ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS
2018
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The wish list of today’s home buyer is long, but flexible—and includes both home features and neighborhood characteristics. Neighborhood safety and finding a home within their initial price range are the two features that buyers most frequently require, at 71 percent and 67 percent, respectively....
05/31/2018
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We know the scenario: Maybe your spouse lost a job, dropping your household income. Maybe your hours at work have been cut. Or maybe your own job has disappeared. Whatever the financial emergency, your monthly mortgage payment has become unaffordable.What can you do if you want to keep your house...
05/30/2018
Mortgage rates were on the rise again this week, reaching their highest level since 2011. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose six basis points last week to an average of 4.66 percent. “Mortgage rates so far in 2018 have had the most sustained increase to start the year in over 40 years,” says Sa...
05/29/2018
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Home buyers are willing to make extreme sacrifices and even give up some basic rights to get a chance at homeownership or help with their down payment, a new survey shows. In exchange for a 10 percent down payment, would-be buyers said they’d forgo their dream car, vacations, and even their right...
05/25/2018
Interest rates for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage have climbed from 3.95% in the first week of January up to 4.61% last week, which marks a 7-year high according to Freddie Mac. The current pace of acceleration has been fueled by many factors.Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist, had this to ...
05/24/2018
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Many house hunters are under the mistaken impression that new construction is flawless, a perception that may be challenging to wrestle with if your seller’s home is surrounded by brand-new development. In reality, there can be just as many inspection issues with new builds as there are with res...
05/23/2018
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Homes with eco-friendly features do not always command a premium price tag in today's hot housing market, according to analysis from realtor.com, a leading online real estate destination.Realtor.com analyzed current listings in the top 200 U.S. metros to determine the market availability of "gree...
05/22/2018
Posted in Accessibility, Diversity, Fair Housing, Fair Housing Act, Legal, Selling, by Sam Silverstein on May 7, 2018 While the Fair Housing Act’s purpose—barring discrimination in the sale, rental, or financing of residential property—may be easy to understand, navigating the many intricacies of...
05/17/2018
For just a few hundred dollars up to a few thousand, depending on how much you are willing to spend, you can make these fantastic upgrades that add value to your home and quality to your lifestyle. Outdoor Outlets Whether you want to be able to hold outdoor parties in your backyard or use a...
05/16/2018
Your only option is to cover your garden when the temperature gets too hot to avoid a destructive sun. But doesn't that defeat the purpose of growing a prize-winning garden? So rather than hide your beauties under straw or mulch, try these three tips to keep your garden alive through the summer h...
05/15/2018