What Foreclosure Wave? False Alarm? Many housing experts for months have been warning a foreclosure wave would soon flood several markets throughout the country. But was it all a false alarm? Recent surveys have shown that foreclosure sales have dropped to their lowest point in more than two years. And while according to March data, …
Tag: News
May 04
30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate Continues to Slide
30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate Continues to Slide. Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed mortgages fell this week, with the current rate borrowers were quoted on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace at 3.69 percent, down from 3.72 percent at this same time last week. After rising to 3.77 percent on Wednesday, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate hovered between 3.7 …
May 03
Green Homes Increase Market Share
Green Homes Increase Market Share. Remodeling and construction of single-family homes to make them Green Homes continues to grow as more attention is placed on the benefits of going green for energy efficiency savings and better indoor quality, a new study shows. In the construction market, the Green Homes market share has grown to 17 percent in …
May 02
More Buyers Eye Unlisted Homes as Options
More Buyers Eye Unlisted Homes as Options. As housing inventories shrink, more buyers are reportedly finding their perfect home in properties that haven’t even been listed on the market yet. “Such back-pocket deals used to involve mostly luxury homes where buyers and sellers wanted to keep the sale hush-hush,” The Star Tribune reports. “But lower-priced …
May 01
Home ownership falls to lowest rate in 15 years
Home ownership falls to lowest rate in 15 years. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Home ownership in the U.S. fell to its lowest rate in 15 years during the first quarter as more delinquent borrowers lost their homes to foreclosure, forcing many to rent. The percentage of Americans who own their homes dropped a full percentage …
Apr 27
Has the Housing Market Finally Reached Bottom?
Has the Housing Market Finally Reached Bottom? If home buyers or home owners are waiting for the housing market to hit bottom before acting, they may have already missed it. “The crash is over,” Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody’s Analytics Inc., told Bloomberg about the real estate market. “Home sales—both new and existing—and housing …
Apr 27
Fed Renews Vow to Keep Interest Rates Low
Fed Renews Vow to Keep Interest Rates Low. The Fed voted this week to continue its near-zero interest rates policy for the next quarter and likely much longer. The move will keep mortgage interest rates low in the coming months, if not years. In recent weeks, mortgage interest rates have hovered around record lows, which …
Apr 26
5 Ways to Sell a Home Faster, For More Money
5 Ways to Sell a Home Faster, For More Money. 24/7 Wall St. recently asked real estate experts and several real estate organizations to weigh in on how sellers can get their house sold at the best price and in the shortest amount of time. Here’s what they had to say as the best 5 Ways …
Apr 25
More Single Family Homes Turned Into Rentals
More Single Family Homes Turned Into Rentals. As the number of for-sale homes listed on the multiple listing service (MLS) drops, the number of single family homes up for rent has been gradually increasing, RISMedia reports. Single family home rentals are a growing business, as more investors buy up foreclosures at bargain prices and then …
Apr 23
Having A Good School Nearby Improves Home Values
Having A Good School Nearby Improves Home Values. Living near a high-scoring public school district can raise home values $205,000 higher compared to homes located in neighborhoods with low-scoring school districts, according to a new study by Brookings Institution. Brookings analyzed the nation’s 100 largest metro areas to find the differences between living near a …
Apr 20
Short Sales Start to Outpace Foreclosures
Short Sales Start to Outpace Foreclosures. Banks are agreeing to more short sales, and for the first time, short sale transactions are exceeding foreclosure deals, according to the most recent housing data from Lender Processing Services (LPS) Inc. In January, short sales made up 23.9 percent of home purchases, according to LPS. Meanwhile, foreclosures made …
Apr 18
Foreclosure Scams Rise Nearly 60%
Foreclosure Scams Rise Nearly 60% Mortgage foreclosure scams — which seek to dupe struggling home owners with offers to save them from financial troubles — have soared nearly 60 percent this year. Scammers are increasingly using federal programs, like refinance programs such as HARP and HAMP, to try to trick home owners, reports the Homeownership …
