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 …
Tag: News
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 …
Apr 26
The Art Factor Boosts Housing
The Art Factor Boosts Housing Public art has been linked to building booms and price increases for residential real estate. That’s why developers and city planners alike are working to weave art throughout new real estate projects and public spaces. “Developers are beginning to see that if they want to attract tenants, they have to …
Apr 25
Dreaming about moving?
Dreaming about moving? Good news!! If you’ve been dreaming about moving up, but always thought you couldn’t afford it, FHA can help! Features: FHA can be your best option. Low fixed and adjustable rates. Low down payment requirements Great for moving up and purchasing a more expensive home. Great for refinancing your existing jumbo …
Apr 24
Bidding Wars Heat Up in Unassuming Towns
Bidding Wars Heat Up in Unassuming Towns You’d expect bidding wars in major cities such as San Francisco, Boston, and New York—but Akron, Ohio? The Midwestern town has seen the biggest spike in multiple-offer situations on listings in the nation, according to realtor.com®. And as housing demand picks up in the spring, ushering in the …
Apr 23
Mortgage Rates Jump to 4-Year High
Mortgage Rates Jump to 4-Year High After mostly stagnant activity levels in recent weeks, mortgage rates are back on the move. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to its highest level since January 2014 this week, also seeing its largest weekly increase since February of this year, Freddie Mac reports. Average mortgage rates were higher across …
