General News - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

Banks, Regulators Push for Mortgage Rule Changes

In separate initiatives, the ABA and CFPB are seeking to add to consumer protection measures related to mortgage lending Mortgage assistance for veterans needs to be updated in light of higher interest rates, according to the American Bankers Association (ABA) and other organizations.The ABA and 18 other groups wrote a joint letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) warning that current loss mitigation protocols for the VA Home

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Existing-Home Sales Dip for 11th Month, but NAR Sees Light Ahead

Existing-home sales fell 1.5% nationally between November and December while plunging 34% from December 2021, according to data released Friday by the National Association of Realtors Existing-home sales fell for the 11th month in a row in December, with sales falling in three out of four U.S. regions tracked.Sales of existing homes fell 1.5 percent nationally between November and December, and dropped 34 percent from December 2021 

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In 2022 it Costed More to Buy than Rent in 95% of US

Last year, it was more expensive to rent than own. High home prices and mortgage rates that doubled in 2022 flipped that, according to a new report from property data firm Attom.People will spend a bigger percentage of their pay buying a home than renting one in 95 percent of the U.S., according to a new report from property data firm Attom.In 210 out of 222 counties analyzed, renting an average three-bedroom home was less expensive than buying o

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10 Ways to Update that Won’t Break the Bank

Whether it’s a brand-new listing or last year’s listing that’s still languishing on the market, these updates will make it look like new This time last year, the market was so lively that many listing agents had only to pop a few photos on the MLS and multiple potential buyers would beat a path to the front door. What a difference a year makes. Now, many markets have cooled down and buyers are more discerning about what they’ll

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Single-Family Housing Starts Leap 11% as Permits and Completions Fall

Overall housing starts clocked in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,382,000, 1.4% below levels recorded in November, according to new data released Thursday by the US Census Bureau Housing starts, permits and completions all posted declines in December with increased production of single-family homes the lone bright spot for the month, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.Housing star

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Homebuilder Sentiment Rises in January for the First Time in a Year

Builder sentiment in the single-family housing market posted an unexpected gain in January, rising for the first time in 12 straight months. Economists had predicted a slight decline.Sentiment rose 4 points to 35 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. Anything below 50 is still considered negative sentiment. The metric stood at 83 in January 2022.“It appears the low point for builder sentiment in this cyc

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Mortgage Demand Soars 28% as Rates Dip Slightly 

Mortgage applications rose 27.9% in the latest week, the Mortgage Bankers Association said As mortgage rates dropped across the board, demand for both purchases and refinancing increased. That pushed the market composite index up, a measure of mortgage application volume, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said on Wednesday. The market index rose to 238.7 for the week ending Jan. 13, up 27.9% from a week earlier. A year ago, the index st

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Homebuyer Loan Requests Jump 25% as Mortgage Rates Continue to Fall

After 2 months of declines, mortgage rates are now at their lowest level since September with potential to spur spring homebuying: MBA economist Two months of declining mortgage rates have finally got the attention of homebuyers, with demand for purchase loans jumping 25 percent last week as rates continued to descend toward 6 percent, according to a weekly survey of lenders by the Mortgage Bankers Association.“Mortgage application activity reb

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10 Ways to Turn a Small Entryway into Prime Real Estate

Ensure your home makes the right kind of first impression with these expert approved tips for organizing a small entrywayNormally a dumping ground for coats, shoes, and kids’ school bags, an entryway, particularly a small one, can be a nightmare to keep neat and tidy. This can make day-to-day life much harder than it needs to be and doesn’t make for the warmest welcome, either. It’s a clutter hotspot that needs organizing, and quickly,

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10 Big U.S. Cities with the Cheapest Apartment Rents

Rents jumped nationwide over the past year, but these big U.S. cities remain comparatively affordable for apartment dwellers.Not that it's easy. The housing market might be cooling off a bit these days, but average home prices are still substantially higher than they were a year ago. Rents have risen too, and only at a slightly slower pace. Put it all together and the perennial question of renting vs. buying(opens in new tab) is as pressi

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