Foreclosure Articles

The Wealth in Walkable Regions - 07/08/2015
The virtue of walking doesn’t have to be limited to health. Walking also could be good for economy. The importance and benefits of walkability on real estate development is significant. Residential walkable communities create four times the tax revenue compared to regional and business malls, according to a recent panel on the...Read More

The Sewerless Solution - 10/15/2008
For millions of American homeowners, flushing a toilet is an act that's taken for granted. You simply push down on the little silver handle and walk away without giving it a second thought. But not every owner has it so easy. Some properties are situated in rural and underdeveloped areas that aren't served by a public sewage treatment...Read More

Lessons for school conscious buyers - 10/16/2019
Some 53 percent of buyers with children at home choose a neighborhood based on the quality of the school district, according to a new study from the National Association of Realtors {NAR}. Here, a short primer on the intersection of schools and real estate: Schools in districts with high test scores boost home values — but not...Read More

All in the Family - 03/24/2010
Whether it's baby boomers taking care of their aging folks or accommodating their Gen Y children moving back in till the job market improves, the 2010 homebuyer may be looking for a roof to put over the heads of everybody. A recent survey of Coldwell Banker professionals found that 37 percent of agents noted an increase of buyers looking...Read More

New Year, New Home - 09/28/2011
The New American Home 2012 may be being built for the future, but it’s also a bit of a throwback. The 2012 home, which is currently under construction and will be displays at the 2012 National Association of Home Builders International Builders’ Show in Orlando in February, is a reinterpretation of the classic white box-style...Read More

New methods for approving rental applications - 04/22/2020
Some people rent instead of buy because they fear their credit score won’t pass muster with a mortgage lender. Now, though, more landlords are also using computer-driven scoring to evaluate prospective tenants. For renters, the good news is that some evaluation methods may work in your favor. For instance, the American Apartment...Read More

Inventory Down, Demand Up, Sales Slow - 05/31/2017
Home-selling season started with a bang in 2017, but that quick pace has since cooled, according to a report out this month. The RE/MAX National Housing Report, which draws on listing data from 53 metro areas, showed that April home sales dropped 4.1 percent below March’s sales and 4.5 percent below sales in April 2016. To explain...Read More

Your Happy Home - 06/30/2010
Potential homebuyers may find themselves more excited about purchasing their new home than they've been about any other expenditure. Well, they're on to something. Experts say they should be enthused - and also introspective - before buying a home. "Environment psychologists" - experts from a relatively new field linking architecture,...Read More

Jumbo Jumping - 12/15/2010
Jumbo mortgages were much easier to come by before the housing crisis erupted and home values began to fall. Following these events, jumbo loan interest rates jumped and lenders tightened their restrictions on applicants. Consequently, only approximately 5 percent of total mortgages issued in the last two years were jumbo loans, compared to...Read More

Seniors Fixing to Stay Put Need the Right Fixes - 09/08/2021
Comfortable in their home, many seniors never want to move. About one-half get their wish and can stay home until they die, according to Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research {CRR}. But a fall or illness that makes living in their home unmanageable forces others out. Sometimes small fixes, like installing grab bars...Read More

I Love Your House - 10/31/2012
When her clients fell in love during an open house tour, agent Jesenia Ontiverso of Century 21 Marty Rodriguez in Glendora, Calif., feared they could be disappointed, since homes in the area were garnering multiple offers. But Ontiverso thinks some lucky timing had a hand in the sellers accepting her clients’ offer. “I...Read More

The Foreclosed Fight Back - 12/12/2012
Many foreclosure victims now have a referee to turn to for help – the federal banking agencies’ Independent Foreclosure Review program. Borrowers who believe they suffered financial losses due to errors in a foreclosure process on their homes, occurring between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010, can apply for a free review by...Read More

Home buyers: Did you see this? - 08/19/2020
Three hours … give or take an hour. That’s the average amount of time buyers physically spend in a home before purchasing it, according to several real estate agents we polled. And that’s during “normal” or pre-COVID-19 times; now, some buyers feel more comfortable shaving off as many minutes as possible,...Read More

Vacant home? Try virtual staging - 04/22/2015
With a flick of a magic wand, a magician can make objects quickly appear and disappear, to the delight of audiences. Sellers with an empty residence for sale can perform a similar trick by making furniture appear in their empty homes to try to please potential home shoppers. Virtual home staging uses software to easily transform photos...Read More

A New Model of the Middle-Class Subdivision - 12/29/2021
America needs more affordable homes. And that’s a big reason why manufactured homes, which are built in a factory and transported to a site, are hitting record numbers, with more than an estimated 100,000 produced this year, about one-tenth the number of site-built homes. A big impetus for growth in the past few years, explains...Read More

Winning The Home Buying Race - 03/23/2022
The housing market is now a game of musical chairs. And it’s only buyers who stake their claim before others and end up with keys to a new home. How quick did successful buyers have to be in 2021, a year with sparse listings that promises to repeat itself in 2022? The National Association of Realtors {NAR} found that it took a...Read More

Open a New Window - 06/16/2010
Thinking of going another summer without replacing those old windows? Well, now actually might be the time to act. Not only are efficiences better than ever, but a $1,500 tax credit also is available for qualified windows installed by the end of 2010. Steve Linton, director of sustainable technologies at Deltec Homes in Asheville, N.C.,...Read More

Flood Insurance Changes to Better Reflect Risk - 10/13/2021
What are the odds that your home will flood? Given the number of extreme storms making headlines, you may answer that question differently now than you did several years ago. Now, FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program {NFIP}, the federal program most owners get flood coverage from, has revamped its premiums effective October...Read More

