What's New This Month
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! We’re sending cozy vibes and holiday cheer your way this December!

Thank you all for making our holidays bright and trusting the West Virginia Bankers Title team with your business. Working with you – our lender, banker, real estate agent and attorney friends is a gift, and it’s on our wish list every year! Let’s end the year strong and see what we can achieve together in the new year!

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Rachel Showalter, Interim Agency Manager of West Virginia Bankers Title
Rescue Program Helps West Virginia Homeowners
The West Virginia Homeowners Rescue Program is helping residents maintain financial stability. Struggling residents who qualify can now get up to $20,000 of mortgage payment assistance and $5,000 in taxes, insurance and homeownership fees, as well as $2,500 in utility payments. With these adjustments to the program, officials hope to maintain our state's high homeownership rates.
Forget Black Friday: The Best Day for Home Price Cuts is Thursday
We all love a good deal! Buyers looking for a deal on a house may want to shop on Thursdays, according to this article. That’s the day of the week that sellers are most likely to slash their list prices, with 28% cutting prices this past fall. The day may vary based on location. However, Fridays and the weekends see the fewest price cuts nationwide. 
Is 2023 the Year of the Homebuyer?
If there’s one thing we know, it’s that today’s housing market is unpredictable. While homebuyers aren’t expected to have all the power in the new year, we can expect a more even playing field and a slow return to normalcy. Realtor.com’s predictions for 2023 include more houses for sale and home prices rising at a slower rate.
Innovation
We’ve covered wire fraud time and time again, but the threat remains the same. You and your clients can lose thousands of dollars to fraudsters hacking into your email and redirecting your payments to be wired directly to them. 
Mortgage Trends
Borrowers aren’t spending time thinking about financing. Over the last eight years, one-third of borrowers accepted the first mortgage offer extended to them instead of rate shopping, according to this article. Mortgage shopping behaviors do not appear to vary much between first-time and repeat homebuyers. Remind your clients that there is room for negotiation. 
Professional Development
There’s nothing wrong with scaling back to enjoy the holidays, but don’t let your business get swept up in the holiday cheer. Now is a great time to remind your clients that you’re still available to them and work on your marketing strategy to close out the year strong and set yourself up for success in 2023. Take advantage of seasonal blogs, thank you notes, paid ads and more ideas in this article.
Market Highlights
There’s good news for homebuyers with lower asking prices on their wish list this year. Housing inventory has bounced back in recent months and listing prices are beginning to drop. Even with high mortgage rates, now could be a great time to buy. Today’s buyers have more options, time and negotiation power. 
Best Christmas Displays in West Virginia
There’s nothing more merry and bright than a Christmas light display. Get into the holiday spirit with family or friends by visiting one of West Virginia’s best this year! There are plenty of events and holiday displays all over the state that you can walk or drive through. Find the one nearest you in this article.