Jan 05
When Sellers Try to Take Too Much Some sellers want to take more with them than a favorite light fixture or curtain rod. They may want to move entire rooms to their new home. That’s what Cindy Jones, a real estate broker in Woodbridge, Va., recently encountered when she saw a listing that noted …
Dec 30
Veterans Missing Out on Home Ownership? Military vets who fail to look into government programs could be leaving money on the table when they purchase a home, according to a new article published by the Los Angeles Times. Loans guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs potentially offer big savings, and can be a way …
Dec 29
Housing Markets Show Signs of Stabilizing A greater number of housing markets are showing signs of normalizing, as 70 of the markets tracked by a Freddie Mac index now move to positive momentum. Freddie Mac’s latest Multi-Indicator Market Index (MiMi) showed a reading of 74.5 nationwide, which still indicates a weak housing market overall …
Dec 24
‘Naughtiest, Nicest Housing Market’ List Researchers have been checking their lists, trying to find out which housing markets have been naughty or nice this year. RealtyTrac analyzed 334 U.S. cities with populations of at least 100,000 to compile lists of the nicest — those markets with some of the lowest crime rates and foreclosures, highest …
Dec 23
Home Sales Lost Momentum in November Existing-home sales fell last month as housing supply showed signs of tightening, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ latest housing report. Sales activity was choppy throughout the country, with all regions posting declines compared to a month earlier, NAR noted. “Fewer people bought homes last month despite interest …
Dec 22
Home Buying Gets Cheaper This Week The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage this week dipped to its lowest level in more than a year, bringing borrowing costs down for home buyers and refinancers. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, the most popular loan among home buyers, averaged 3.80 percent this week, meaning that it has remained below 4 …
Dec 18
The Laptop-Powered Home? Research conducted by an IBM team may help keep discarded computer batteries out of landfills and give them a second life lighting homes. A study based in India found that by taking apart used batteries, verifying and using working cells, and adding circuitry to allow charging and prevent overheating, they could …
Dec 17
8 Things People Say Their Homes Don’t Have The majority of Americans say they are living in less-than-ideal housing and neighborhoods. The Demand Institute recently polled more than 10,000 households — both renters and home owners — across income levels to find their top unfulfilled housing needs and desires. “The biggest overarching thing is …
Dec 16
Americans Are 40% Poorer Today The net worth of American families has plunged 40 percent since 2007, right before the financial crisis struck, dipping to an average of $81,400 per household, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center. That’s down from $135,700 in 2007. Pew measures net worth as the difference between …
Dec 15
Stage Set to Revive First-Time Buyer Market The move by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac this week to offer 3 percent down payment loans may reignite the first-time home buyer market. Prior to this week’s announcement, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac issued loans with a minimum of a 5 percent down payment—however, the standard …
Dec 12
Owners, Appraisers Getting on the Same Page The discrepancy between appraisers’ and home owners’ opinions of home values is narrowing. In November, appraisers valued homes 1.56 percent higher than home owners, according to Quicken Loans’ Home Price Perception Index. “Mortgage financing often hinges on whether the appraised value coincides with the home values agreed upon …
Dec 10
Renters Want to Own But Can’t Though renters say they dream of owning a home one day, most of them will need to keep renting for at least the next three years, according to a new survey of more than 2,000 adults conducted by Freddie Mac. The majority of renters say they are still struggling …
