Cindy Perks of Real Estate

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Cindy Perks of Real Estate REALTOR® at National Realty Centers | Clarkston | MI | The Perks of Real Estate Real Estate is more than just my career; it's my lifestyle!

My mission is to turn your dreams into reality. With a focus on delivering a positive and worry-free experience, I guide you throughout the entire process. Backed by ample resources, I handle all the details to ensure a seamless journey from start to finish. Whether you're buying or selling, prompt and efficient attention to every aspect is crucial. Specializing in Condominium Sales, Exclusive Buyer Representation, Executive Properties, Golf Course Communities, Luxury Homes, New Construction Home Sales, Relocation, Residential Sales Specialist, and Waterfront Properties in Western Wayne, Oakland, and Livingston counties. I'm excited to collaborate with you soon!

The housing market looks a lot different than it did a few years ago.In 2021, almost none of the top 100 metros favored ...
11/10/2026

The housing market looks a lot different than it did a few years ago.

In 2021, almost none of the top 100 metros favored buyers. But in 2026? Two-thirds of them do or are headed that way.

And depending on where you live, that means the market today is going to feel different. It shifts the power away from sellers in many places and puts it back into the hands of buyers.

For buyers, you may find sellers are more open to compromising on price and repairs than you’d expect.

For sellers, who has more power during negotiation depends ultimately on where you live. So, it’s important to have a strategy that matches your local market.

Want to know where things stand in our area? Let’s connect.

Cindy Perks | Associate Broker
National Realty Centers
810-599-5804 | [email protected]

11/10/2026

Bidding wars. Offers over asking. For years, sellers had the upper hand in most major markets. Now, two-thirds of the top 100 metros favor buyers – up from almost none in 2021. The balance of power in the housing market is shifting. And where you live can completely change your strategy. Because it’s not happening everywhere. Want to know where your local market stands? Let’s chat.

Cindy Perks | Associate Broker
National Realty Centers
810-599-5804 | [email protected]

A lot of people are waiting for rates to fall… but here’s something you may not be thinking about.While lower mortgage r...
11/10/2026

A lot of people are waiting for rates to fall… but here’s something you may not be thinking about.

While lower mortgage rates sound great, they usually come with a catch.

When rates drop, more buyers tend to jump back in. And suddenly, there's more competition and less room to negotiate on price, closing costs, or even a seller-paid rate buydown.

That's the trade-off most buyers overlook: lower rates and stronger negotiating power rarely come at the same time.

Right now, nearly half of buyers are getting concessions from sellers. And with rates expected to stay relatively steady over the next year, that's an advantage worth knowing about.

Does that mean you should rush to buy? Absolutely not. The numbers still need to work for you.

But here's the thing: the mortgage rate is only one part of what makes a home affordable. What you can negotiate matters, too.

Curious what that could mean for your budget? Let's take a look.

Cindy Perks | Associate Broker
National Realty Centers
810-599-5804 | [email protected]

Higher mortgage rates come with a perk most buyers miss: negotiating power.Back in 2022, after two years of rates near 3...
11/09/2026

Higher mortgage rates come with a perk most buyers miss: negotiating power.

Back in 2022, after two years of rates near 3%, 95 of the top 100 metros favored sellers, according to Realtor.com. Bidding wars and offers over asking were everywhere.

Now rates are above 7%, and the picture has flipped. Today, 66 of those 100 metros lean toward buyers.

And sellers are making deals to prove it. Redfin reports nearly half of buyers now get a concession from the seller, like help with closing costs, money for repairs, or even paying to buy down the mortgage rate.

That’s the trade-off: buyers rarely get low rates and leverage at the same time. If rates dropped in a big way, more buyers would jump back in, and that leverage would likely shrink.

That doesn’t mean you have to move right now. The right time to buy is when the numbers work for you. But if you’re ready to move, today’s leverage could help make the math more doable than you think.

Just remember, every local market is different.

Want to see how much negotiating power you’d have in this area? Let’s look at homes where sellers may be open to a rate buydown or closing cost help.

Cindy Perks | Associate Broker
National Realty Centers
810-599-5804 | [email protected]

Are price cuts a winning strategy for sellers today? It depends. Say your house is listed but you’re not getting any off...
11/07/2026

Are price cuts a winning strategy for sellers today? It depends.

Say your house is listed but you’re not getting any offers, and you’re thinking about your options to try to draw buyers back in. Here are two routes you can take:

Option 1 (the most common): You drop your price by $10k and your buyer saves about $70 a month on the median priced home.

Option 2: You put that same $10k to work and pay for a 2-1 rate buydown. That could save your buyer roughly $500 a month the first year they own the home.

Same money, bigger immediate impact. And since buyers shop by monthly payment, it’s something at least worth considering.

Want to learn more about which concessions actually move the needle for buyers today? Let's talk.

And if you’re interested in a buydown, have a quick conversation with a lender about whether it makes sense for you.

