly 13,000 homes still sell daily from December through February. Mortgage rates recently fell to about 5.97% for a 30-year fixed loan, near three-year lows and roughly a percentage point lower than January 2025. Buyers should shop mortgage preapprovals with at least three lenders, lock rates for 30–90 days, and ask about float-down options. Average listing prices in December–February are about 16% lower than June listings. In heavy-snow markets like Valdez, Alaska, showings and sales continue despite extreme conditions.
Read at SFGATE
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]