Who Represents You in Today’s Real Estate Market? We Will Give You The Inside Scoop!

September 4, 2025

Let’s be honest, when it comes to home buying and selling a house everyone wants to win, financially speaking.


In today’s market buyers who aren’t educated in real estate will try to go around realtors and research homes for themselves. The misconception is that buyers will avoid the realtor’s fees by going directly through the listing agent when in reality they work for the seller only.


The benefit of hiring a local realtor is that they can advocate on your behalf, negotiate and educate. At Martino Realty in Staten Island, they will walk a home buyer through a training of “Home buying 101”. Clearly define what you’d like and need in a home and they will research one until they find the best match.


We are committed to providing you with the specialized real estate service you deserve. As an informed buyer or seller, they will help you make the best decision of your life, by keeping you up to date on trends in the market place.


If you’d like to find out more information about Martino Realty and what they can do for you fill out our form here or call them at (718) 608-9400 today!

Is January the Best Time To Buy a Home?

January 8, 2026
Buying a home in January could save you money. Discover why winter buyers see lower prices, fewer bidding wars, and better terms.

2026 Housing Market Outlook

December 31, 2025
After a couple of years where the housing market felt stuck in neutral, 2026 may be the year things shift back into gear. Expert forecasts show more people are expected to move – and that could open the door for you to do the same.  More Homes Will Sell With all of the affordability challenges at play over the past few years, many would-be movers pressed pause. But that pause button isn’t going to last forever. There are always people who need to move. And experts think more of them will start to act in 2026 ( see graph below ):

Why More Homeowners Are Giving Up Their Low Mortgage Rate

December 24, 2025
If you’re like a lot of homeowners, you’ve probably thought: “I’d like to move… but I don’t want to give up my 3% rate.” That’s fair. That rate has been one of your best financial wins – and it can be hard to let go. But here’s what you need to remember… A great rate won’t make up for a home that no longer works for you. Life changes, and sometimes, your home needs to change with it. And you’re not the only one making that choice. The Lock-In Effect Is Starting To Ease Many homeowners have been frozen in place by something the experts call the lock-in effect. That’s when you won’t move because you don’t want to take on a higher rate on your next home loan. But data from Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) shows the lock-in effect is slowly starting to ease for some people. The share of homeowners with a mortgage rate below 3% ( the yellow in the graph below ) is slowly declining as more people move. And while some of the people with a rate over 6% are first-time buyers, the number of homeowners with a rate above 6% ( the blue ) is rising as others take on higher rates for their next home: