Did High Gas Prices Fuel the Housing Crisis? “High gasoline prices provided the trigger that burst the [housing] bubble,” says JunJie Wu, an Oregon State economist and one of the authors of a new study that blames high gas prices as the main culprit for the housing crisis that started in 2007. “The theory recognizes …
Category: News
Apr 06
Opportunity in Vacation Homes
More Buyers See Opportunity in Vacation Homes. Some buyers are calling the vacation-home market the “perfect storm,” — falling home values, low mortgage rates, and increased affordability — which is prompting more opportunity in the second-home market. The National Association of REALTORS® reported last week that vacation home sales increased 7 percent in 2011 over …
Apr 06
Emerging Foreclosure Tide
Risk Changes in Emerging Foreclosure Tide. Banks are expected to pick up the pace of foreclosures, which will send a new wave of these properties on the market soon, housing experts say. This anticipated “wave” will occur at a time when the housing market has been showing signs of strengthening in pockets across the country, …
Apr 04
Will Housing Prices Soar By 2014?
Will Housing Prices Soar By 2014? Real estate economists and analysts are increasingly optimistic that the housing market will have a dramatic recovery in the next two years, according to results of a new semi-annual survey of 38 real estate economists and analysts conducted by the Urban Land Institute’s Center for Capital Markets and Real …
Apr 04
New Meaning to ‘Rock-Bottom’ Prices
New Meaning to ‘Rock-Bottom’ Prices. Despite steady improvements in the housing market recently, ultra-low priced properties can still be found in many markets, and thousands of homes nationwide have properties for-sale at $10,000 or even less, MSNBC.com reports. Prices are so low on some properties that even a 14-year-old girl — with the help …
Apr 03
The new American household: 3 generations, 1 roof
The new American household: 3 generations, 1 roof. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — As the economy continues to take a toll on consumers’ finances, a growing number of people are discovering that becoming roommates with mom and dad, or a 20- or 30-something son or daughter, helps to ease some of the financial pain in tough …
Mar 30
Housing Is ‘Awakening From Hibernation
Housing Is ‘Awakening From Hibernation,’ Freddie Says An improving economy is contributing to a gradual rebound in home prices across the country, according to mortgage giant Freddie Mac’s 2012 Economic Outlook report, released Wednesday. But there is still a way to go in the road to recovery for the housing market, the report noted. …
Mar 30
FHA Loan Apps Rise as Borrowers Try to Beat Fee Hikes
FHA Loan Apps Rise as Borrowers Try to Beat Fee Hikes Mortgage applications for Federal Housing Administration loans soared 11 percent from the previous week as borrowers try to rush their applications in to beat the higher FHA costs that will start rolling out on Monday, according to the U.S. Mortgage Market Index report released …
Mar 29
The foreclosure settlement looks like a hit-or-miss game
The $26 billion crapshoot…The foreclosure settlement looks like a hit-or-miss game that leaves millions of homeowners out in the cold. Foreclosure settlement looks like A roll of the dice! Homeowners hoping the $26 billion foreclosure abuse settlement would mean big savings on their mortgages were mostly disappointed. Even though a million borrowers will have their …
Mar 27
How Involved Should Sellers be in a Real Estate Sale?
How Involved Should Sellers be in a Real Estate Sale? With competition high, sellers may be intervening more when it comes to selling their home, and it can cause personalities to clash. Because it might take a little longer to find a buyer nowadays, some sellers are getting very “hands on,” proofreading every line carefully on …
Mar 27
Single-Family Real Estate Investment: It’s Time To Get Back In
Single-Family Real Estate Investment: It’s Time To Get Back In! “…if I had a way of buying a couple hundred thousand single-family homes…I would load up on them and…take mortgages out at very, very low rates…it’s a leveraged way of owning a very cheap asset now and I think that’s probably as an attractive an …
Mar 26
30-Year Mortgage Rates Edge Above 4%
30-Year Mortgage Rates Edge Above 4% Mortgage rates moved up quite a bit this week, following higher bond yields and improving economic data, Freddie Mac reports in its weekly mortgage market survey. “Mortgage rates are catching up with increases in U.S. Treasury bond yields, placing the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate above 4 percent for …
