– Average U.S. 30-year mortgage rates fall to 4.52% Freddie Mac: Rates have declined in five of past six weeks, but a year ago, the average 30-year FRM was 3.96%. Average 15-year FRM slipped to 3.99% this week. Why reverse mortgages are a harder sell now In October, the...
– 2018 hurricane season may not be so busy after all 3 housing trends: Fast buyers, higher rates, tapping equity As summer slides into fall, homebuying will remain competitive, with the edge going to buyers who act fast. Mortgage rates likely will continue to rise or plateau. Neighbor's smoke...
– UF: Fla. consumers' confidence dips a bit in June The index that measures sentiment dipped 1.9 points last month to 98.3. Attitudes about current conditions and future expectations both dropped a bit. Credit scores: It's more than simply qualifying for a loan Some homebuyers know they need a...
– Fla. lawmakers say they'll target lease tax again Incoming leaders of the Fla. House and Senate say they’ll continue to chip away at the state’s commercial lease tax during the 2019 legislative session. Home equity lines of credit rose 18% in 1Q 2018 Analysts thought tax reform would...
– Facebook pulls its 'Likely to Move' marketing tool The “Likely to Move” tool helps find potential homebuyers by checking third-party sites and crunching the data. However, the agent marketing tool will shut down in mid-August as fallout from Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Mortgage rates fall again this...
– New Fla. laws go into effect on Sunday Several laws approved by the 2018 Florida Legislature go into effect July 1, impacting things like tax credits, environment restoration and condo garbage pickup. 8 people arrested in real estate wire fraud scheme Federal prosecutors arrested people within the U.S....
– New contracts may not close if flood ins. expires If a lender requires flood insurance, buyers who don’t have it by July 31 may lose the home of their dreams. NAR’s Call for Action pushes Congress to renew the program, but eve More investors seeking Airbnb-style rental opportunities...
– Finding a downpayment: Can I tap my IRA to buy house? First-time buyers can take as much as $10K out of their retirement fund to buy a home – $20K if a couple is purchasing – provided they follow the rules. Supreme Court sales tax ruling could be...
– Will Supreme Court's sales-tax decision impact real estate? In a major shift, the court ruled that states can collect sales taxes on all online goods, which will affect commercial retailers and many small businesses. Need CE credits? New online option turns it into a game Through a partnership...
– Association-backed health insurance coverage OK'd Realtors one day may be able to buy NAR-sponsored health insurance policies following U.S. Labor Dept. approval, though a few hurdles still remain Fla. housing market: Sales, median prices up in May Existing single-family home sales up 0.8% from year ago, median price...
