General News - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

15 Cities where Friendly Neighbors Rule

Neighbors are becoming more important since the COVID-19 outbreak began. Sixty-nine percent of Americans surveyed say they’ve gotten to know their neighbors better during the pandemic. And 65% of Americans say they’ve made an effort to be more friendly than usual, according to a new poll of 2,500 Americans from Improvenet, a home remodeling resource.The neighborhood is often a big factor when shopping for a home, but the neighbors themselves

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Foreclosure Filings are on the Rise

Foreclosure filings in October climbed 20% compared to September’s figures as the pandemic remains a threat to homeownership for some Americans and to the economy, ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate research firm, reports. Foreclosure filings include default notices, scheduled auctions, or bank repossessions.“It’s a little surprising to see foreclosure activity increasing in spite of the various foreclosure moratoria that are in place,”

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Where Renters are Lagging on Payments

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, nearly one in six renters are late on their payments, according to a LendingTree analysis reflecting data from late September to early October. Further, more than one in four renters say they have no confidence or are only slightly confident in being able to make next month’s payment.A federal eviction moratorium will expire Dec. 31. That could leave many renters without a home and property managers with missed pa

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News of COVID-19 Vaccine Lifts Mortgage Rates

The interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to a 2.84% average this week but remains near all-time lows. Last week, the rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage set a record low of 2.78%. “Mortgage rates jumped this week as a result of positive news about a COVID-19 vaccine,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Despite this rise, mortgage rates remain about a percentage point below a year ago, and the low-rate envi

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Top 10 Counties with Equity-Rich Properties

In the third quarter, 16.7 million residential properties in the U.S., or 28.3% overall, were considered “equity rich,” according to a new report from ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate research data firm. A property is considered equity rich when the property owner has at least 50% equity in the home.“Homeowner equity in the third quarter added another pebble to the pile of markers showing that the U.S. housing market continues to defy th

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Buyers Pause During COVID-19 Surge, Election

Home shopping was down last week as the nation focused its attention on a heated presidential election and a surging number of coronavirus cases across the country, realtor.com® reports in its Weekly Housing Report.Mortgage demand from home buyers dropped to the lowest level in six months, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported on Wednesday. Its weekly mortgage index showed that loan applications to buy a home dropped 3% last week. Applicatio

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Buyers Face Double-Digit Home Price Gains Across Metro Areas

Home prices continue to climb in a market with limited number of homes for sale and high buyer demand. The majority of major metros across the U.S. posted double-digit price gains in the third quarter. Single-family existing home prices increased in all 181 metro areas tracked in the National Association of REALTORS®’ latest quarterly report, released Thursday.The price of single-family homes surged 12% year over year to $313,500. The Western

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NAR Survey Reveals 14 Home Buying, Selling Trends since the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a noteworthy impact on homeownership. Although the virus continues to take a toll and unemployment remains above pre-pandemic levels, the housing market has been booming, and trends are starting to emerge, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ newly released “2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.”The profile, produced annually, contains a new section this year that examines how the pandem

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Veterans Day

We salute those that have served, worked hard, and fought for our nation.

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How Lenders Rate on Customer Satisfaction During Pandemic

Mortgage rates at all-time lows have helped drive U.S. home sales to a 14-year high. Existing homeowners also are rushing to take advantage, prompting a 200% annual increase in refinancing. Mortgage lenders have faced a hectic business during the pandemic as many systems were quickly forced to go remote.“It’s been a complicated year for the mortgage industry,” says Jim Houston, managing director of consumer lending and automotive finan

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