The Lowry Team - EXP Realty

💰 Buyers — did you know that in 2025, nearly 2 out of 3 sellers helped cover their buyer's closing costs?
According to Zillow, 67% of sellers paid some or all of their buyer's closing costs last year. And that trend is continuing right into 2026.

This is one of the most important — and most underused — pieces of leverage available to buyers in the Greater Cincinnati market right now. And yet most buyers have no idea they can even ask for it.

So what exactly are closing costs — and how much are we talking?
Closing costs typically run between 2–5% of the purchase price. On a $400,000 home in West Chester, Fairfield, or Mason, that's $8,000 to $20,000 in fees that cover things like:

🏦 Loan origination fees

🔍 Appraisal and inspection costs

📋 Title insurance and settlement fees

📝 Prepaid taxes and homeowner's insurance

💼 Attorney and processing fees
That's real money — and when a seller covers some or all of it, it changes the entire financial picture for a buyer at the closing table.
Here's how smart buyers are using this right now:
✅ Keeping more cash in their pocket at closing

Instead of draining savings to cover closing costs on top of a down payment, buyers who negotiate seller concessions walk away from closing day with their financial cushion intact.
✅ Using seller credits toward a rate buydown

This is one of our favorite strategies right now. A seller credit can be used to permanently or temporarily buy down your mortgage interest rate — lowering your monthly payment from day one. On a $400,000 loan, even a 0.5% rate reduction can save you hundreds of dollars every single month.
✅ Making their offer more competitive without raising the price

Structuring an offer to request closing cost assistance — rather than simply lowballing the price — keeps sellers more engaged and often gets better results in negotiation.
The critical thing most buyers don't realize:

Asking for closing cost assistance is completely normal and widely expected in today's Cincinnati market. It's not aggressive. It's not insulting. It's smart — and 67% of the sellers who sold homes last year agreed to it.

But here's the key: HOW you ask matters enormously. An experienced buyer's agent knows how to structure the request in a way that keeps the seller at the table and maximizes what you receive. That negotiation skill is one of the most valuable things the Lowry Team brings to every single transaction we're part of. 🙌

If closing costs have been one of the things holding you back from moving forward on a home purchase in West Chester, Mason, Fairfield, or Liberty Township — this stat should change your perspective completely. The help is out there. You just need to know how to ask for it.

👉 Ready to put this strategy to work for you? Visit LowryTeam.com or send us a message today — let's talk about how to structure your next offer to get every dollar you deserve.
💬 Buyers — did you receive closing cost help on your home purchase? And if you didn't, do you wish you'd asked? Drop your experience below! 👇

👏 👏 Congratulations MCKENZIE DEAN on another great sale! in today's market, it truly calls for market expertise, way to go McKenzie💥

🤔 Move now or wait until summer? The data just made that decision a whole lot clearer.
It's one of the most common questions we hear from buyers and sellers in the Greater Cincinnati area right now — and honestly, it's a great question to be asking. So let's answer it with actual numbers instead of gut feelings. (Sources: Realtor.com, NAR)

Here's what typically happens in a summer market:

📦 32% more fresh listings hit the market
Good news for buyers — more options, more neighborhoods, more chances to find the right fit in West Chester, Mason, Fairfield, Liberty Township, and beyond. Summer inventory surges are real, and they give buyers the selection they've been craving all spring.

💰 Homes sell for roughly 4% more
Here's the flip side. More buyers are active in summer too — families trying to close before school starts, relocators moving on corporate timelines, motivated buyers who spent all spring losing out and came back determined. That competition pushes prices up. On a $400,000 home, 4% is $16,000. That's real money.

So what does this mean for YOU?

🏡 If you're a buyer:
Waiting for summer gives you more options to choose from — but you'll likely be paying more and competing harder for every one of them. The buyers getting the best deals right now are the ones moving before the summer rush fully kicks in, when inventory is growing but competition hasn't peaked yet. That window is open right now and it won't stay open long.

🏠 If you're a seller:
Summer is historically your friend. More buyers in the market, stronger emotional urgency around school-year timelines, and that 4% price premium means listing as we head into peak summer season is a smart, data-backed move. The sellers who are prepped and ready to launch in the next few weeks are positioned to capture maximum demand at maximum price.

The honest answer to "move now or wait?"
For most buyers and sellers in Greater Cincinnati — the best move is the one you make with a clear strategy and the right team behind you, regardless of the exact timing. Because the buyers who win aren't the ones who perfectly timed the market. They're the ones who got prepared, stayed ready, and moved with confidence when the right opportunity appeared.

