Post-Turkey Slump? Loan Demand Drops The Thanksgiving holiday may have taken a bite out of mortgage applications last week. Mortgage applications dropped 3.1 percent for the week on a seasonally adjusted report, which included the Thanksgiving holiday, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported Wednesday. The MBA’s mortgage index reflects demand for refinancing and home purchase applications. …
Category: Real Estate Tips
Nov 29
This Is How Fast a Home Sells Today
This Is How Fast a Home Sells Today Homes today spend a median time of three weeks on the market—far shorter than the median of 11 weeks five years ago, according to new data from the National Association of REALTORS®. “The inventory shortage and the growing economy and job creation has increased the interest in …
Nov 27
Plenty to Be Thankful for in Real Estate
Plenty to Be Thankful for in Real Estate The housing market may be facing some headwinds with ongoing inventory shortages and the looming threat of tax reform from lawmakers, but don’t let these stories spoil your outlook completely. There are several factors sparking more optimism in real estate lately. Here are a few housing indicators …
Nov 22
Where Owners Forget to Lock Their Doors
Where Owners Forget to Lock Their Doors A burglary occurs about every 20 seconds, and some homeowners may be making it too easy for intruders. A burglar may knock on the door first to check if a resident is home. Some will then test the doorknob—if it’s unlocked, they’ve got easy access. In a survey …
Nov 16
Affordable Housing Crisis Hits Rural Areas
Affordable Housing Crisis Hits Rural Areas Working families in rural areas looking for a home are finding it’s not a lack of inventory that is a challenge, but being able to afford what is available. A new study found that rural areas, particularly those in second-home or retiree havens, lack enough affordable and adequate …
Nov 15
Facebook Makes Big Push Into Rental Listings
Facebook Makes Big Push Into Rental Listings Facebook plans to significantly expand its rental real estate listings section in its Marketplace as it attempts to better compete against Craigslist, eBay, and other e-commerce platforms. Currently, Facebook allows individual homeowners to list their homes for sale on the Marketplace. But Facebook now seeks to beef …
Nov 14
Buyers Want ‘Sold’ Photo Shoot After Closing
Buyers Want ‘Sold’ Photo Shoot After Closing Instead of popping the champagne after your clients officially become new homeowners, how about setting up a photo shoot to help them document the occasion? First-time buyers are showing greater interest in sharing their status as new homeowners with their peers online, so many real estate pros are …
Nov 13
Glitch in Messaging Apps May Expose Calls
Glitch in Messaging Apps May Expose Calls A glitch in nearly 700 iOS and Android apps could expose your private messages and calls. Appthority, a mobile threat protection firm, discovered the flaw in the development of apps often used for communications by businesses. It published a report on its findings Thursday. The firm believes up …
Nov 09
Twitter Officially Doubles Its Character Count
Twitter Officially Doubles Its Character Count Twitter’s approximately 330 million users can now send tweets on that are up to 280 characters in length, Twitter announced Tuesday. That is double its previous limit of 140 characters. In September, Twitter tested longer tweets on a small group of users. The company says they found those with …
Nov 08
Investors Eye Parking Spaces for Bigger Profit
Investors Eye Parking Spaces for Bigger Profit Real estate investors are utilizing parking spaces as lucrative investments in some major metros across the country. Buying up individual parking spaces is garnering greater interest among small investors who are looking for a low-maintenance investment with potentially big profits, The New York Times reports. For investors, parking spaces can …
Nov 06
Mortgage Rates Mostly Flat This Week
Mortgage Rates Mostly Flat This Week Mortgage rates mostly held steady this week after posting a sizable jump last week. “Following a strong surge last week, rates held relatively flat this week,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “The 30-year mortgage rate remained unchanged at 3.94 percent, while the 10-year Treasury yield dipped …
Nov 03
Tax Reform Bill Would Cap MID for New Mortgages
Tax Reform Bill Would Cap MID for New Mortgages The Republican leadership in the House has released its long-awaited bill to reform the nation’s tax code, and it raises significant concerns for middle-class homeowners because of limits on the mortgage interest deduction and the deductions for property taxes and state and local taxes. “This legislation …
