Brands Builders Favor Most New and advanced product features, along with product quality, price, availability, and green or sustainable features are top priorities for contractors and builders in choosing which products to use in new homes or remodels. Builder Magazine released its annual Brand Use Study, which lists the top products used by builders, developers, …
Tag: News
Apr 22
How Much Home Can I afford?
How Much Home Can I afford? How much home can you afford? Knowing the factors that lenders take into consideration when you apply for a home loan is a smart first step. With the help of myself and John Coneys of Freedom Mortgage, (NMLS# 183853 – 610.322.4886) we’ll determine the key factors that will affect …
Apr 21
Obstacles to Closing on Time
Obstacles to Closing on Time The majority of home sale contracts are settling on time, but 26% faced delays in February while 6% were terminated completely, according to the latest REALTORS® Confidence Index. The following chart shows the most common issues sparking a delay to closing. © National Association of REALTORS® The most …
Apr 21
Housing Starts Surge
Housing Starts Surge Builders ramped up construction of new homes last month, starting 1.74 million units in March—the highest rate in 14 years and a welcome sign that efforts are underway to meet strong buyer demand, Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of REALTORS®, writes on the association’s Economists’ Outlook blog. “As trade-up …
Apr 20
Some States Will Pay Home Buyers’ Student Loans
Some States Will Pay Home Buyers’ Student Loans Young professionals on the hunt for a new location may find incentives from states—even offers to pay off their student loan debt in exchange for purchasing a home. Illinois and Maryland recently launched “SmartBuy” programs that will pay off student loan debt for young adults who …
Apr 20
Mortgage Rates Near 3% Again
Mortgage Rates Near 3% Again The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage continued to drop this week, heading back near the 3% range. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.04% this week, Freddie mac reports. Mortgage rates are still below a year ago and remain at historical lows, which has proven a boon for the housing market, economists note. …
Apr 19
Foreign Investors Compete for U.S. Suburban Homes
Foreign Investors Compete for U.S. Suburban Homes Foreign investment firms are reportedly making a big play for single-family homes in American suburbs. These overseas investment firms traditionally have targeted office buildings, hotels, and shopping centers internationally. But they are seeing promise in buying or building rental homes—by the thousands—throughout the U.S., The Wall Street …
Apr 19
Could Vacant Commercial Buildings Be Converted to Affordable Housing?
Could Vacant Commercial Buildings Be Converted to Affordable Housing? Commercial buildings left empty from the COVID-19 pandemic may find a new purpose as affordable housing. Empty hotels from a yearlong lack of travel and tourism as well as empty office buildings due to remote work could drive the trend of repurposing vacant commercial spaces. “The …
Apr 15
Affordable Small Towns
Affordable Small Towns Small-town living has become increasingly appealing to more Americans. Even prior to the pandemic, rising home prices were prompting more consumers to move farther away from city centers in search of greater square footage and to make their housing dollars stretch more. In a 2020 survey from Gallup, nearly half of …
Apr 14
What Updated CDC Cleaning Guidance Means for You
What Updated CDC Cleaning Guidance Means for You Spaces can be disinfected less frequently under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new coronavirus health guidelines for homes and facilities, but regular cleaning and mask-wearing are still important. Instead of excessively disinfecting every counter, doorknob, and nook, cleaning with soap and water may suffice in …
Apr 14
Baby Boomers Plan Moves
Baby Boomers Plan Moves Wealthy baby boomers are increasingly buying properties in the same housing developments as their friends, even if it means moving hundreds of miles away from the place where they first met, real estate pros tell The Wall Street Journal. Groups of empty nesters are looking to create communities and preserve or …
Apr 13
Where Termites Tend to Be the Worst
Where Termites Tend to Be the Worst Watch out in Miami, Los Angeles, and Tampa, Fla.: These places can be hotbeds for termites, according to Orkin’s 2021 Top 50 Termite Cities List. Orkin, a national pest control company, reports an uptick in termite treatments across the country over the past year. “With people spending more …
