– NAR: Pending home sales marginally rise in June NAR: Index inched 0.2% higher to 111.0 in June – 1% more than a year ago. Supply and affordability constraints hampered activity despite very low mortgage rates. Realtor safety: Prepare for worst-case scenarios Realtors can take safety precautions, but actual...
– HUD to investigate downpayment aid programs HUD switched direction. It now says it will look for cases where lenders failed to fully inform FHA buyers on loan terms, charged improper fees or used coercion. Airbnb sues its hometown over rental regulation Eventually, landlords, websites and local governments will...
– Housing is for everyone – no exceptions At NAR’s “Housing for All” symposium this week, NAR VP and Floridian Sherri Meadows said that while homelessness is down, “housing insecurity” is on the rise. Fla.’s housing market: Rising median prices in June Single-family home median price of $225,000 is...
– Green energy boost: FHA to back some PACE mortgages FHA says it will now approve purchase and refinance mortgage applications in states that treat clean-energy program (PACE) funding as a special assessment that homeowners pay like property taxes. Florida Realtors PAC announces supported candidates Over 400 candidates have...
– More homes at risk of storm surge CoreLogic: Fla. remains the state with the most homes (2.7M) at risk for hurricane storm surge and with the highest reconstruction cost ($535.6B) in the U.S. Housing ‘relief’ left scars for many Since 2010, thousands of homeowners contend they were cheated...
– Florida’s rent tax rankles more businesses Only one U.S. state charges a business-rent tax on rent and utility expenses: Florida. But momentum appears to be building to undo the long-time government fee. Half of Fla. Realtors at current firm only one year Fla. 2016 Member Profile: A typical...
– Get ready for a baby boomer sell-off Freddie Mac survey: There are a lot of baby boomers out there, and many plan to downsize or move soon – and that would add a lot of homes to the market. All condos need sprinklers or opt-out vote by Jan....
– NAR international survey: Sales down a bit this year High prices, a strong dollar and weaker economies made U.S. real estate investment challenging, but the Chinese spent more than the next four countries combined. Orlando Realtors support community, Pulse victims After the Pulse nightclub shooting, Orlando’s Realtors offered...
– Study: Gated community homes sell for more However, homes in gated communities may not command higher prices if related amenity costs, such as a clubhouse, make overall homeownership more expensive. ‘Jumbo’ mortgages now cheaper than smaller loans When it comes to mortgage rates, it’s cheaper loan-wise to buy...
– Quicken quietly offers 1% downpayment loans Quicken uses Freddie’s Home Possible mortgage program that requires 3% down, but it “grants” qualified buyers 2%, making the out-of-pocket downpayment only 1%. Mortgage rates in free fall since Brexit vote Skittish investors like long-term bonds, and those bonds back long-term mortgages....
