Baxter Robinson

10/28/2026

More than 1 in 4 homes are being bought with cash right now. But here's something that might surprise you about who's buying them.

It's not just wealthy investors swooping in with deep pockets.

A lot of these cash buyers are everyday homeowners who've built up serious equity over the years. And that equity is giving them more buying power than they may have ever imagined.

According to Cotality, the average homeowner with a mortgage has about $310,000 in equity.

Think about what that could mean for your next move.

You might have enough equity to buy your next home outright. No mortgage payment. No worrying about today's interest rates.

And even if you can't pay all cash, that equity could help you borrow significantly less.

But what if you're buying with a mortgage?

Here's some good news: Nearly 3 out of 4 homebuyers are still using financing. You're actually in the majority.

So don't let the headlines about cash buyers make you second-guess what's possible for you. Whether you're buying your first home or using equity to make your next move, there may be more opportunities than you think.

Wondering how you stack up in today's market? Send me a message. Let's talk about your options.

10/27/2026

🍁🎃 WHAT’S HAPPENING IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA? 🎃🍁

October 30 – November 1, 2026

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Whether you’re spending time with the family, enjoying a night out, or looking for a way to give back, Northwest Georgia has something for you!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 FAMILY FUN

🐾 Schnauzerfest Rome 2026
📍 Downtown Rome
📅 Friday, October 30 & Saturday, October 31

Calling all dog lovers! Downtown Rome welcomes schnauzers and their people for a weekend of furry fun, entertainment, and fellowship. Friday kicks things off with a meet-and-greet BBQ!

🔬 STEAM Saturday: Spooky Science
📍 Chieftains Museum, Rome
📅 Saturday, October 31 | 10 AM–2 PM

Bring the kids for hands-on Halloween science, crafts, and the chance to make their own trick-or-treat bags while supplies last. A fun way to mix a little learning with Halloween excitement!

🍂 Etowah Fall Nature Hike
📍 Etowah Indian Mounds, Cartersville
📅 Saturday, October 31 | 10 AM–Noon

Get outside and enjoy the fall colors! Explore the river trails while learning about native trees and their importance to Southeastern tribes. Bring your walking shoes and your curiosity!

🎶 A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE GROWN-UPS

🎃 Halloween at The Vogue
📍 The Vogue, Downtown Rome
📅 Saturday, October 31

Looking for a Halloween night out? Enjoy live music at The Vogue or head to Dark Side for a costume party, DJ, and Halloween specials!

👻 Circus of Horrors Haunted House
📍 109 Bells Ferry Road, Rome
📅 Friday & Saturday, October 30–31 | 7–11 PM

If being scared out of your socks sounds like a good time, this one’s for you! Live actors, creepy sets, and a new Blackout Maze make this an adventure for thrill seekers.

❤️ GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY

🤝 ESP Halloween Bash — Volunteers Needed!
📍 St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Rome
📅 Friday, October 30 | 5:30–8:30 PM

Here’s an opportunity to make someone’s evening special! ESP is looking for volunteers ages 14 and up to serve as buddies for participants during a fun Halloween celebration. Dinner is provided, and adult volunteers will need a background check.

Sometimes the best way to spend a Friday night is helping someone else have a wonderful one.

🍁 There really is something special about Northwest Georgia. Our communities offer wonderful places to explore, good people to meet, and opportunities to make a difference.

Get out, enjoy the weekend, support our local businesses, and make a few memories!

Baxter Robinson | REALTOR®
HARDY REALTY & DEVELOPMENT COMPANY
706-291-4321 - 706-252-4255

Your Northwest Georgia real estate resource.

10/26/2026

Pending home sales just dropped 11.3% compared to last year. But what if that slowdown could actually help you get a better deal on a brand-new home?
Here's why that matters.

When the market slows, homeowners and builders don't always react the same way.

A homeowner who isn't getting the offers they want can decide to stay put and wait. But builders? They've already invested in houses they need to sell. And every completed home that sits unsold costs them money.

That can make builders more motivated to negotiate. And the numbers prove they're already making moves.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, 65% of builders are offering incentives, and 43% are cutting prices. The typical reduction? 6%.
For buyers, that could mean serious savings. Think lower prices, help with closing costs, or even a better mortgage rate.

And the biggest opportunities may be hiding in brand-new homes that are already built and waiting for buyers.

