– Which websites have the fairest agent-rating system? The Pa. Association of Realtors looked at nine websites that rate real estate agents, and found nine different rating systems with varying degrees of accuracy. Is one vote per condo unit a legal voting mechanism? Legal QandA: Also, if the HOA...
– First-time buyers, single women get traction in 2016 NAR’s 2016 buyer-seller survey found that FSBO transactions hit at an all-time low, almost 90% of buyers and sellers worked with a real estate agent, and the share of first-time buyers ticked up to 35%. Do online lenders offer lower...
– HUD sets FHA requirements for condo financing If a condo buyer wants FHA funding in a low-occupancy complex, the developer must show higher reserves, few dues in arrears and proof of its long-term stability. NAR: Pending home sales up in Sept. Despite a tight inventory of for-sale homes...
– New home sales rose 3.1% in September A tight inventory of new homes didn’t slow growth in Sept. as new home sales rose 3.1% thanks to recent hiring gains and still-low interest rates. Fla. real estate market rapidly returning to ‘normal’ Freddie Mac has a measure to determine...
– SandP index: Home prices rose in August Prices went up 5.1% in August after a 5% gain in July as an increasing number of buyers competed for a decreasing number of listings. Fannie and Freddie plan to streamline underwriting Mortgage loans could be less expensive and underwritten faster...
– Your buyers’ nemesis: Student debt, high rent Study: 53% of potential homebuyers with student loan debt say the debt is “somewhat” or “very much” an obstacle to them buying a home, up from 49% in 2014. In condos, what’s considered a ‘nuisance’ violation? Legal QandA: What exactly does...
– Supreme Court limits benefits when insurers go broke A property-insurer-paid Fla. fund helps owners if their property insurer goes bankrupt, but a payout doesn’t have to be as good as the benefits stated in a now-defunct policy; and the court ruled that a 2011 law can be applied...
– Election campaigns not focused on housing issues NAR created a list of top concerns today’s political candidates will deal with once in office, although housing hasn’t been a high-profile campaign topic. Fla.’s housing market: Median prices rise in Sept. Year-to-year, median Fla. sales prices rose 11.3% for single-family...
– Forecast: 17M first-time buyers within 5 years A TransUnion study predicts a strong uptick in first-time buyers as aging millennials start families and wounds from the Great Recession continue to heal. Liz Weston: The best ways to build credit now Younger buyers now have a way to build...
– Authority to investigate homeowners’ associations? Legal QandA: Can HOA owners report their association to the state? Can condo directors accept restaurant gift cards? Can I sell my condo but keep the boat slip? Website accessibility a good idea but tech challenge Disabled individuals should be able to use...
