Monthly Archives: July 2014

$ 22B Still Available in the Making Home Affordable Program

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Cliff

Nearly $22 billion remains available to help struggling home owners reduce their monthly mortgage payments and avoid foreclosure through the government’s Making Home Affordable program, according to a quarterly report by the special inspector general for the Troubled Asset Relief … Continue reading →

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Pending Home Sales Drop in June

Posted on July 30, 2014 by Cliff

Following three consecutive months of gains, pending home sales drop 1.1 percent in June, the National Association of REALTORS® reports. NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, was at 102.7 in June, down 7.3 percent … Continue reading →

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New Sellers Tool: Mortgage Rate Buy-Down

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Cliff

New Sellers Tool: Mortgage Rate Buy-Down. Some real estate professionals have begun touting “seller-assisted, below-market-rate financing” on for-sale signs outside of listed homes. They’re also offering interest rate buy-downs, a marketing technique most commonly used in new-home sales by home … Continue reading →

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Buyers Have Issues with Cell Towers & Antennas

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Cliff

An overwhelming 94 percent of home buyers and renters surveyed by the National Institute for Science, Law & Public Policy (NISLAPP) say they are less interested and would pay less for a property located near cell towers or antennas. What’s … Continue reading →

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Millennial Home Buyers, Where Are They Headed?

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Cliff

While first-time millennial home buyers’ presence in the housing market has been subdued in recent years, some metro areas are poised to soon see an increase in home buying from the millennial generation, according to new research from the National … Continue reading →

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Housing Market Still Faces 3 Challenges

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Cliff

Existing-home sales gained momentum in June, reaching an annual pace of 5 million sales for the first time since October 2013, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ latest housing report. Rising inventories also are pushing the overall supply of … Continue reading →

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New Home Construction Starts Still Low

Posted on July 23, 2014 by Cliff

New home construction starts have been low over the last couple years, and likely will continue to be low for the next two years, according to analysts at RBC Capital Markets. While new housing starts will likely hit the 1 … Continue reading →

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First Time Home Buyers Make These 5 Mistakes

Posted on July 22, 2014 by Cliff

First-time home buyers can be eager to jump into home ownership. But real estate experts say they see them committing the same mistakes, time and time again. Here are some of the most common ones, as identified by experts in … Continue reading →

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67% Of Home Owners Planning Home Renovations

Posted on July 21, 2014 by Cliff

Sixty-seven percent of consumers say they’re planning home renovations within the next six months, according to realtor.com®’s Home Improvement Survey of more than 1,500 home owners. They’re planning to spend more money on their home renovations than last year, the … Continue reading →

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Listings Utilizing Open Houses At 6.3% Nationwide

Posted on July 18, 2014 by Cliff

Open houses can generate a lot of buyer traffic for a listing, but they are held for only a small fraction of listings. According to a HomeFinder study, open houses were held to reach potential buyers for only 6.3 percent … Continue reading →

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