Google Searches of Homes for Sale Show Strong Rebound Americans are resuming their house hunting online after taking a pause during the initial stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. One way to track potential buyer interest: internet searches. 10 Metros With the Largest Spikes in Google Searches The following cities have seen the largest increases in …
Category: News
May 19
PPP Loan Forgiveness Application Released
PPP Loan Forgiveness Application Released The Small Business Administration and U.S. Treasury Department have released an application for business owners to have their Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiven. Real estate professional who received a PPP loan should complete and submit the application, which was released Friday, to their PPP lender. The program was created through the …
May 18
Fannie, Freddie Allow Payment Deferral Post-Forbearance
Fannie, Freddie Allow Payment Deferral Post-Forbearance Mortgage financing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced that homeowners in forbearance can request payment deferrals and tack any missed payments on to the end of their loan term, without penalty or added interest. Under forbearance, homeowners are still required to repay any missed payments. But the government-sponsored …
May 15
Builders Offer Incentives to Draw Out Buyers
Builders Offer Incentives to Draw Out Buyers Homebuilders want to turn buyers on to new-home construction, and they’re willing to sweeten the pot to do so. More builders reportedly are offering discounts or offering free upgrades—like new appliances—or covering closing costs to attract buyers. Most of these incentives appear to be targeted at new homes …
May 14
80% of Tenants Paid Rent in April
80% of Tenants Paid Rent in April Despite the pandemic, the majority of tenants are still keeping up with their rent payments. The majority of renter households—80.2%—made a full or partial rental payment for the month of April by May 6, according to the National Multifamily Housing Council. The analysis, which tracked 11.4 million …
May 13
Road to Freedom – Selling your home.
Road to Freedom – Selling your home. Use the information below to help prepare you to sell your current home and get into your new home quickly. The road to selling a home can be daunting without the help of a professional real estate agent. It’s our goal to get your home sold quickly with …
May 12
SBA Disaster Loans Capped at $150K, Limited to Agriculture
SBA Disaster Loans Capped at $150K, Limited to Agriculture New restrictions on the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program may prompt real estate professionals to look to other funding programs. Responding to the skyrocketing demand and evaporating funding, the Small Business Administration has reduced the size of loans it will issue through the EIDL program. …
May 11
Mortgage Rates Hover Near All-Time Lows
Mortgage Rates Hover Near All-Time Lows The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage inched up slightly this week to average 3.26%, but remains near its record low. “Mortgage rates stayed at or near record lows for the fifth straight week and homeowners are taking advantage with refinance activity remaining high,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. Freddie …
May 08
Preparing to List After the Pandemic
Preparing to List After the Pandemic Real estate professionals report that about 77% of potential sellers are preparing to sell their homes once stay-at-home orders from the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted, according to a newly released survey from the National Association of REALTORS®. More than half of REALTORS® report their clients are taking on do-it-yourself …
May 07
White House Extends Safe Harbor for Returning PPP Funds
White House Extends Safe Harbor for Returning PPP Funds Companies that may have taken more than their fair share of Paycheck Protection Program funds have an additional week to return the loans without facing a penalty. Newly released Small Business Administration guidance on Tuesday shifted the date from May 7 to May 14. The administration …
May 06
Stay-at-Home Orders Present New DIY Opportunities
Stay-at-Home Orders Present New DIY Opportunities More homeowners are taking on do-it-yourself house projects while staying at home, which is helping to add value and appeal to their properties. Even small projects, like cleaning tile grout, can make a big difference, real estate pros say. Big-box hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s reported an …
May 05
Pandemic Making Suburbs More Appealing
Pandemic Making Suburbs More Appealing Some real estate forecasters predict a wave of people moving from the city to the suburbs in search of more space in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While 30% of Americans say they’ve browsed a real estate site recently, according to a Harris Poll conducted April 25-27, urbanites are twice …