And that's exactly what the Lowry Team helps you do — every single time. 🙌
Whether you're leaning toward moving now or still weighing your options, the best next step is the same: let's have a conversation. A 15-minute call with our team could give you a crystal clear picture of exactly what makes sense for your situation in today's Cincinnati market.

👉 Visit LowryTeam.com or send us a message today — no pressure, just real answers from people who know this market inside and out.
💬 So — are you team "move now" or team "wait for summer"? Drop your vote below and tell us why! 👇

🏡 Buyers — here's the news you've been waiting for. Asking prices have actually come down.

According to Realtor.com, the national median asking price in May 2026 is $429,500 — the lowest it's been in four years and down from the peak of $441,007 in May 2023.

Let that land for a second. While headlines have been making the housing market sound more intimidating than ever, asking prices have quietly and meaningfully pulled back.

The sellers who were testing the market with wishful pricing in 2022 and 2023 have recalibrated — and today's buyers in Greater Cincinnati are the direct beneficiaries.
Here's why this matters so much right now:

📉 Lower asking prices = lower down payment
A lower purchase price means less money needed upfront. On a 5% down payment, the difference between a $441,000 home and a $429,500 home is over $575 back in your pocket before you even close.

💳 Lower asking prices = lower monthly payment
Even with rates where they are, a lower purchase price meaningfully reduces your monthly principal and interest. Every dollar off the asking price is money you don't have to finance over 30 years.

🤝 Lower asking prices = more motivated sellers
Sellers who have adjusted their price expectations are also more likely to negotiate on concessions, closing costs, repairs, and timelines. This is a buyer's leverage moment — and the savvy buyers working with experienced agents are capitalizing on it right now.

📊 Lower asking prices + more inventory = real options
Combine this price pullback with the fact that new listings have nearly doubled since December, and buyers in West Chester, Mason, Fairfield, and Liberty Township have more homes to choose from at better prices than they've had in years. That combination doesn't last forever.

🔑 Cincinnati buyers have an added advantage
Remember — Ohio ranks in the Top 10 most affordable states in the country. Cincinnati's asking prices were never at the stratospheric levels of coastal markets. Which means this pullback here hits even sweeter — you're getting Midwest value at a further discount. That's a genuinely rare opportunity.

Here's the honest truth: buyers who waited out 2022 and 2023 hoping for prices to come down? They've come down. Buyers who are waiting for rates to drop to 5%? They may be waiting a very long time — and watching this price advantage evaporate in the meantime as demand builds through the summer.

The window is open. The prices are better. The inventory is up. And the Lowry Team is ready to help you walk through that door. 🙌

👉 Ready to see what $429,500 — or less — gets you in Greater Cincinnati right now? Visit LowryTeam.com or send us a message today. Let's go find your home.
💬 Buyers — does this news change your timeline at all? Drop a comment below — we want to hear where you're at! 👇

☀️ Our FREE Summer Guides for Buyers and Sellers are officially out — and they're packed with everything you need to make your next move in Greater Cincinnati this season.

Whether you're buying your first home, upsizing for a growing family, downsizing now that the kids are gone, or finally ready to cash in on the equity you've been building — summer 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most opportunity-rich markets we've seen in years.

And we want to make sure you walk into it fully prepared. 🏡

Inside the FREE Summer Buyer's Guide:
🔑 How to get pre-approved and ready to move fast in a competitive market
🏘️ What to look for in West Chester, Mason, Fairfield, and Liberty Township right now
💰 How to negotiate concessions, rate buydowns, and closing cost assistance
📋 The step-by-step process from first showing to closing day
⚡ How to win in multiple offer situations without overpaying
🆕 New construction vs. existing homes — which makes more sense for you this summer

Inside the FREE Summer Seller's Guide:
📸 How to prepare, stage, and photograph your home for maximum impact
💵 The pricing strategy that puts you in the 40% who sell at or above asking
⏱️ Why days on market matters more than ever — and how to avoid sitting
📣 How the Lowry Team markets your home across every channel buyers are using
🤝 How to evaluate offers, negotiate terms, and close with confidence
📅 Why summer buyers are serious buyers — and how to attract the right ones

This isn't a generic checklist you could find anywhere online. This is a real, practical guide built specifically for the Greater Cincinnati market in 2026 — the neighborhoods, the trends, the strategies, and the insider knowledge that comes from years of doing this right here in your backyard.

