FORT LAUDERDALE – Question: We plan on fully remodeling our kitchen and having some other work done on our home. What can we do to make sure the process goes smoothly? — Ted Answer: Planning properly and having reasonable expectations is essential when getting into any major project. When hiring contractors and drawing up […]
WASHINGTON – The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. fell for the second straight week, giving some relief to home shoppers already facing sky-high prices and a shortage of supply. The average 30-year rate fell to 7.02% from 7.09% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the […]
WASHINGTON – Rents in most major U.S. metropolitan areas rose about 1½ times faster than wages in the past four years, according to a Zillow Group Inc. analysis. Nationwide, rents climbed 30.4% while incomes expanded 20.2% from 2019 to 2023, data from Zillow, StreetEasy and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show. Florida, a migration […]
WASHINGTON – Housing starts in April posted a monthly gain of 5.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.36 million units, following a 17% fall in March, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. The April reading of starts is the number […]
LOS ANGELES — Mortgage rates have been mostly ticking higher lately, but it’s not all bad news for home shoppers. Homebuyers have a wider selection of homes to choose from now than they had at this time last year, a trend that could help lead to more sales in a market still constrained by […]
News & Media NEW YORK – Geographical farming – a time-tested strategy for uncovering leads – can help generate a consistent flow of listing opportunities. Consider the following to making geofarming work for you: Start by examining neighborhoods to determine if there is a single dominant agent in the area. Make a 12-month commitment […]
WASHINGTON – With mortgage rates averaging above 7% for the past four weeks per data from Freddie Mac, builder sentiment posted its first decline since November 2023. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes was 45 in May, down six points from April, according to the National Association of Home Builders […]
NEW YORK – Many of us fantasize about building our ideal house on the perfect parcel of land. However, aside from the construction part, buying a lot is a rather challenging process itself. But if you yearn to make your dream a reality, it’s not as impossible as it can seem. In this comprehensive […]
WASHINGTON — Real estate sales can be one of the most challenging yet most rewarding careers out there. Passing the state exam is hard enough but once you’re in the career it’s like, “Well, now what?!” Granted you can choose a brokerage and hope you get a strong head start, but mostly, we’re independent […]
SEATTLE — Real estate investors bought roughly 44,000 U.S. homes in the first quarter of 2024, up 0.5% from a year earlier—the first increase since the second quarter of 2022. That is according to a new report from the real estate brokerage Redfin. Investor activity in the housing market is stabilizing following several years […]
MIAMI – Nobody likes paying for homeowner insurance. That’s been especially true in Florida, where over the past few years, as more frequent storms and high litigation rates have doubled the cost of insurance for just about everyone who owns a home. It’s tempting for homeowners, particularly seniors on fixed incomes, to put off […]
NEW YORK – If your savings fund balance isn’t currently where you want it to be, don’t be discouraged. Having any amount saved for an emergency, no matter how small, means you’ve already taken the most important step to protecting yourself from a financial setback. The next step is also important — maximize how […]