Category: Real Estate
-
Dreaming of Homeownership: Is a Duplex Worth Considering?
Got homeownership dreams? A duplex could be a way to break into today’s housing market. A duplex, of course, is a home property made up of two units. Typically, the two units share a wall but have separate entrances. So a duplex is essentially a house, divided into two homes. With home prices as high…
-
Next Five Years: Predictions for the Housing Market
The U.S. News & World Report has just come out with its housing market predictions. And it has a few zingers. Take a look.
-
We All Deserve a Home, But Corporations Outbid Some of Our Friends.
Corporate buyers are snapping up residential properties in Massachusetts and pushing out long-time residents, according to a report by the news outlet 25 Investigates. These investment companies form a complex network, making it nearly impossible for individuals and towns to hold them accountable.
-
The Rise and Rise of Down Payments
A down payment is the portion of a home’s purchase price the mortgage borrower pays upfront. You knew that. But did you know the median down payment for U.S. homebuyers is now more than $55K+? That’s remarkable. It was less than $45K just last year. Buyers often try to put 20% of the purchase price down.…
-
Feeling Merry: Why Sellers Love the Month of May
The best time to sell a home is in the first half of the year, declares a high-profile real estate data firm. The ATTOM firm just came out with its annual take on the best days of the year to sell a home. To ensure accuracy, ATTOM reviewed sellers’ profits from tens of millions of…
-
Buying a Home on Disability: What to Know
For all hopeful buyers, whether or not they have disabilities, getting a mortgage comes down to a rather simple formula. It’s about how much a loan applicant spends, versus the applicant’s stable income. And yes, stable income includes disability benefits such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI). Disability income might…
-
I Inherited a Home. Should I Sell It, or Rent It Out?
Many heirs receive real estate because it’s a valuable asset — not necessarily because they need the homes to live in. So, for the heir who doesn’t want to live in the inherited home, what’s the best decision to make? Rent or sell the home? The answer is clear: It all depends! It’ll turn on…
-
Is Buying a Home a Path to Financial Freedom? (Is the Answer Changing?)
For most U.S. deed holders, a home is at the core of their retirement wealth. So, does that make buying a home a path to financial independence? It certainly can be, although the calculus is changing.
-
Buying My Grandmother’s Home. What’s My Game Plan?
Your grandma is selling her paid-off home. Perhaps your grandparents have moved into a retirement home and you’d like to buy their home. Or perhaps your grandparents have passed on, and you are purchasing the home from a grandparent’s estate. Very often, an estate sells a home to young relatives of homeowners who’ve passed away.…
-
What AI Is Doing for Real Estate—From Very Detailed Property Searches to Climate-Smart Construction
Homebuyers can speak in conversational language to the AI-boosted Tomo Real Estate app, taking the AI-powered home search up a notch. The mortgage platform can even tell you how much mortgage debt is left. The founders of Seattle-based Tomo came from Zillow. Seems they know what information potential buyers want. Not just the number of…
-
Time for a Move? Sellers Are Perking Up.
Home sellers are back. It’s an important sign of confidence in the U.S. housing market. Fannie Mae keeps tabs on people’s feelings (“sentiment”) about the market. And people are feeling better about it — if they happen to be potential sellers. Two-thirds of the people surveyed told Fannie Mae this is a good time to…
-
It’s Election Year. How Will This Affect Sellers and Buyers?
As we enter an election year the current administration points to how strong the economy is. But there’s a disconnect between these regular public assurances and people’s life experiences. So many are either locked into their current mortgages or just completely sidelined from the market. This is no joke: High mortgage rates. Wages lagging while…
-
Legal Update: NAR’s Ready to Settle Its Lawsuit. Here’s What Home Sellers and Buyers Stand to Gain.
Sellers could soon be spending less to sell their homes. This month, after previously vowing to fight, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) gave in and made a major change, in order to release itself from lawsuits. NAR and several brokerages were claimed to have colluded to keep agent commissions high. But soon, if a…
-
State of the Home Buyer: White House Promotes New Set of Tax Credits
Housing affordability remains out of reach for many in the U.S. population today. What’s the matter? Joe Biden’s March 2024 State of the Union address laid out the latest plan to help. Here’s an update on the issue, and how the administration intends to deal with it.
-
Anti-Money Laundering: Federal Rule Coming to Track Real Estate Cash
The federal government wants all-cash home buyers to be easy to find. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is part of the U.S. Treasury Department. FinCEN has proposed a new reporting rule. It wants real estate professionals to submit forms with details about cash sales when homes are sold to legal entities — like LLCs and…
