Blog – Page 116 – Racheli Refael

09 Jul 2019

Rent-To-Own Opportunities For Those With Bad Credit

Real Estate

For those who have less than a stellar credit history; yet, who still want to have their own home, a rent-to-own option is worth considering. A rent-to-own (RTO) agreement is a hybrid between buying a home and renting a home. Usually, RTO deals require a significant down payment that applies towards the home purchase. An RTO tenant/buyer gets the option to buy the home for a certain price at some date in the future. The down payment is lost if a tenant/buyer does not go forward with the home purchase. Another common characteristic of RTO deals is that a portion of the rent applies to the home purchase. The Pros Of…

08 Jul 2019

By Mortgage Blog Content

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – July 8th, 2019

Financial Reports

Last week's scheduled economic news included readings on construction spending and reports on public and private sector jobs. Monthly readings for public and private sector jobs and the national unemployment rate were released along with weekly reports on mortgage rates and initial jobless claims. Construction Spending Dips in May May construction spending fell to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 0.80 percent growth at a pace of $1.3 trillion as compared to April's reading, which was adjusted to 0.40 percent growth after reports of a flat reading. Year-over-year construction spending was 2.30 percent lower in May. High materials costs and shortages of workers continued to dampen builder sentiment as shortages of…

05 Jul 2019

By Mortgage Blog Content

How Color Can Affect Your Home and Psyche

Real Estate

Are you dreaming in color of your future new home? You probably can't wait to get your hands on a paintbrush and a bucket of beautiful new paint. But how will you choose the colors to decorate your new home? If you've been to a paint store recently, you know there are thousands upon thousands of shades to choose from. Choose wisely, because color can affect your home and psyche. Shades of Purple Whether you call it purple or eggplant or violet or plum, purple evokes feelings of warmth and vitality in a home. The dustier shades of plum are ideal for walls in the dining room, where taste buds are…

03 Jul 2019

By Mortgage Blog Content

How To Turn A “Dumb” Home Into A Smart Home

Real Estate

Having a "smart home" is a trend that is popular. What does it actually mean? Smart home technology improves energy-efficiency, increases security, and creates more convenience for the home's occupants. Innovative smart home technology improves with the deployment of the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G wireless broadband, and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) programming. Many things that an owner and/or occupant of a home needs or wants may be done for them by smart home technology. Energy-Efficiency Green energy systems include installing energy-efficient windows and perhaps solar panels along with battery storage. Moreover, by managing micro-zones within a home, money is saved by not wasting it on heating or cooling…

02 Jul 2019

By Mortgage Blog Content

4 Tips To Ensure A Successful Closing

Real Estate

As you come up to the date of your closing, there's time to reflect on everything that led to this step. Your real estate agent, mortgage broker, title company and others all work hard to ensure a successful closing for you. They're all in your corner, hoping for the same outcome as you. They've had to do a lot of work behind the scenes that you may not even be aware of. Their diligence and professionalism has already benefited you. But did you know that it's not all riding on your team of real estate professionals? There are things you can do to ensure a successful closing, too. 1. Bring Your…

01 Jul 2019

By Mortgage Blog Content

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – July 1st, 2019

Financial Reports

Last week's economic reports included readings on home prices, sales of pre-owned homes and pending home sales. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released. Case-Shiller Home Price Index: Home Price Growth Slips in April Case-Shiller reported slower home price growth in April; home prices were 0.20 percent lower at 3.50 percent. Increasing inventories of homes for sale provided buyers with more choices and eased demand, which increased in recent years due to severe shortages of available homes. Cities on the west coast previously dominated home price growth, but the top three cities with highest home prices reported in April were sunbelt cities located east of high-priced…