So, before you rule out new construction, let’s see which builders in our area may be ready to negotiate.

10/26/2026

BEHIND THE CONTRACT — PART 1 OF 2

Would You Rather Have $10,000 Off the Price of a Home… or a Lower Mortgage Rate?

Here’s a question that might surprise you.

You’re buying a home listed for $300,000. During negotiations, the seller agrees to give you $10,000 in concessions.

You have two options:

OPTION A: Reduce the purchase price to $290,000.

OPTION B: Keep the purchase price at $300,000 and negotiate a $10,000 seller contribution toward closing costs, including a permanent mortgage rate buydown.

Which would you choose?

Most people instinctively choose Option A. After all, who wouldn’t want to pay $10,000 less for a house?

But hold on. There’s more to the story.

Let’s assume you’re putting 5% down and financing the home with a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.

Here’s how the numbers could work:

🔹 OPTION A — Lower Purchase Price

* Purchase price: $290,000
* Interest rate: 7.00%
* Monthly principal & interest: approximately $1,833

🔹 OPTION B — Mortgage Rate Buydown

* Purchase price: $300,000
* Interest rate: 6.25%
* Monthly principal & interest: approximately $1,755

That’s approximately $78 LESS every month with Option B!

Over five years, that’s roughly $4,680 in lower mortgage payments.

Over ten years? Approximately $9,360.

And that lower payment could continue for the life of the loan!

✳️Now, here’s something important. These are illustrative numbers. The actual interest rate you can obtain with $10,000 depends on the lender, loan program, market conditions, and other factors. Seller contributions also have limits.

And a rate buydown isn’t always the better choice. If you sell or refinance relatively soon, the math may favor a different strategy.

Here’s my point.

Real estate negotiations aren’t always about getting the lowest purchase price.

Sometimes the smartest negotiation is about getting the most favorable terms.

A good Realtor doesn’t simply negotiate the price of the house. A good Realtor helps you understand the options so you can make an informed decision.

Because what you pay for a home matters. But what it costs you to own that home matters, too.

📌 NEXT WEEK — PART 2: Sellers, before you reduce your asking price, let’s talk about how a mortgage rate buydown could help you attract buyers while protecting your asking price.


Baxter Robinson | REALTOR®
HARDY REALTY & DEVELOPMENT COMPANY
📱 Cell: 706-252-4255
☎️ Office: 706-291-4321

10/25/2026

SUNDAY REALTOR PRO TIP

THE ILLUSION OF CONTROL — THE ART OF NEGOTIATION

Buying or selling a home involves negotiation. And sometimes, negotiations can become a little emotional.

A buyer wants something. A seller doesn’t want to give it. Both sides dig in their heels.

Suddenly, what should be a conversation becomes a contest.

But here’s something worth remembering:

A successful negotiation doesn’t always mean getting everything you want. Sometimes it means giving something to get something.

Let’s look at an example.

-BUYER: “We’d like the seller to contribute $5,000 toward our closing costs.”

-SELLER: “We understand that closing costs can be a challenge. We’d be willing to contribute $5,000. In exchange, we’d like to shorten the due diligence period from seven days to three, provided that gives you enough time to complete your inspections.”

See what happened?

The seller didn’t simply say yes. And the seller didn’t slam the door with a no.

Instead, the seller introduced another option.

The buyer now has a choice. Accept the proposal, decline it, or make a counteroffer.

That’s negotiation.

Sometimes the most powerful words in a negotiation aren’t “yes” or “no.”

They’re “We could do that, if…”

A good Realtor understands that both parties want to feel heard, respected, and involved in the decisions being made.

And while neither side can control every outcome, both sides can help shape the agreement.

Remember, the goal isn’t necessarily to defeat the other party.

The goal is to reach an agreement that works.

And sometimes, the best way to move forward is to give a little ground without giving away the farm.

Have a wonderful Sunday!


Baxter Robinson | REALTOR®
HARDY REALTY & DEVELOPMENT COMPANY
📱 Cell: 706-252-4255
☎️ Office: 706-291-4321

10/23/2026

Today's market has more options than many people realize. Finding the right one could be as simple as getting more information about tools like ARMs. A trusted lender can run the numbers with you, walk you through the what-ifs, and help you explore the possibilities.

Is an ARM a good option for you? Talk to a loan officer to find out.

When mortgage rates climb, buying a home can start to feel like trying to hit a moving target. Every jump in rates makes monthly payments bigger, and that pushes a lot of buyers to look for another way in.

