Author: Mortgage Blog Content
10
Oct
2019
"Staging" a house means to prepare it for sale in ways that make it more attractive to potential buyers. Homeowners can do much of this staging work themselves and should get suggestions from their real estate agent. They can also hire a professional to do the staging work for them. Value-Added Staging A study of 4,200 sold homes, conducted by Home Staging Resource (HSR), found that 85% of the staged homes sold for 6% to 25% more than a home that was not staged. Forbes reports that 95% of staged homes sell in 11 days or less. This is 87% faster when compared to the time it takes, on average, to…
09
Oct
2019
Many people are looking to buy homes, not across the street, not somewhere else in town, but in other parts of the country. The motivator for this is that there are significant differences in the median prices for home sales in different parts of America. This is not a result of the places being undesirable. Many of the places with excellent values in home prices are very desirable. In these nice cities, the lower prices are more about the local economy, the cost of living, and the availability of homes for sale. Popular Cities For Relocation A study done by REALTOR® identified the most popular cities that people search for when…
08
Oct
2019
Condominium owners and buyers have previously been at a disadvantage when trying to use the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) support to get a home mortgage. Single-family homes could get better FHA mortgage deals than condominiums. In October 2019, this changes. New FHA Condominium Financing As of October 15, 2019, FHA loan availability is extended to condominium buyers. This is important news for first-time buyers who frequently purchase a condominium. First-time buyers appreciate FHA loans because they only require a very modest 3.5% down payment. FHA loans were strongly curtailed after the real estate market collapse in 2008. Since 2009, most condos did not qualify for FHA loans. The problem was that…
07
Oct
2019
Last week’s economic news included readings on construction spending, and labor reports on public and private sector jobs and the national unemployment rate. Weekly reports on new jobless claims and mortgage rates were also released. Construction Spending Ticks Up in August Commerce Department reporting on construction spending showed 0.10 percent growth in August as compared to a revised flat reading for July. Construction spending hit a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of $1.29 trillion for August. Analysts expected 0.40 percent growth, which was based on the original July reading of 0.10 percent growth. Residential construction spending rose 0.90 percent in August ; public construction spending rose 0.40 percent for the month. Factors impacting…
04
Oct
2019
Telecommuting has significantly changed the housing market. More people than ever before are working from home. Younger people are especially likely to do this and become part of what is called the "gig" economy. Many are working as freelancers or starting online businesses. Advantages Of Working From Home There are many advantages to working at home. It is less stressful. There is no commute. This saves money and is better for the environment. There may be lower income taxes because currently, the IRS allows a tax deduction of the expense of a home office. Homeworkers find clients online. They also can work from anywhere that has an Internet connection. There may…
03
Oct
2019
For a long time after the real estate housing crisis in 2008, buyers with a poor credit history had a difficult time finding mortgage financing. It was a problem that trapped those seeking to buy a home because so many lost their homes from the inability to pay their mortgages. Some suffered damage to their credit history that was severe. Millions filed for bankruptcy. Not only did mortgage lending requirements get stricter for home buyers, but the funds available for home loans were also severely reduced. Even those with a good credit history found it more difficult to qualify for mortgage financing. Time For A Second Chance Now, there is a…
