– Economists: We need more condos Apartment demand remains high because homeownership has tempted few renters – but that may change soon, and entry-level condos could be key to the transition. The risk Fla. home values will decline? Only 3% There’s a 4% chance U.S. property values will drop...
– Housing sentiment decreases for fifth month More consumers worry about rising mortgage rates and home prices, and that has dampened their overall optimism about home buying, at least in the short term. Fla. has 4 of top 5 ‘hottest’ single-family markets Orlando, Palm Beach County, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa...
– FHA lowers borrowers’ mortgage insurance premiums The low-downpayment mortgage should be more appealing to first-time buyers after FHA breathed “new life into the program” by reducing costs, says NAR. Fla. lawmakers will try fixing insurance abuses again Senate and House panels meet this week to kick off the...
– Long-term mortgage rates fall, break 9-week rise The average 30-year FRM dropped from 4.32% last week to 4.20% this week, though the rate remains notably higher than the overall average 3.65% logged in 2016. Buy vs. rent: Ownership still best in most Fla. metros In a third of...
– 95% of foreign investors will spend more in the U.S. AFIRE survey: International institutional real estate investors – they manage $2 trillion-plus in real estate assets globally – plan to buy U.S. property this year. Transunion, Equifax cited for credit score deception Consumers who tried to boost their...
– Economists expect strong 2017 but with ‘wild cards’ Job growth should slow, but fewer workers will force many businesses to raise pay that, in turn, should boost housing demand. But the “Trump Effect” is still an unknown. Fixed mortgage rates move higher Freddie Mac: Overall, 2016’s average mortgage...
– Trends: Follow the demographics and focus on seniors More small business owners are relocating to states like Florida to tap into an expected surge of baby boomers who are longing for warm climate retirement. 1 in 5 borrowers think they chose the wrong lender 21% of mortgage borrowers...
– With Fed hike done deal, economists eye next one All things being equal – meaning the U.S. economy keeps improving and new batches of data prove it – the Fed might raise short-term interest rates again in March. Failure to qualify for a mortgage: Top 3 reasons One...
– 30-year mortgage rate rises again – to 4.16% It’s the seventh week in a row for increases, and two out of three mortgage experts polled this week predict they’ll continue to rise over the short term. Owning a home with son not worth the risk Real estate QandA:...
– Fed raises key interest rate for first time in year The Federal Reserve raised short-term interest rates by a quarter point, which could impact some adjustable-rate mortgages and other consumer loans. Renting better than buying in more U.S. cities FAU/FIU study: With the cost of a home rising...