The best part? It's completely free. No strings attached. Just genuinely useful information from a team that believes an informed client is the best kind of client. 🙌

To get your free digital copy:
💬 Comment "BUYER" below for the Buyer's Guide
💬 Comment "SELLER" below for the Seller's Guide
💬 Comment "BOTH" if you're buying and selling at the same time
📩 Or send us a DM and we'll get it to you right away
👉 You can also reach us anytime at LowryTeam.com — our team is ready to help you make this your summer. ☀️🏡

🏡 Ohio just made the Top 10 Most Affordable States in the country — and if you live in Greater Cincinnati, that's something worth celebrating.

According to WalletHub, Ohio ranks among the top 10 most affordable states based on housing cost as a percentage of median household income, coming in at just 19.7%. That means the typical Ohio household spends less than 20 cents of every dollar they earn on housing costs.

Compare that to California, where housing can consume 40–50% of household income. Or New York. Or Colorado. Or virtually any coastal market where teachers, nurses, and working families have been priced out entirely.

Ohio — and Greater Cincinnati specifically — is a fundamentally different story. 🙌
Here's what that 19.7% figure actually means for real people in West Chester, Fairfield, Mason, and Liberty Township:

💰 More house for your money
The same income that buys a 1,200 square foot condo in a major coastal city can buy a spacious 3 or 4 bedroom home in one of Cincinnati's top-rated suburbs — with a yard, a garage, and a great school district to go with it.

📈 More financial breathing room
When housing costs stay below 20% of your income, you have money left over for everything else — retirement savings, college funds, family vacations, and building the kind of financial security that's genuinely out of reach in high-cost states.

🏫 Top-rated communities at attainable prices
West Chester, Mason, and Liberty Township consistently rank among the best places to live in Ohio — excellent schools, low crime, strong job markets, and thriving local economies. This isn't affordable-because-there's-nothing-here. This is affordable-and-genuinely-great. That combination is rare in America right now.

🔄 A magnet for people leaving expensive states
We're seeing it every day — buyers relocating from California, Florida, New York, and other high-cost markets who are absolutely blown away by what their money buys them here. Ohio's affordability advantage isn't just good for current residents. It's driving demand and supporting home values for everyone who already owns here.

🏆 One of the best kept secrets in American real estate
While everyone talks about Sun Belt migration and coastal exodus, the Midwest — and Ohio in particular — has been quietly delivering exceptional value, strong appreciation, and an outstanding quality of life for years. The data is finally catching up to what locals have known all along.

If you've been on the fence about buying, or if you know someone who's been priced out of a more expensive market and is looking for a fresh start — Greater Cincinnati deserves to be at the top of that conversation. This is one of the best places in America to put down roots right now, and the numbers back it up completely.

👉 Ready to take advantage of Ohio's affordability and find your perfect home in the Cincinnati area? Visit LowryTeam.com or send us a message today — let's show you what's possible here.
💬 Ohio residents — do you feel like you get great value for your housing dollar compared to other states? And if you've relocated here from somewhere else, what surprised you most about the Cincinnati market? Tell us below! 👇

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Our Clients Say The Nicest Things! 😍 💖

📊 Inflation just hit a 3-year high. Here's exactly what that means if you're thinking about buying or selling a home in Cincinnati right now.

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, inflation has climbed to its highest level in three years. And while that headline might feel like just another piece of unsettling economic news, the real estate implications are specific, significant, and — depending on your situation — might actually strengthen the case for moving sooner rather than later.

Let's break it down. 👇

What rising inflation means for buyers:

🏠 Home prices are likely to keep climbing
Real estate has historically been one of the most reliable hedges against inflation. When the cost of everything goes up — labor, materials, land, goods — home values tend to rise with it. The buyers who act now are locking in today's prices before inflation pushes them higher. The buyers who wait are essentially betting that prices will fall — and nearly 70 years of data says that's a losing bet.

💳 Your rent is going up too
Inflation doesn't just affect home prices. It hits your grocery bill, your utility costs, your car insurance — and your rent. Landlords pass rising costs directly to tenants. Homeowners with a fixed-rate mortgage? Their principal and interest payment stays exactly the same no matter what inflation does. That payment certainty is one of the most underrated advantages of owning in an inflationary environment.

