General News - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

Top 25 Cities for Young Professionals

Young professionals in the early stages of their careers are facing a lot of uncertainties today, including where to live and put down roots.SmartAsset, a financial resource website, recently analyzed 150 cities to pinpoint the best places for young professionals. Researchers considered metrics like the percentage of the population between 25 and 34; county-level unemployment rates from May 2020; labor force participation for young professionals;

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The Top Stressors when Selling a Home

The toughest part of the homeselling process: trying to simultaneously sell a current home while buying the next one, according to a new survey from LendingTree of 964 consumers about their top sources of stress in the homeselling transaction. The transactions must be coordinated perfectly to go forward at both ends without a hitch.But preparing the home to sell and getting it ready for showings bring another common stressor. It can be pricey; th

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Homeownership Rate Rises Close to Housing Boom Levels

The U.S. homeownership rate surged to its highest level in 12 years in the second quarter as low mortgage rates and the pandemic prompt more Americans to want to have a home.The homeownership rate rose to 67.9% in the second quarter, increasing even while the nation faced record levels of unemployment, the Census Bureau reported this week. A year ago, the homeownership rate was 64.1%, for comparison.However, the Census Bureau cautioned that the d

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Millions of Renters at Risk of Eviction

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act moratorium on evictions expired last week. It prevented landlords from evicting tenants from homes with federally backed mortgages during the COVID-19 outbreak. But with the protections now gone and unemployment still high, many renter households could be at risk.The National Association of REALTORS® and the Institute of Real Estate Management released a leasing conditions survey t

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Where Buyers Can Find the Most Space for their Money

Home buyers’ most wanted home feature sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic: more space, both indoors and out.Extra space tends to come at a premium, but in some markets, buyers are finding they can get more room without busting their budgets.“With many working from home now, it’s nice to have space to separate from children, spouses, or roommates to get some quiet and focus,” says Danielle Hale, realtor.com®’s chief economist. “Even if y

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Seller Profits Hit New High Amid Struggling Economy

While unemployment remains high and the economy continues to suffer from the COVID-19 pandemic, the housing market is proving resilient. During the second quarter of this year, home sellers netted a median $75,971 profit at resale, up from $66,500 in the first quarter and $65,250 a year earlier, according to research firm ATTOM Data Solutions. The second-quarter figure represents a 36.3% return on investment—the highest level since the Great Re

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Mortgage Rates Inch Up from Record Lows

Mortgage rates increased for the first time in weeks, but rates remain near historical lows.The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage shattered records last week, averaging 2.98%. This week, they increased slightly to a 3.01% average, Freddie Mac reports. “While housing demand continues to rebound, the month-long swoon in economic activity has caused the 10-year Treasury benchmark to drop,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “In the sh

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‘Google’ your Mortgage?

Search for the term “mortgage” on Google from your smartphone and you’ll learn what a mortgage is, what important loan terms are, and what the most recent mortgage rates are. In addition, you'll find online calculators and more. That's because Google has partnered with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to launch the new information feature on Wednesday, which aims to help consumers better shop for mortgages.The resources also provide

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REALTORS: 3 Aspects of your Job that are Most Essential Now

We’re still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and even as some state reopenings stall or roll back, most consider real estate as an essential service. But what do your customers consider essential to their homebuying or homeselling goals? The most effective way to find out is to look at what your clients are complaining about in your industry, and then create the opposite customer experience. Here are three aspects of your job that are mos

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The Most Common Home Improvements During the Pandemic

The pandemic has prompted many homeowners to take on updates and renovations projects. More than three-quarters of about 1,000 homeowners surveyed this month say they have carried out at least one home improvement project since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a new survey from Porch.com, a home remodeling website.What’s more, homeowners have spent a median of $17,140 on improving their homes since the pandemic began, with

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