News
Mortgage rates are on the rise in 2022. If you still want to pull some cash out of your home, here are your options. For many homeowners, the pandemic offered an unprecedented opportunity to build wealth. Those opportunities still exist, even though they are getting harder to come by. Thanks to skyrocketing housing prices, the…
Read More
American homeowners are sitting on a record amount of home equity, but taking advantage of the extra cash becomes more difficult as interest rates rise. By the end of the third quarter of this year, borrowers had a record $9.4 trillion in tappable home equity collectively, or an average of $178,000 per borrower, according to…
Read MoreBackup offers are a good idea for both buyers and sellers of a home
“It ain’t over till it’s over.” — Yogi Berra, baseball philosopher In real estate, a house isn’t sold until the Fat Lady sings at the closing. Until then, the seller should keep their options open by accepting backup contracts. Likewise, a buyer whose bid for the property fell short should consider asking the seller to…
Read MoreBiden’s FHA Updates To Student Loan Debt Policies Are Anticipated To Help Students With Outstanding Loans Qualify For FHA Mortgage Financing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Individuals who are experiencing student loan debt now have a better shot at qualifying for a home loan thanks to changes that the Biden Administration has made to federal mortgage lending rules. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) recently announced changes to its student loan calculations that are anticipated to create an easier environment in…
Read MoreHome Prices Rose Twice as Fast in Car-Dependent Neighborhoods as Transit-Accessible Areas
Legislation would axe downpayment and monthly mortgage insurance fee for firefighters, police officers, paramedics, teachers New legislation would extend a benefit similar to Veterans Affairs (VA) loans to first responders and teachers who buy homes. U.S. Representatives John Rutherford (R-Fla.), Al Lawson (D-Fla.), John Katko (R-N.Y.), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) introduced the bill, dubbed the Homes for…
Read MoreNumber Of Homes For Sale Surpass 2019 Levels
More sellers seem to be returning to the market as the number of homes listed for sale surpass 2019 levels, according to a new report from Redfin. KEY TAKEAWAYS New listings of homes for sale are up 4% from a year earlier, and up 3% from the same period in 2019. Median home-sale price grew…
Read MoreHomeownership Can Be Affordable Housing
By writing policy that prioritizes Americans’ access to homeownership, lawmakers could address both the affordable home shortage and the racial wealth gap, deduces Urban Institute visiting fellow Mike Loftin. He bases his assessment—that such access will foster financial stability and mobility for millions of Americans—on data collected by Urban Institute and Zillow researchers. “Some believe homeownership…
Read MoreMortgage requirements are loosening for home buyers
There’s good news for home buyers: It’s finally getting easier to get a mortgage loan. After tightening their lending standards during the pandemic, it seems mortgage lenders are starting to loosen the reins a bit. In fact, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, mortgages were about 2.2% easier to come by in April than in March.…
Read MoreVA-like housing bill proposed for first responders, teachers
Legislation would axe downpayment and monthly mortgage insurance fee for firefighters, police officers, paramedics, teachers New legislation would extend a benefit similar to Veterans Affairs (VA) loans to first responders and teachers who buy homes. U.S. Representatives John Rutherford (R-Fla.), Al Lawson (D-Fla.), John Katko (R-N.Y.), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) introduced the bill, dubbed the Homes for…
Read MoreHome Equity ‘Pandemic-Resistant’
It’s a great time to be a homeowner: ATTOM Data Solutions, Irvine, Calif., said home equity rose sharply in the first quarter, with equity-rich properties in the U.S. outnumbering seriously underwater homes by a 7-1 margin. The company’s first quarter Home Equity & Underwater report said 17.8 million residential properties in the United States were…
Read More