Stephanie Troiani Realtor Poconos

10/23/2026

Mortgage Rates Decrease to 7.32%

The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage declined this week, offering some relief to prospective homebuyers.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.32% as of October 22, 2026, down from last week when it averaged 7.40%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.19%.

The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.68%, down from last week when it averaged 6.71%. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.44%.

CTTO: Freddie Mac

10/22/2026

Spooky farm visits and pets in Halloween costumes? October is getting good around here! 🎃🐾

Here are a few things happening in the Poconos October 23–25:

👻 Spooky Days on the Farm
📅 Friday, October 23
📍 Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm

🇺🇸 Celebrating America 250
📅 Friday, October 23
📍 Monroe County Historical Association – Stroud Mansion Museum and Library

🎤 Insane Clown Posse
📅 Friday, October 23
📍 Sherman Theater

🏁 Cubfest 2026: Race Into Scouting
📅 Saturday, October 24
📍 Pocono Raceway

🐶 Halloween Pet Costume Contest
📅 Sunday, October 25
📍 Mountain View Vineyard Winery, Brewery & Distillery

The pet costume contest might be the cutest stop of the weekend! 🧡 Which event are you heading to?

Save this list and send it to someone who’s always asking, “What should we do this weekend?”

10/22/2026

To Sell or Rent? How To Choose the Best Path for Your House.

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.

10/21/2026

Everyone can tell when a house that hit the market in June is still using those same June photos.

Buyers pick up on that fast. A listing with green grass and leafy trees in October just screams that it's been sitting. Once they get that idea, the urgency completely vanishes and they immediately assume something is wrong.

Neither of those things is always true. But your photos tell the story first, and people believe what they see.

When your listing has been sitting for a while, a price drop isn't the first fix. Try this exact order.

Re-shoot the exterior this week, while there are still leaves worth photographing. Reorder the set so your best interior shot leads, not the front elevation. And change the primary photo, because that alone resets how the listing reads in a feed full of other listings.

A refresh costs a couple hundred bucks. A price reduction costs considerably more than that, and it confirms the exact story your photos were already telling.

If your listing has green grass in it right now, send me the address. I’ll tell you whether it needs photos or a longer conversation.

— If we haven’t met yet, I’m Stephanie Troiani, a real estate agent proudly serving East Stroudsburg and surrounding suburbs

10/21/2026

Newly built homes now cost less than existing ones in about a third of major markets.

And nationally, the gap is pretty big. A newly built home typically sells for about $35,000 less than an existing one.

Prices can look very different from one area to the next, though. So, what neighborhoods do you have your eye on? Let’s tour a new home and an existing one, and see how they compare.

10/20/2026

Every house in East Stroudsburg has a type. It turns out you do too.

The 1974 ranch: good bones and dated finishes, the cheapest gap in real estate to close. Ask about the electrical panel and sewer line, not the paneling.

New construction: zero maintenance for a bit, but you pay for that peace of mind in the price tag and HOA dues. Always ask how much the upgrades cost on top of the base price.

Condos: maintenance isn't your problem until a special assessment hits. Request the last three years of HOA meeting minutes, because that tells the real story.

The fixer upper: the price tag matches the work needed, and the project is always bigger than it looks in pictures. Price out the roof, electrical, and furnace before you get attached.

In East Stroudsburg, most of what you’ll tour is colonial and ranch homes, so those are the two profiles worth learning to read.

Tell me your type and I’ll send you three in East Stroudsburg that match.

-Stephanie Troiani, a real estate agent proudly serving East Stroudsburg and surrounding suburbs

10/20/2026

New Homes Cost Less in 1 in 3 Major Markets

Newly built homes now cost less than existing ones in about 1 in 3 major markets. How much less, exactly? Nationally, a newly built home typically sells for about $35,000 less. So, brand-new could be more budget-friendly than you think. Want to see how newly built and existing homes compare where you’re looking? Let’s tour one of each.

10/19/2026

Most advice on curb appeal is made for June. By October, it's a completely different situation.

Lighting is the first issue. By mid-October, anyone driving by your house after work sees it in the dark, and an unlit porch reads like nobody lives there and the property is neglected.

Put a warm bulb in the porch fixture and two path lights along the walk.

That’s about $24 to $40 and it changes what every drive by sees for the rest of the season.

Number two, the edges. Not a major landscaping overhaul, just crisp edges.

A crisp line where the lawn meets the beds and a clean sweep of the walk make a house photograph as maintained, and maintained is the word you want sitting in a buyer’s head before they ever open an inspection report.

Finally, look at your front door.

A quick coat of paint and updated hardware will do it. It's the only detail visible in almost all your listing pictures, including that very first thumbnail people see when scrolling.

One October warning. Keep the seasonal decor to a single thing. One pumpkin reads as charming. A full display dates your photos to one week of the year, and if the house is still available in January everybody can tell.

None of this is about adding value in some theoretical way. It's purely about making sure you don't lose out on showings before anyone even walks through the front door.

If you’re listing in East Stroudsburg this fall, send me a photo of the front of your house and I’ll tell you the one under $100 fix I’d make first.

10/19/2026

Want to move but don’t want to give up your current low rate? This is for you.
Data shows homeowners with a mortgage have an average of $310K in equity right now.

And that means if you've been putting off a move because you don't want to give up the mortgage rate you locked in a few years ago, your equity could help.

You could use it toward a bigger down payment and borrow less at today's rates.

Or, if you're downsizing, you might even be able to buy your next home in cash. No mortgage. No worrying about today’s rates.

Want to know how much equity you have and what it makes possible for you? DM me, and I'll help you find out.

10/18/2026

Same time of year. 2 very different stories. And mortgage rates are a big reason why.

Last fall, mortgage rates came down and the number of homes for sale barely budged. This fall, rates have climbed above 7%. Some buyers have pulled back, homes are taking longer to sell, and instead of coming off the market, more listings are sticking around.

Since August, the number of homes for sale has grown by about 25,000. So, what does that mean for you?

Buying? You’ve got more homes to choose from and potentially more room to negotiate on price, repairs, or closing costs.
Selling? Buyers have more options, so you’ve got to give them a reason to choose your house. That means getting the price right from day one and making sure your house stands out from the competition.

Want to know what this shift looks like where you live? Drop a comment or send me a DM, and let’s look at the local numbers together.