Since the beginning of the year, mortgage interest rates have risen over a half of a percentage point according to Freddie Mac. Even a small rise in interest rates can greatly impact a buyer’s monthly mortgage payment. First American recently released the results of their quarterly Real Estate Sentiment Index (RESI), in which they surveyed title and real estate agents across the […]
5 Surprising Ways To Save For A Down Payment … Saving for a down payment does not have to be an impossible feat for your would-be buyers. HouseLogic recently featured several resourceful ideas to help them save up for a down payment on a home. Crowdsource Maybe instead of a traditional wedding registry, your buyers […]
5 Home Fixes Not Worth It At Resale … Bathroom remodels and additions may offer some of the fewest paybacks at resale, at least when compared to 20 other popular projects. The National Association of REALTORS® and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry released a report showing some of the home renovation projects that offer […]
Home prices are rising faster than wages in 61% of markets … Housing is becoming increasingly unaffordable in many cities, a new report from RealtyTrac reveals. Their First Quarter 2016 Home Affordability Index shows that home price growth is exceeding wage growth in 61 percent of the nation’s housing markets. In the first quarter of […]
First-Time Buyers May Face A Difficult Spring … Millennials may finally be ready to buy this spring, thanks to an improving job market, low mortgage rates, and record apartment rents. But the big question: Will they be able to? This spring, first-time buyers may struggle to find a house. The number of homes in the […]
More New Homes Are Coming Soon … Builders are beginning work on more single-family homes across the country, which could offer some much-needed inventory relief for many housing markets. Housing starts nationwide are up nearly 31 percent year-over-year. In February, housing starts jumped 5.2 percent alone on a month-over-month basis to a seasonally adjusted annual […]
The Hottest Color In Home Decor White still remains the top seller when it comes to color for most home furnishings but gray may soon edge it out. Home owners are reaching for shades of gray to decorate their spaces, with grays serving as a new neutral in all tones, from soft silvers to dark […]
Main Motivators Pushing Home Buyers One in four home buyers say they want to buy a home because their rent is too high, according to a new survey by the brokerage Redfin of 750 home purchasers. The number of home buyers citing high rents as a main motivation to buy is rising – up from […]
The median price of existing homes is rising, but the increases don’t seem to be motivating many sellers or new-home builders, contributing to the growing lack of inventory in many markets. While NAR’s recent existing-home sales report showed January’s total housing inventory was up 3 percent from December, it was still lower than a year […]
Existing-home sales kicked off 2016 on solid footing, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ latest housing report, released Tuesday. Existing-home sales in January moved to their highest annual rate in six months, while constrained inventory levels also pushed home prices to their fastest increase since last April, according to the report. All regions in […]