Fireplaces Spark Interest with Home Buyers
Fireplaces are eye-catchers of homes, and buyers will linger over a photo of one in a listing. With HVAC and smart-home technology controlling the environment, fireplaces have become purely a pleasure...
View ArticleHome Loan Interest Rates Hold Steady This Week
Mortgage rates showed little fluctuation this week as the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage continues to average well-below 4 percent. “Dovish comments by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen on Tuesday...
View ArticleExterior Projects Top Home Remodeling List
Thirty-six million owners plan to renovate their homes within the next 12 months, and the home’s exterior is likely to get most of their attention, according to a new survey by Bankrate.com of 1,000...
View ArticleIs Facebook Losing Some of Its Mojo?
Fewer Facebook users are sharing personal updates or original content. In fact, a newly released report shows that Facebook saw a 21 percent decline in “original sharing” or personal updates among its...
View ArticleHome Owners May Be Too Upbeat About Prices
Home owners may be slightly too optimistic about their home’s value compared to what appraisers say it’s actually worth. Home values are, on average, about 2.17 percent lower than what home owners...
View ArticleHome Loan Rates Reach a New Low for 2016
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate dipped to its lowest average of the year this week, averaging 3.58 percent, Freddie Mac reports in its latest mortgage market survey. “Demand for Treasuries remained...
View ArticleGet to Know the ‘Transitional Kitchen’
When it comes to kitchen design, it’s time to throw some of the old traditional rules out and embrace the mix-and-match transitional kitchen approach. What is a transitional kitchen exactly? It’s a...
View ArticleSurvey: Real Estate Is the Best Investment
Americans ranked real estate as the best long-term investment, even over stocks and gold, according to a recent Gallup Poll of about 1,000 U.S. adults. Real estate has been the top investment choice...
View Article3 Housing Trends Emerging This Spring
The spring tends to be real estate’s most active season of buying and selling. So what housing trends are emerging right now that you should be aware of? The Street recently took a look at three trends...
View ArticleHome Loan Interest Rates Inch Slightly Higher
“Treasury yields marched higher this week. As a result, the 30-year mortgage rate jumped 7 basis points to 3.66 percent,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “The Federal Reserve’s...
View Article4 Ways to Remove Smelly Home Odors
Whether it’s a pet odor or yesterday’s pungent dinner, you can take steps to remove bad odors from a home prior to a showing. “If you enter a home and immediately encounter a smell, that is generally...
View ArticleMortgage Rates Drop, Near 2016 Lows
“The Fed’s decision to stand pat followed by a week of assorted unsettling news drove Treasury yields lower,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “As a consequence, the 30-year mortgage...
View ArticleSellers Happy, But Home Buyers Are Frustrated
The number of home buyers who say now is a good time to buy dipped to an all-time survey low in Fannie Mae’s latest Home Purchase Sentiment Index. Meanwhile, home owners who say now is a good time to...
View ArticleHome Loan Interest Rates at 3-Year Lows
“Disappointing April employment data once again kept a lid on Treasury yields, which have struggled to stay above 1.8 percent since late March,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “As a...
View ArticleKitchen Makeover Ideas for Under $1,000
Kitchen remodels can cost your clients upwards to $20,000 or more. But there are a few simple and inexpensive tweaks that can give a dated kitchen a more modern edge. Here are some ideas: Hardware:...
View ArticleCash Home Sales Lowest Since 2008
The number of home buyers bringing all-cash to a transaction this year is on track to be the lowest since 2008, according to new findings from CoreLogic, a real estate data firm. For the first two...
View ArticleHome Asking Prices Zoom to Record Highs
A robust spring market is causing sellers to up their asking prices, according to a preliminary analysis of May data from realtor.com®. Great news, California has dominated the hot list for some...
View ArticleHome Loan Interest Rates Push Upward
Averages on fixed-rate mortgages rose this week, but remain near three-year lows, Freddie Mac reports in its weekly mortgage market survey. “Mortgage rates continue to adjust to this new level with the...
View ArticleWhy a Weaker Economy Shouldn’t Scare You
A disappointing jobs report last week revealed that new jobs hit a five-year low in May. While that’s no reason for celebration, there is a silver-lining for the housing market. It’s likely that the...
View ArticleHow Much Will Buyers Pay for Walkable Space?
Urban development that boasts high density and walkability is in demand over life in the suburbs, according to a report by the Center for Real Estate and Urban Analysis at George Washington University...
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