10/23/2026

FRIDAY REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORT
October 23, 2026

Mortgage Rates Dip… But Are Buyers Ready to Jump Back In?

A little good news for homebuyers this week! Mortgage rates moved down slightly. That’s a welcome change, but the housing market is still facing some challenges.

Let’s break it down without all the complicated financial talk!

Mortgage Rates: A Small Step in the Right Direction

The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped from 7.50% to 7.41%.

That’s good news! But even with the lower rate, mortgage applications fell 5.3%, and applications to purchase homes dropped 7.3%.

What does that tell us? Buyers are still watching their budgets carefully. A small rate decrease helps, but affordability remains a big concern.

Why Aren’t Mortgage Rates Falling Faster?

One reason involves Treasury yields.

Treasury yields are one of the financial signals that influence mortgage rates. When those yields rise, mortgage rates often feel upward pressure, too.

The 10-year Treasury yield recently climbed to 5.04%, making it harder for mortgage rates to move significantly lower.

What About the Federal Reserve?

The Fed is still trying to get inflation under control, and officials aren’t in complete agreement about what should happen next.

The Fed doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, but its decisions can influence them.

For now, uncertainty remains the name of the game.

The Housing Market Is Slowing Down

Pending home sales dropped 7.3% from August to September, and confidence among homebuilders has fallen considerably.

In simple terms, fewer buyers are making moves, and builders are becoming more cautious.

But here’s something worth remembering!

A slower market doesn’t necessarily mean a bad market.

For some buyers, fewer competing offers could mean more time to make decisions, more homes to consider, and possibly greater negotiating opportunities.

Every home and every neighborhood is different!

My Friday Takeaway

You don’t have to wait for the “perfect” mortgage rate to start exploring your options.

Buying a home is about much more than an interest rate. It’s about your budget, your goals, your family, and finding the right place at the right time for you.

And sometimes, the smartest move isn’t buying today. Sometimes it’s making a plan so you’re ready when the right opportunity comes along.

Questions about buying or selling in Northwest Georgia? Let’s have a conversation. No pressure, just good information and honest guidance.


Baxter Robinson | REALTOR®
HARDY REALTY & DEVELOPMENT COMPANY
📱 Cell: 706-252-4255
☎️ Office: 706-291-4321

Good information. Thoughtful decisions. Better moves.

10/22/2026

Renting can be a good fit for the right person with the right house, but it isn’t the only option. A smart sales strategy can help your house stand out to buyers from day one.

So, if you’re on the fence, let’s sit down and compare what selling and renting would each look like for you.

Selling your house is a big step, and you want it to go smoothly. And with houses taking a little longer to sell these days, renting it out might start to sound like a nice backup plan.

10/22/2026

THURSDAY GOOD VIBES!

Sometimes, the kindness you give comes back to you in ways you never imagined.

In Columbus, Georgia, Amanda Walters and her family lost their home and belongings in a devastating fire.

For months, they moved between hotels, temporary rentals, and the homes of loved ones, trying to find a way forward.

But here’s what makes this story so special.

Even while facing her own difficulties, Amanda continued giving back to her community, volunteering and helping feed people experiencing homelessness.

Her kindness didn’t go unnoticed.

A local real estate investment company, Rapid Fire Investments, selected Amanda and her family to receive something extraordinary.

A HOME OF THEIR OWN!

No mortgage. No rent. No repayment obligation.

Just a fresh start and the peace of knowing they have a place to call home.

There’s a wonderful lesson here. Even when life gets difficult, we can still make a difference in someone else’s life.

And sometimes, that kindness finds its way right back to us.

Real estate is about houses. But home is about people.

Happy Thursday, everyone! Keep spreading those good vibes! ☀️

📰 Read the full story:
https://www.wtvm.com/2026/06/20/columbus-family-receives-mortgage-free-home-after-fire-displacement/

Baxter Robinson
HARDY REALTY & DEVELOPMENT COMPANY
📱 Cell: 706-252-4255
☎️ Office: 706-291-4321

10/21/2026

National headlines can’t tell you what your home is worth or how much room you have to negotiate. Local data can. If you’re thinking about buying or selling, let’s look at how prices are moving in your area, so you can set your price or make your offer with confidence.

Whether you own a house already or you’re looking to buy one, you probably care about home prices.