Mortgage rates were on the rise again this week, reaching their highest level since 2011. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose six basis points last week to an average of 4.66 percent.“Mortgage rates so far in 2018 have had the most sustained increase to start the year in over 40 years,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Through May, rates have risen in 15 out of the first 21 weeks (71 percent), which is the highest share s
“There’s no question that the vacation rental business is booming,” Stephens says. The short-term rental market in the United States alone is approaching $18 billion in revenue, with a projected annual growth rate of 6.6 percent, he says.However, before you decide to take on a short-term rental, Stephens advises that you pass on these three questions to help ensure their success:1. Is a vacation rental a smart investment for you? Buying a
A new survey from the Mental Health Foundation suggests younger people in the workplace feel more stressed than their older colleagues. For young agents in a brokerage, an essential way to provide support to their pressure is to call on older pros for help. Brokers can set up mentorship programs between old and young or encourage younger ones to get involved in YPN as a social support group to de-stress among peers.It’s important for brokers
A judge in upstate New York ruled on Tuesday that it’s finally time for a 30-year-old man to move out of his parents’ home. The man’s parents, Mark and Christina Rotondo, of Camillus, N.Y., want to evict their son from their home and have him go get a job.The couple says they’ve given several eviction letters to their son Michael over the past few months and even offered to help him financially if he’d move out. They offered him $1,100
Sales of newly built single-family homes fell in April—a time that is usually the bustling springtime home buying market. But builders remain upbeat and are quick to point out that sales are still near a post-recession high, regardless of the latest drop.Sales of newly built, single-family homes dropped 1.5 percent in April, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 662,000 units, the U.S. Commerce Department reported Wednesday.“Builde
Home buyers are willing to make extreme sacrifices and even give up some basic rights to get a chance at homeownership or help with their down payment, a new survey shows. In exchange for a 10 percent down payment, would-be buyers said they’d forgo their dream car, vacations, and even their right to vote.Twenty-two percent of 1,000 buyers recently surveyed said they’d be willing to give up the right to vote in exchange for a 10 percent down
Blame it on the low inventory of available property: Total existing-home sales failed to gain traction in April, according to the National Association of REALTORS® latest housing report, released Thursday.Total existing-home sales—which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and co-ops—decreased 2.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.46 million in April. Sales are now 1.4 percent below
Tackling a project to spruce up a property’s outside may be a wise investment for both residential and commercial property owners, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ and National Association of Landscape Professionals’ 2018 Remodeling Report: Outdoor Features. The outdoors doesn't require a major overhaul to see a strong return either financially or in homeowner enjoyment.The outdoor project that produces the most subst
A growing number of single-family homes are being built with the intention to rent. While the numbers make up a small portion of the market, the single-family built-to-rent market is on the rise, according to Robert Dietz, chief economist of the National Association of Home Builders.Construction starts for built-to-rent homes totaled 37,000 over the last four quarters, compared to 33,000 over the prior four quarters. On a one-year moving average
A rise in interest rates last week may have prompted would-be refinancers and home buyers to pause. Mortgage applications—for both refinancings and home purchases—dropped 2.6 percent last week on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported Wednesday. Mortgage volume is now 10.5 percent lower than a year ago.The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to its highest level since April 2011 last week—a 4.86 percent average,
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