Oct 09
Mortgages for Medical Professionals Freedom mortgage is pleased to announce a mortgage designed to meet the needs of medical professionals with the Alliance Medical Professional Program. The program allows for purchase or rate term refinance of a primary residence for those in a qualifying medical profession. See the below image for all the highlights If …
Oct 08
DIY Renovations for the home Eighty percent of homeowners anticipate taking on a home improvement project in the next year, and more than 70% of that group plans to do the work themselves, according to a new survey from Chase Home Lending. The top motivators for sprucing up a home include adding value to the …
Oct 07
Mortgage Rates Hold Firm Home buyers looking for a purchase loan and homeowners who want to refinance are responding well to low mortgage rates. “While mortgage rates generally held steady this week, overall mortgage demand remained very strong, rising over 50% from a year ago thanks to increases in both refinance and purchase mortgage …
Oct 04
Home Improvement Projects Certain home remodeling projects are making homeowners happier and proving to be well worth the cost and time when they sell their properties, according to a new survey from the National Association of REALTORS®, which includes insights from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. After completing a home remodeling project, 74% of …
Oct 03
Single-Story Homes Are Being Rediscovered That single-story home may be more desirable than it once was. The construction of single-story homes is increasing at a more rapid pace than two-story homes, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. While overall the share of starts of homes of two-plus stories was higher than single-story …
Oct 02
What you need to know about closing costs What are closing costs? Closing costs are the fees associated with your mortgage loan application and real estate transaction. They can be incurred by either the buyer, seller or both and are paid at closing. What types of fees are included? Fees may include but are not …
Oct 01
Smart Bathrooms all the rage Smart bathrooms are getting more technological. Many homeowners say they desire to play music in the bathroom, and they’re adding in voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home to make it easier to do so, new research from the National Kitchen & Bath Association shows. “Bringing voice control into …
Sep 30
National Flood Insurance Don’t expect a lapse—not yet anyway—in the National Flood Insurance Program, the country’s largest flood insurer. The program has been set to expire on Sept. 30, but the U.S. Senate recently passed an extension that would keep the program afloat until Nov. 21. The House had previously passed the extension. The bill is …
Sep 27
Rising Number of Contract Signings All four major regions of the U.S. posted growth in sales contract activity last month, led by the West, the National Association of REALTORS® reported Thursday. NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index—a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings—rose 1.6% last month, erasing last month’s decrease. Contract signings are now up 2.5% …
Sep 26
Top Earners Struggle With Housing Costs Computer technology, engineering, and legal jobs are among the highest-paying in the nation. You’d think workers in these sectors wouldn’t have trouble affording a home—but that’s not always the case, according to a new LendingTree analysis. The company ranked the nation’s 50 largest metros based on how affordable homes …
Sep 25
Is it time you had a mortgage checkup? Find out if your mortgage is contributing to your financial health. Having regular checkups by a doctor is a critical step to ensuring good health. The same holds true for one of your most important financial investments: your mortgage. A periodic review of your mortgage can help …
Sep 24
Home Offices are in High Demand More people are working from home, and that is having a big effect on their real estate needs, The New York Times reports. About 24% of employed people in the U.S. worked at least part of the time at home last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor …
