Average Mortgage Amount Increases to $410,000 The dollar value of mortgages home buyers are taking out is soaring as they try to afford higher home prices. The average amount for a mortgage averaged $410,000 last week, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association. That marks the highest average mortgage amount since May. “With home …
Category: Real Estate Tips
Oct 05
Mortgage Rates Back Above 3%
Mortgage Rates Back Above 3% The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.01% this week, posting a sharp rise after spending nearly four months below 3%. Economists expect mortgage rates to continue to increase modestly over the next few months. “Mortgage rates rose across all loan types this week as the 10-year Treasury yield reached its highest …
Oct 04
More New Homes Are Being Built With 4-Plus Bedrooms
More New Homes Are Being Built With 4-Plus Bedrooms More Americans are desiring bigger homes since the pandemic—and builders are responding. The share of new single-family homes with four or more bedrooms posted a sharp uptick, unlike in recent years, the National Association of Home Builders reports on its Eye on Housing blog. The share …
Oct 04
Inventory Hits 2021 High, Competition Remains Fierce
Inventory Hits 2021 High, Competition Remains Fierce Home buyers are finding more housing selections this fall, but they’re still up against some serious competition. Nearly one-third of the 50 largest metros saw increases in the number of newly listed homes compared to last year, according to a new report from realtor.com®. “This September, buyers …
Sep 29
Affordable Counties for Homeowners
Affordable Counties for Homeowners Home prices surging has been squeezing housing affordability. Seventy-five percent of the U.S. counties recently analyzed had less affordable median-priced single-family homes in the third quarter compared to their historical averages, according to ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate data firm. Home prices are rising faster than wages in most of the …
Sep 29
FHFA Extends COVID-19 Forbearance for Multifamily
FHFA Extends COVID-19 Forbearance for Multifamily The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced that mortgage financing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will continue to offer forbearance indefinitely to qualifying multifamily property owners as part of their ongoing COVID-19 protection. This marks the fourth extension the FHFA has made to the programs. The latest were set …
Sep 28
Common Phrases To Avoid
Common Phrases To Avoid Certain words and phrases you use may undermine your authority and professionalism. Lifehacker.com recently spotlighted some of these common “apprehensive phrases” that make you sound less confident. Here are a few words that made their list: “Just” “When we introduce our questions and ideas with this four-letter word—‘I’m just following …
Sep 28
Homes With More Daylight May Improve Moods
Homes With More Daylight May Improve Moods Let more light into your home and you can lower your anxiety and stress levels and even improve your sleep. Increasing daylight in a home can affect a person’s circadian rhythm, sleep, vitality, and mental health, according to a newly published, peer-reviewed paper in the International Journal of …
Sep 27
Fed Hints Mortgage Rates May Soon Rise
Fed Hints Mortgage Rates May Soon Rise Interest rates are expected to soon rise, even as the Federal Reserve announced on Wednesday that it would keep its benchmark rate near zero. The Fed, however, warned that it was preparing to taper its emergency stimulus efforts from the pandemic, including winding down its bond purchases. …
Sep 27
Owners See Perks of Home Rentals
Owners See Perks of Home Rentals An increasing number of homeowners—particularly younger adults—are seeing their home as a potential revenue stream. They’re more open to renting out their home to generate extra money and help offset the costs of owning, finds a new survey of more than 3,000 consumers conducted by realtor.com®. Thirty-two percent …