Here’s how much your home remodel will pay you back
Friday, March 02
Remodeling spending is expected to approach $340 billion in 2018, a 7.5 percent increase over last year, according to Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.More homeowners may be remodeling, but those that do high-end projects are seeing less value in those remodels.The average payback in a...
12 Things That Trip Up Homebuyers- Rebranded
Wednesday, February 28
Buying a house is supposed to be the American dream, but it can turn into a nightmare for buyers who go into the process with unrealistic expectations and insufficient information.“The process of buying a home [can be] excruciating,” says Craig Evans, an Ally Bank mortgage executive with more tha...
Most Americans live in areas where renting is cheaper than buying
Friday, February 23
Across the U.S., buying a home is cheaper than renting in the majority of housing markets, however most Americans live in areas where renting is still cheaper than buying, according to the 2018 Rental Affordability Report from ATTOM Data Solutions, a multi-sourced property database.Buying a media...
Government shutdown would create roadblocks in the housing market
Monday, February 19
If the ongoing congressional budget standoff forces a government shutdown, homebuyers and sellers could be subject to more headaches than usual before their deals close.That’s because buyers looking for mortgage approval could hit paperwork roadblocks if the shutdown furloughs workers at the IRS...
Mortgage applications jump 4.5% as buyers rush to beat higher rates
Monday, February 19
Mortgage applications rose 4.5 percent last week from the previous week, the Mortgage Bankers Association says.Application volume was 6.1 percent higher than one year ago.Spring has sprung early in this housing market. Buyers, seeing a new trend toward higher interest rates, are rushing in befor...
Housebuyers benefit from profits squeeze on mortgage lenders
Monday, February 19
Intense competition among lenders means customers have hardly noticed the 0.25% base rate rise, say brokers.Mortgage borrowers are benefiting from intense competition on the high street following the biggest squeeze on profit margins for two years.The Bank of England reported that in the final th...