About 28.6 million baby boomers retired in the third quarter of 2020 alone, according to Pew Research Center data. Some Americans are retiring earlier than they originally intended to due to the COVID-19 pandemic.That has prompted a growing number of new retirees to seek out the perfect place to ride out their golden years in retirement—and Florida isn’t the only place they’re targeting.“Retirees might be able to cash out pretty significa
Home buyers may not be happy: The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage topped the 3% threshold, averaging 3.02% this week, Freddie Mac reports. Despite the uptick, economists note that mortgage rates remain near historical lows.Since reaching an all-time low in January, mortgage rates have risen by more than 30 basis points, “and the impact on purchase demand has been noticeable,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “While purchase act
In Denver, real estate pros are reporting that some listings are seeing more than 100 showings in one weekend and are then receiving more than 20 offers. Buyers are being told to expect going 20% above the list price if they want a home. Markets across the country are reporting the same.The spring homebuying season is expected to be fierce for house hunters.Here’s the reason: More than 200,000 new listings have been absent from the U.
The drive-thru lane is growing in demand during the pandemic among commercial spaces as more restaurants find it the perfect socially distanced workaround to continue to conduct business. Many restaurants have had limits on seating capacity during the COVID-19 outbreak, which has led them to turn to their drive-thru business to keep sales high.As a result, commercial spaces that offer drive-thru lanes are a particularly hot commodity. A
Financing and appraisals are the culprits causing the most delays in home sales or terminated contracts, according to the latest REALTORS® Confidence Index survey.With little supply on the market, homes are continuing to sell quickly—typically within 21 days—and are garnering an average of nearly four competing offers, according to the report. Home prices have been rising by double-digit percentages over the past year, which could help expla
A federal judge in Texas has ruled that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s eviction moratorium is unconstitutional, a decision that could set legal precedent and have a sweeping effect on housing providers across the country. Under the moratorium, which President Joe Biden has extended through March, housing providers cannot evict tenants who can prove financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.U.S. District Judge John C
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage came off its recent all-time lows to average near 3% this week. The 10-year Treasury yield, which mortgage rates closely follow, hit its highest level in the past year, prompting the increase in rates.“As the economic recovery progresses, mortgage rates are expected to rise further in the upcoming months,” writes Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and director of forecasting at the National Association of REALTO
Homeowners struggling financially during the COVID-19 pandemic have received another extension for their mortgage payments. The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced Thursday it is providing an additional three months of forbearance to borrowers with loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, bringing forbearance up to 18 months total.To qualify, borrowers must be enrolled in a COVID-19 forbearance plan as of Feb. 28.The FHFA also announced a
As inventories remain tight, home buyers may be drawn to new-home construction. But what determines whether they will pay more for buying new than for an existing home?If the buyer takes steps to limit construction costs and omits custom finishes, building a house may be about $7,000 cheaper than buying an existing home, according to a new analysis from Bankrate.com.Prices also depend on location and the options the buyer selects.The median sales
FHA-insured financing used to be a big draw for first-time home buyers with its offerings of lower down payments. But more first-time buyers lately are opting for conventional mortgages instead, according to the National Association of REALTORS® Economists’ Outlook blog.Fifty-nine percent of first-time buyers obtained conventional conforming loans in January, whereas 24% obtained FHA-insured mortgages, according to the REALTORS® Confidence In
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