Even though the costs of homeownership are on the rise as home prices and mortgage rates increase, more consumers say it’s a good time to buy a home. AJ Smith, vice president of financial education with personal finance website SmartAsset, offers three tips for helping buyers determine whether now is the right time for them to purchase. ‘Right now’ is not always the right time: Prospective buyers may feel pressure to buy a home before i
Women who work full-time jobs in Arlington, Va., rank among the top female earners in the nation, bringing in an average of more than $80,200 per year, according to a new analysis by personal finance website SmartAsset. “Today, in some American cities, women are earning large salaries, running their own businesses, and handling their mortgages with ease,” the analysis notes.SmartAsset pinpointed the U.S. cities where women are finding the mos
Housing construction has not kept pace with population growth in the U.S. for more than a decade, and in order to stymie shortages across the nation, builders will need to construct 7.3 million more homes, according to a new report. The Up for Growth National Coalition, a group of real estate developers, owners, and builders of affordable housing, finds that since 2000, builders in about 22 states and the District of Columbia have not constructed
Fear of missing out—or FOMO, as millennials have coined it—has become a powerful motivator for young buyers to pursue homeownership, according to a new Bank of America survey. In particular, social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, where users often post about their lives as homeowners, are big influencers on prospective buyers, the survey of 2,000 U.S. adults finds. “I think it’s motivating them to think about homeownershi
The three major credit reporting agencies are implementing policy changes for credit scoring that could lift the scores of some consumers. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion will now exclude exclude all tax lien data from credit reports, which could raise some credit scores as much as 30 points, CNBC reports.The agencies began this process last summer, removing nearly 100 percent of data on civil judgments and 50 percent of data on tax liens from
Tom Ferry examines the sales skills that matter mostThe client across the table stares expectantly at you. Suddenly you realize that instead of listening, you’ve been thinking about what to say next. It’s your time to talk. But deep down, you don’t really know what to say.It happens to every salesperson at one time or another. But that doesn’t mean it should. To provide the level of service that leads to happy clients and tons of referral
Look for a secure, collaborative, end-to-end digital transaction platformEvery real estate agent knows the moment an offer is accepted, the deal’s far from done with the thorny closing gauntlet still ahead.At this stage of a sale, commonly called escrow or a pending sale, real estate agents and their clients enter a heightened mode of vigilance and care as they coordinate inspections, prepare their down payment, execute their loans, evaluate ho
The job market in some areas of the country may be robust, but continually rising home prices are keeping workers from being able to buy. Realtor.com® sought to identify the metros with the best prospects for a job and affordable real estate options.Using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. realtor.com® found the professions that are expected to see the most growth in new jobs through 2026, including the green energy, health care, an
A man in Whitehouse, Texas, was arrested last week on charges of stalking a female real estate professional. The agent filed a police report, claiming that Danny Shane Lafaitt, 44, had been repeatedly making inappropriate contact with her. Lafaitt was charged with third-degree stalking and is being held on a $300,000 bond.According to the police report, Lafaitt first came to the agent’s office to inquire about listings, but the agent said she
Subprime mortgages—which were blamed for sparking the last housing crisis—are reappearing, this time being dubbed “nonprime” loans. This lending option, which carries new quality standards, is growing for buyers who have damaged credit.California-based Carrington Mortgage Services is one company expanding its nonprime loan offerings. “We believe there is actually a market today for people who want to buy nonprime loans that have been pr
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