Home buyers at many income levels likely will see an inadequate amount of homes for sale in their price range in the coming months, according to a new housing affordability model created by the National Association of REALTORS® and realtor.com®.The new Affordability Distribution Curve—which culls data from mortgages, state-level income, and listings on realtor.com®—examines how many listings are affordable to those in a particular income p
Mortgage rates fell slightly for the second consecutive week, taking a path that many economists haven't expected."For the last 46 years, the 30-year mortgage rate has been almost perfectly correlated with the yield on the 10-year Treasury, but not this year," says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac's chief economist. "From Dec. 29, 2016, through today, the 30-year mortgage rate fell 17 basis points to this week's reading of 4.15 percent. In contrast, th
More than half of lenders last year gave loan estimates to home buyers that later had to be revised before closing, according to a new survey released by ClosingCorp, a provider of data on closing costs and technology related to residential real estate. Fifty-eight percent of recent home buyers say their initial loan estimates changed, citing closing costs, insurance costs, and taxes as the most common fees that needed to be adjusted.The survey,
Overall housing production declined in January after an unusually robust reading in the multifamily sector in December, but economists were unfazed. "As we move forward in 2017, we can expect the multifamily sector to continue to stabilize and single-family production to move forward at a gradual but consistent pace," says Robert Dietz, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders.Housing starts dropped 2.6 percent on a month-ove
A whopping 17.3 million single-family homes and condos, with a combined estimated market value of $4.9 trillion, fall in ZIP codes with high or very high risk of at least one of four environmental hazards. Those environmental hazards include superfunds, brownfields, polluters, or poor air quality (see box for definitions), according to ATTOM Data Solutions’ third annual Environmental Hazards House Risk Index.That represents 25 percent of the 68
What are the keys to happiness? Research reveals how you can be happier in your personal and professional life.Stay positive.“Bad things happen to everyone, including happy people,” writes Travis Bradberry, co-writer of “Emotional Intelligence 2.0” and co-founder of TalentSmart. “Instead of complaining about how things could have been or should have been, happy people reflect on everything they’re grateful for.” Happy people tend to
Home listings are most often likely to debut on Thursdays and Fridays. Fridays are the most common listing day by a slight margin, according to research by the National Association of REALTORS®.What are the most popular dates to list? Half of all new listings in 2016 were first listed between March and July, which supports that the spring season is indeed real estate’s busiest time.The most popular month for new listings is April, followed by
Loans that have been modified since 2014 are redefaulting at faster rates than those that were modified in prior years, according to a new report.Seventy-five percent of the loans that redefaulted did so within the first two years after receiving a loan modification, according to analysis of Fannie Mae loan data.“Relative to prior years, recent trends indicate more modifications made to borrowers that have prior failed loan modifications, lower
Home affordability is more than the price a buyer agrees to pay a seller. In a new study, SmartAsset factored in closing costs, real estate taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and mortgage rates for every county and city in the U.S. with a population of more than 5,000.SmartAsset pinpointed the most affordable cities and counties in its analysis by considering the total housing costs on an average house that accounted for the smallest proportion of t
Home owners don't need to take on a major overhaul to make their homes feel warmer this winter. Design Sponge blogger Grace Bonney says adding soft fabrics, warm lighting, and textures can help. Imagine how potential buyers will feel as they step in from the cold.Add floor lighting. Keep lamps low and glowing during the winter months to help a space feel cozier and warmer.Use throws. Try a throw or blanket draped along the sofa, chair, or on the
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