Cindy Perks | Associate Broker
National Realty Centers
810-599-5804 | [email protected]

What if you could make your house more attractive to buyers without lowering your asking price?With 43% of sellers cutti...
11/07/2026

What if you could make your house more attractive to buyers without lowering your asking price?

With 43% of sellers cutting prices right now, according to HousingWire, it's a question worth asking – especially because there's another way to give buyers what they really want: a lower monthly payment.

It's called a mortgage rate buydown. And the difference can be pretty remarkable.
Here's an example.

Let's say you're willing to offer a buyer $10,000 to help get your house sold.

A $10,000 price reduction could save that buyer about $70 a month.

But putting that same $10,000 toward a temporary mortgage rate buydown could save them roughly $500 a month in the first year.

Same amount from you. A much bigger impact on their immediate budget.

Now, those savings won't last forever with a temporary buydown. But for the right buyer, that upfront relief could be exactly what makes your house stand out.

Thinking about selling? Send me a message. Let's explore which incentives could attract buyers while protecting your bottom line.

Cindy Perks | Associate Broker
National Realty Centers
810-599-5804 | [email protected]

The term “silver tsunami” makes it sound like a wave of houses is about to hit the market all at once. The research says...
11/06/2026

The term “silver tsunami” makes it sound like a wave of houses is about to hit the market all at once. The research says otherwise.

According to Realtor.com, about 13.9 million homes owned by older Americans are expected to change hands by 2036. That's a big number. But it's spread across a decade, at roughly 1.3 to 1.5 million homes a year.

The pace is important. After the 2008 housing crash, builders spent years not building enough homes to keep up with demand, and the country still hasn't caught up. As longtime homeowners sell over time, their houses will help ease a shortage that's already there.

For buyers, that can mean more options. For sellers, it means there's no reason to put your plans on hold because of a trend that’s expected to play out over the next 10 years.

What matters more is what's happening in your area right now: how many homes are for sale nearby, what similar houses are selling for, and what buyers want.

Planning a move in the next year or so? Let's talk about what the local numbers mean for your house.

Cindy Perks | Associate Broker
National Realty Centers
810-599-5804 | [email protected]

Toward the end of the year, the number of homes for sale usually starts to level off or dip as we enter the slower seaso...
11/05/2026

Toward the end of the year, the number of homes for sale usually starts to level off or dip as we enter the slower season in the market. But so far this year, it’s still going up.

And that break in the usual seasonal trend could be good for some buyers.

Part of the reason is that fewer people are shopping right now with mortgage rates where they are. But that gives anyone who can make the numbers work an opportunity.

If you’re able to buy at today’s rates, you have more options than you’d normally have. And that means more chances to find a home in budget – and less competition from other buyers.

You’ll likely even see sellers more willing to strike a deal.

What you’ll find depends on where you’re looking. Send a DM to see what’s on the market near you.

Cindy Perks | Associate Broker
National Realty Centers
810-599-5804 | [email protected]

If you’re seeing headlines about the “silver tsunami” in housing, you should know it’ll be more of a slow tide than a su...
11/05/2026

If you’re seeing headlines about the “silver tsunami” in housing, you should know it’ll be more of a slow tide than a sudden flood.

About 13.9 million homes owned by older Americans are expected to change hands by 2036 – that’s true. But that works out to roughly 1.3 to 1.5 million a year, spread over the next decade.

And since the country hasn’t built enough homes to keep up with demand in the years following the housing crash, those sales will help close a gap that’s already there. Not overwhelm the market.

So don't let a dramatic national headline scare you - especially if you’re thinking of selling.

What matters far more is what's happening in your local market. How many houses are for sale nearby? What are buyers looking for? And what are similar houses actually selling for?

Those are the numbers that should shape your selling strategy.

Curious what the market looks like in your neighborhood? Let's take a look.

Cindy Perks | Associate Broker
National Realty Centers
810-599-5804 | [email protected]

Wondering where mortgage rates are headed?The latest forecasts from Fannie Mae, MBA, and Wells Fargo show rates settling...
11/05/2026

Wondering where mortgage rates are headed?

The latest forecasts from Fannie Mae, MBA, and Wells Fargo show rates settling in somewhere between about 6.9% and 7.5% through the end of 2027. That means no big drop is expected, and there’s no big spike to worry about either.

Why? These forecasts are based on where the economy, the job market, and world events stand today. Until those things change, rates probably won’t either.

While it may not be the direction you were hoping for, that kind of steadiness does make it a lot easier to plan your next move.

Let’s run the numbers on what buying or selling looks like at today’s rates, so you can decide based on your goals, not the headlines.

Cindy Perks | Associate Broker
National Realty Centers
810-599-5804 | [email protected]

Address

6510 Town Center Drive #C
Clarkston, MI
48346

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 7pm
Tuesday 9am - 7pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 7pm
Friday 9am - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 9am - 7pm

Telephone

(810) 599-5804

Website

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