Interest rate buydowns involve a trade-off between upfront costs and long-term affordability. Clever CEO Luke Babich offers strategies to help clients make the choice Buying down interest rates (also known as buying points) may seem counterintuitive to many people. After all, why would a homebuyer willingly commit to bringing more cash to the table at closing or sign on for a larger loan?In fact, there are some excellent reasons buying
The number of homes international buyers purchased fell to the lowest level on record in the last year. Find out which markets are still attracting global attention.International home buyers are backing away from the U.S. housing market amid high home prices and low inventory, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ new report, 2024 International Transactions in U.S. Residential Real Estate. Foreign buyers purchased 36% fewer
Builder confidence dropped 1 point in July to 42, according to the latest NAHB Housing Market Index. That's the lowest score since December 2023 Homebuilders exhibited little optimism as the housing market showed little improvement month-to-month, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today.Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes
Fair housing expert Dr. Lee Davenport says that your low appraisal may have nothing to do with the lack of landscapingIn a perfect world, we will all buy low and sell high. Astonishingly, in some places, home prices have increased by 47 percent since the start of the 2020 pandemic, meaning many should be able to sell high. Unfortunately, not all appraisals have kept up with such fast-rising values. Sadly, some homeowners have had to enter
These 11 security steps will help keep your home safe, set and ready while you're spending well-deserved time away.Vacations should be fun, but worrying about your home while you're away can be a headache. Smart tech has made this much easier: From cameras that can send smart alerts when they recognize humans in specific areas to smart locks that you can control from afar or share passes to, your home is still at your fin
This Fourth of July, find out the areas of the country seeing the highest ownership rates among active-duty service members and veterans.The number of military households becoming homeowners has been steadily growing since the 2008 financial crisis. About 11% of new mortgages are loans from the Department of Veterans Affairs, which often require no down payment for active-duty service members and veterans. More than 90% of military members say th
Inflation is easing and the job market has returned to the "tight but not overheated" situation seen before the COVID-19 pandemic threw the U.S. economy into disarray, the Federal Reserve said on Friday in a report to Congress that documented the steady emergence of more normal conditions in the aftermath of the health crisis."Inflation eased notably last year and has shown modest further progress so far this year," the Fed said in its latest Mon
We look forward to helping with your next festive home and real estate investments. Have a Happy Independence Day!
Manhattan home sales rose for the first time in two years as impatient buyers who had been waiting for interest rates to fall took the plunge.Closings of co-ops and condos spiked 12.2% in the borough in the three months through June from the same period in 2023, according to appraiser Miller Samuel Inc. and brokerage Douglas Elliman Real Estate. While the median price of $1.18 million in the quarter dipped slightly from a year earlier, it was s
The real estate industry has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, driven by advancements in technology. From the initial property listings to the final closing processes, technology is reshaping how real estate transactions are conducted. This article delves into the various ways real estate tech is streamlining processes, enhancing efficiency, and improving the overall experience for buyers, sellers, and real estate profession
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