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 …
Tag: News
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 …
Mar 23
Buying is Cheaper Than Renting in Nearly All Major Cities
Buying is Cheaper Than Renting in Nearly All Major Cities Home buying is the smarter choice than renting, according to Trulia’s Winter 2012 Rent vs. Buy Index. Buying a home is more affordable than renting in 98 of the nation’s 100 largest metro areas, according to the index, which tracks asking prices for rental units …
Mar 22
FHFA to States: Stop the Roadblocks, Speed Up Foreclosures
FHFA to States: Stop the Roadblocks, Speed Up Foreclosures. States and municipalities may be inadvertently putting in roadblocks and costing taxpayers more when they approve policies that prolong the foreclosure process, such as by extending mediation services, Alfred Pollard, general counsel for the Federal Housing Finance Agency, testified at a House panel on Monday. Many …
Mar 22
February Existing-Home Sales Slip But Up Strongly From a Year Ago
February Existing-Home Sales Slip But Up Strongly From a Year Ago. February existing-home sales declined from an upwardly revised January pace but are well above a year ago, while the median price posted a slight gain, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Sales were up in the Midwest and South, offset by declines in …
Mar 20
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate – First-time Buyers Become Reality Stars
First-time Buyers Become Reality Stars. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has launched a new online and TV reality series starring first-time home buyers on the house hunt. The series, “Home, First Home,” launched online at YouTube this week. It will also air nationally on the syndicated show, “The Better Show,” in 150 markets across …
Mar 19
Mortgage Settlement Could Lead to More Scams
Mortgage Settlement Could Lead to More Scams. The recent announcement of the $25 million mortgage settlement between five major banks and state and federal government officials was probably welcome news to many people in the real estate business. But it has at least one downside: It will probably cause a rise in scams targeting borrowers …
Mar 19
Survey: Americans Upbeat About Home Values
Survey: Americans Upbeat About Home Values. Seventy percent of Americans say they are confident that home values will rise within the next two years, according to the Prudential Real Estate Outlook Survey of more than 1,000 Americans in the market to buy or sell a home. What’s more, 63 percent of respondents say that despite …