Feb 12
Income Increases Boosting Housing Optimism The number of households saying their income is significantly higher than it was a year ago is on the rise, as is the number expecting their financial situation to continue to move significantly higher over the next year — both reaching all-time survey highs in Fannie Mae’s January 2015 National …
Feb 11
Common Lawn Myths vs. Reality Spring is approaching, and it’s time for your clients to start planning their lawn and landscaping strategy. Before they start cutting and fertilizing, it’s a good idea to review these common myths and myth-busting tips from lawn and landscaping professionals: Myth #1: You can water your lawn and landscape …
Feb 10
Best Seasons to Sell a Home Spring is traditionally considered the best season to list a home, but it doesn’t inch out the other seasons by much, according to a new analysis by the real estate brokerage Redfin. Redfin’s research team analyzed 7 million homes listed from 2010 through 2014 to gauge how important …
Feb 09
Mortgage Rates Fall Again make a splash! Average fixed-rate mortgages once again fell back to near 20-month lows. After rising slightly last week, mortgage rates reversed course this week, sending borrowing costs lower and allowing home buyers and refinancers to lock in rates that haven’t been this low since May 23, 2013, Freddie Mac …
Feb 06
87% of Homes Qualify for Down Payment Aid More prospective home buyers would likely qualify for down payment assistance than they think. Indeed, more than 68 million single-family and condo households – or about 87 percent — would qualify for a down payment program available in the county where they are located, according to …
Feb 05
Where Investors Are Targeting with Rentals Where are the biggest increases in rental rates likely to occur this year? Georgia, Maryland, Virginia, and Michigan may offer some of the highest returns for investors, according to a new analysis by RealtyTrac, which recently analyzed the markets most likely to offer the best returns in buying residential …
Feb 04
Does Starbucks Brew Higher Home Values? The arrival of Starbucks’ coffee shops may help indicate where higher home values will soon surface, asserts a new analysis by Quartz, a digital business publication of the Atlantic Media Company. In fact, Quartz claims that “Starbucks equates with venti-sized home-value appreciation. Moreover, Starbucks seems to be fueling – …
Feb 03
Cutting-Edge Design Trends for 2015 Innovative marketing techniques, an emphasis on renewable features, and using big data to meet clients’ needs are just a few of the architectural trends that are set to influence real estate in 2015, according to a recent blog post from MIPIM, an organization that hosts a conference that attracts upwards …
Feb 02
Home Ownership Rate Falls to 20-Year Low The U.S. home ownership rate posted declines across all four regions of the U.S. in the fourth quarter, plunging to its lowest level since the third quarter of 1994. But a sharp rebound in household formation during the quarter has more economists optimistic that a turnaround in the …
Jan 30
Inventory Problems Stall Home Sales Pending home sales dropped in December, despite interest rates being at the lowest levels in more than a year, the National Association of REALTOR® reports. All regions across the country posted declines in December. In December, pending home sales nationally fell 3.7 percent month-over-month. Still, NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index, …
Jan 29
2015: The Breakout Year for Sellers? Home owners are living in their homes longer. Typically, home owners stay in their homes six or seven years before making a move. But in 2014, that number grew to a 10-year average, according to research by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR researchers are predicting that “pent-up …
Jan 28
How does Home Staging Really Win Over Buyers? Home staging can influence buyers’ perceptions of a home and even motivate them to pay more, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2015 Profile of Home Staging, a survey of more than 2,300 REALTORS® representing buyers and sellers. Eighty-one percent of REALTORS® who represent buyers say …
