Finance - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

Wildfire Victims Get Mortgage Reprieve

Homeowners affected by the California wildfires may be eligible to defer their mortgage payments for up to 12 months. Mortgage financing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have issued guidelines for wildfire victims with single-family mortgages.Victims may be eligible to stop making mortgage payments in three-month intervals, up to 12 months. They also may be eligible to avoid late fees during this temporary payment break, and to not have delinq

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Buyers Leery of Online Mortgage Info

Consumers trust real estate professionals and lenders more than online sources or family and friends when it comes to obtaining information about mortgages, according to a new Fannie Mae survey based on 1,000 responses. Recent home buyers surveyed, including younger age groups, say they consulted multiple sources of information about the mortgage process but found lenders and real estate agents to be more credible than mobile apps, websites, an

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America’s hottest ZIP codes are cool under-the-radar suburbs

Towns in Texas, Michigan and Colorado offer affordability and lifestyle perksRealtor.com has announced its 2017 hottest ZIP codes, and 10 Texas, Colorado, Michigan and California towns dominated the list.Realtor.com analyzed 32,000 ZIP codes based on the time it takes properties to sell and how frequently homes are viewed in each ZIP code. Homes in each of the markets in this year’s top 10 list sold in an average of 21 days — 29 days faster t

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Meager Sales Rebound Underscores Tough Market

Following three consecutive months of declines, existing-home sales ticked up in September from the previous month—but ongoing inventory shortages, coupled with recent hurricanes, muted any annual gains, the National Association of REALTORS® reported Friday.Total existing-home sales, which include single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and co-ops, increased 0.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.39 million in September, 1.5 per

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Where Price Per Square Foot Is Highest, Lowest

Home buyers in different regions of the U.S. pay vastly different prices per square foot. The median price per square foot on a new single-family home ranges from $81 to $150 across the country, with the highest being in New England, according to a National Association of Home Builders analysis. The Pacific Division of the country has the second highest median price, at $138 per square foot. On the other hand, the lowest median prices can be foun

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Mortgage Rates Ease This Week

Borrowers may be able to lock in lower interest rates this week, as the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dips to a 3.88 percent average.“Rates came down slightly this week, ending a brief two-week streak of increases,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “The 10-year Treasury yield dipped 6 basis points, while the 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell 3 basis points to 3.88 percent.”Freddie  Mac reports the following national aver

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How Much Amazon’s HQ2 Will Drive Up Rents

About 100 cities across the country have submitted their final bids to be the home of Amazon’s second headquarters, known as HQ2, as municipal leaders argued for why their community is the best pick. However, it won’t be all good news for the metro Amazon ultimately selects in 2018, especially when it comes to housing. HQ2 will bring with it up to 50,000 new jobs, which will undoubtedly put greater upward pressure on already sky-high rents

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The Best Places to be a Landlord

Higher home prices and a tight supply of homes for sale may be the mantra nationwide. But certain markets are still offering lucrative options for investors.Real estate sales and auction company TenX released its top picks for investors and Texas had the most markets on its list, scoring three out of the top five. Texas continues to post strong growth in employment and home construction. San Antonio topped TenX’s list for best places for inves

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2017’s Hottest ZIP Codes

For the second consecutive year, Watauga, Texas, is the hottest ZIP code in the U.S., according to realtor.com®’s 2017 Hottest ZIP Codes list. Livonia, Mich., and Kentwood, Mich., landed second and third, respectively, on the annual list.Realtor.com® analyzed 32,000 ZIP codes based on factors like the time it takes properties to sell and how frequently homes are viewed in each ZIP code. The markets on this year’s top 10 list are seeing home

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Lower Rates Spark Higher Loan Demand

A slight decrease in mortgage rates brought refinancers and home shoppers back to lenders last week.Total mortgage application volume for refinancings and home purchases rose 3.6 percent week-over-week on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported Wednesday. However, the volume still is nearly 19 percent below the same week a year ago. Interest rates were lower a year ago.Home purchase applications increased 4 percent

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