Rising Incomes Provide More Buyer Relief Rising incomes are helping to offset recent increases in mortgage rates and gave a boost to housing affordability in the first quarter of this year, the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index shows. The index showed that 61.6 percent of new and existing homes sold between …
Tag: News
May 11
4 Hot Trends for Outdoor Spaces
4 Hot Trends for Outdoor Spaces Regardless of its size, a home’s outdoor space should be a showpiece in a listing. “This year it’s really about making your outdoor space function like an interior space for all things fun, lounging, and entertaining,” Gretchen Kennelly, a San Diego interior designer, told realtor.com®. Designers offered up …
May 10
Lower Rates Do Little to Spur Loan Demand
Lower Rates Do Little to Spur Loan Demand Mortgage rates dropped last week, but that didn’t seem to push homeowners or home buyers to take advantage. Total mortgage applications—for home purchases and refinances—dropped 0.4 percent for the week. Volume is now 6 percent lower than a year ago, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported Wednesday. Refinance …
May 09
Questions about VA Financing?
Questions about VA Financing? I would greatly appreciate an opportunity to answer your questions. What is the maximum sales price I can purchase with no down payment? What type of property can I purchase? Are VA Loans assumable? How can I obtain a certificate of eligibility? What if my spouse is overseas or at …
May 08
FHA Borrowers Get Help Funding Solar Panels
FHA Borrowers Get Help Funding Solar Panels A growing number of lending programs are helping homeowners pay the upfront costs of solar panels. One lender, Guild Mortgage, an independent lender, recently announced a program that allows home buyers to lump the costs of solar panels into an FHA loan. California residents will be the first to …
May 07
How to Prevent a Low Appraisal
How to Prevent a Low Appraisal Many buyers are offering more than the asking price on properties undergoing bidding wars, but when the appraisal reveals the true market value of the home, they may find they’ve agreed to pay too much. Home sales commonly fall through when a property appraises for less than the …
May 04
Why Pre-approval Isn’t a Reliable Stop Gap
Why Pre-approval Isn’t a Reliable Stop Gap It’s common advice for buyers to obtain a mortgage preapproval letter from a lender before going out with a real estate agent to look at homes. The rationale is that preapproval puts in writing the loan amount a buyer is qualified to receive, all but guaranteeing the price …
May 03
DocuSign Soars After IPO Debut
DocuSign Soars After IPO Debut DocuSign, the e-signature company that helped usher in the era of digital real estate closings, debuted as an initial public offering on April 27 and is off to a strong start. Shares of DocuSign ended up 37 percent higher by the end of its first day of trading …
May 02
Freedom First Program
Freedom First Program The freedom first program provides eligible borrowers with the opportunity to finace their own home – even if their credit isn’t perfect. Requirements for credit scores as low as 500: Available for FHA nd VA loans 500 – 549 credit scores or borrowers who have NO credit scores We follow …
May 01
3 Ways to Beat Your Competition
3 Ways to Beat Your Competition With a tight market this spring, competition for listings and buyers will be fiercer among real estate professionals. So how can you show clients you’d be the best representative for their housing needs? Forbes.com recently featured tips for salespeople to capture more of their market share, including personalizing your …
Apr 30
Mortgage Rates Surge to 4-Year High
Mortgage Rates Surge to 4-Year High Mortgage rates continued their climb this week, reaching their highest level since 2013. “Higher Treasury yields, driven by rising commodity prices, more Treasury issuances, and the steady stream of solid economic news are behind the uptick in rates over the past week,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Despite …
Apr 27
Buyers Stretch Budgets to Be More Competitive
Buyers Stretch Budgets to Be More Competitive Buyer demand is high but the number of homes for sale is low. This is prompting more shoppers to stretch their budgets, put less money down, or turn to adjustable-rate loans to prevail in a bidding war for a home. “The frustration with the lack of inventory …