📉 Mortgage rates may stay elevated longer
High inflation typically keeps the Federal Reserve from cutting interest rates aggressively. That means buyers hoping for a dramatic rate drop before they purchase may be waiting longer than they'd like. Locking in a rate today — and refinancing if rates eventually fall — is a strategy more and more Cincinnati buyers are embracing right now.

What rising inflation means for sellers:

💰 Your home's value is being protected and pushed higher
Inflation is, in many ways, a tailwind for home values. The rising cost of construction means new homes cost more to build — which supports and elevates the value of existing homes like yours. If you've been sitting on significant equity, that equity is being preserved and potentially grown by the same inflationary forces making everything else more expensive.

⏰ Motivated buyers are accelerating their timelines
Buyers who understand inflation are moving faster — not slower. They know that waiting means higher prices, potentially higher rates, and higher costs on everything associated with the move. That urgency is good for sellers who are priced right and ready to go.

The bottom line for Greater Cincinnati homeowners and buyers:

Inflation is uncomfortable. Nobody loves seeing prices rise across the board. But for people who own real estate — or who are about to buy it — history consistently shows that property is one of the strongest stores of value when inflation runs hot. The families in West Chester, Mason, Fairfield, and Liberty Township who own their homes are watching their biggest asset hold its value and grow while everything around them gets more expensive.

And for renters? Every month of inflation is another month your landlord's costs go up — and another month closer to your next rent increase. The best time to lock in a fixed housing cost was yesterday. The second best time is today. 🏡

👉 Want to talk through what the current inflation environment means for your specific buying or selling timeline in Greater Cincinnati? Visit LowryTeam.com or send us a message — we'll give you a straight, honest read on your situation.
💬 Has inflation changed your thinking about buying or selling a home? Tell us how you're navigating it below — you're not alone, and the conversation might help someone else too. 👇

🔮 Everyone wants to know the same thing right now: what's the housing market going to do in the second half of 2026?

It's the question we get more than any other. And honestly? It's a great one to be asking — because the answer has real implications for whether you should be buying, selling, or strategically waiting in the Greater Cincinnati area right now.

Here's what the experts and leading indicators are pointing to for the rest of 2026:

🏠 Home prices: Modest growth expected
Most forecasts are calling for continued but slower appreciation in the 2–4% range nationally. Cincinnati has historically outperformed national averages in stability, which means West Chester, Mason, Fairfield, and Liberty Township should remain solid ground for both buyers and sellers. Prices are unlikely to drop significantly — but the days of 10–19% annual jumps are behind us for now.

📉 Mortgage rates: Cautiously optimistic
The wild rate swings we saw earlier this spring have everyone on edge — and rightfully so. Most economists are projecting rates could ease back toward the mid-6% range by year's end if inflation continues cooling and the Fed adjusts policy. But as we've seen, uncertainty can flip that outlook fast. Waiting for a perfect rate is still a gamble.

📦 Inventory: Gradually improving
New listings have nearly doubled since December, and that trend is expected to continue through summer and fall. More inventory is good news for buyers — but it also means sellers need to be more strategic than ever about pricing and presentation to stand out.

🏗️ New construction: Picking up steam
With new home prices at a 5-year low and builders motivated to move inventory, new construction will continue to be a compelling option for buyers in the Cincinnati suburbs through the end of the year. Expect builders to keep offering rate buydowns and closing cost incentives to stay competitive.

👥 Buyer demand: Steady and building
Mortgage applications are up 21%. Pending sales are rising. The buyers who sat out 2024 and early 2025 waiting for rates to fall are starting to move — and that pent-up demand is going to fuel activity through the fall market in ways we haven't seen in a couple of years.
The bottom line for Greater Cincinnati buyers and sellers:

The second half of 2026 is shaping up to be an active, opportunity-filled market — but one that rewards preparation and strategy over waiting and hoping. The window for the late May listing sweet spot is closing. Summer buyers are starting their searches now. And the buyers who get pre-approved and ready today will be the ones celebrating at closing tables this fall. 🏡🙌

Nobody has a crystal ball. But we have 20+ years of experience navigating every kind of Cincinnati market there is — and right now, the data and the momentum are pointing in a direction that makes us genuinely excited for our clients on both sides of the transaction.

👉 Want a personalized read on what the rest of 2026 means for YOUR specific situation — whether you're buying, selling, or both? Visit LowryTeam.com or send us a DM today. We love these conversations. ☎️

💬 What's your prediction for the housing market in the second half of 2026? Bullish, bearish, or somewhere in between? Drop your take below — let's discuss! 👇