Recession and the reality of real estate - 04/09/2008
As one would expect over a problem that's already sent nearly 2 million American homeowners into foreclosure and threatens to drag the economy into recession, the federal government is beside itself trying to bring the ongoing mortgage crisis under control. That's proving a particularly tough challenge for numerous reasons, not the...Read More

Handling a Hidden Home Hazard - 12/31/2008
You can’t see it, smell it or taste it, but its presence in your home could put you and your family at risk. No, the threat in question is not carbon monoxide, but something equally alarming yet often completely ignored: radon gas – an airborne, cancer-causing and radioactive gas that occurs naturally as rock, water and soil...Read More

FHA Loans: Shopping the Options - 05/04/2016
“How did you find a lender to give you a mortgage?” In the years of stringent lending since the 2008 financial crisis, eager buyers with limited down payment money or less than pristine credit have had good reason to probe about sources for an affordable mortgage. Lending tightened unexpectedly last fall, when the Federal...Read More

Next-Door Nemesis - 06/19/2013
Whether the problem is loud parties, grass-killing canines or nuisance foliage, difficult neighbors can make the American Dream seem like a nightmare. A residential clash can escalate quickly, but experts say it’s best to avoid taking it to court. “The best way to resolve these disputes is by person-to-person discussion,”...Read More

What Today’s Buyers and Sellers Look Like - 04/08/2015
Millennials have become the largest share of homebuyers, and Gen Xers have become the largest group of home sellers, according to the 2015 National Association of Realtors Home Buyer and Seller General Trends Survey. The NAR surveyed buyers and sellers to evaluate the generational differences, looking at five groups: •...Read More

Selling a Tear Down? Do the Math - 06/08/2016
Another sign that the housing market is getting on its feet: more homes are coming down. Nearly eight percent of single-family homes constructed in 2015 involved the tear-down of an existing house on the lot. In areas with older homes the percent is much higher, according to estimates from the National Association of Home Builders. A...Read More

Will Your Rent Rise? - 01/31/2018
Overall inflation has been tame the past decade. But not for many apartment dwellers, who saw rents rise six percent or more annually for the past eight years. Now that inflation is heating up for other goods, in 2018 rental rates will stay out of step, with only a moderate increase of less than three percent nationwide, according to...Read More

Building Blocks - 12/29/2010
Those perhaps most affected by the housing slowdown are also the ones most poised to lead its resurgence: the small businesses that dominate the housing industry. A National Association of Home Builders report paints the following picture of the housing industry: • Slightly more than 65 percent of all homebuilding establishments had...Read More

Sellers: Does your listing really click? - 02/12/2020
In the battle between online and brick and mortar to capture consumers’ purchasing dollar, smart home sellers stake a flag in both camps. Because buyers hop online and then decide to visit a home, the virtual and physical presentations should complement each other. That’s why stats on the “hits” or clicks a...Read More

Baby boomers with suburban homes face choices - 11/04/2020
Suburban living is in style again, thanks to a pandemic-related preference for lower density living. And that’s significant for Baby Boomers, who raised their family in these newly desirable homes with a yard – but not too large, and are located at a distance – but not too far—from the city. Using 2020 data,...Read More

The Pros and Cons of Bank-Owned Properties - 07/22/2009
With sales of foreclosed homes continuing to drive the residential real-estate market, many prospective homebuyers can’t help but look to bank-owned properties as their best and least costly opportunity to enter the fray. It’s easy to understand why. Banks and other lending institutions generally price repossessed properties...Read More

6 Shocking Facts Facing First-Time Home Buyers - 11/30/2016
For anyone planning to plunge into the world of home buying, there are a few truths you’ve probably heard about: Spend as much as you can on a down payment to lower your monthly mortgage payment and carefully compare mortgage rates. But there are some things essential to the process that may surprise you. We’ve outlined the most...Read More

“Romance And Home Buying: Risk Or Relationship Elixir?" - 08/07/2019
A recent SunTrust survey finds that nearly half of married or been married millennials say they and/or their partner owned a home before marrying. Buying together before marrying forces couples to face serious financial issues, notes Josh Harris, a certified financial planner and member of the Financial Therapy Association. “Not only...Read More

Look Back at the Bubble - 05/11/2011
Despite the prolonged housing dip, the American pubic still is high on housing. Eight in 10 (81 percent) of adults agree that buying a home is the best long-term investment a person can make, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. The survey shows respondents are not oblivious to what's happened to housing during the past...Read More

Happy and They Know It - 02/01/2012
Over the past few years, there has been plenty to be unhappy about in regards to the housing market. But those who own their home are feeling pretty good. Nearly three-fourths (72 percent) of homeowners said they were satisfied with owning a home, according to HomeGain.com's 2012 National Home Ownership Satisfaction Survey. The top...Read More

Easier Money - 07/04/2018
Getting a mortgage involves many steps, each laden with paperwork. Now, time and hassle is minimized due to most lenders offering online applications. However, borrowers – refinancers and home purchasers – still often attend the “closing” whereby mortgage funds are dispersed and purchases finalized. Still, your...Read More

How to Get the Most From the MLS - 08/22/2018
Like a restaurant’s special sauce, the Multiple Listing Service is a real estate agent’s secret weapon. Existing as long as home-selling has been a profession, there are some 600 MLS listings around the country, owned by local realtor associations or realty firms. Only professionals associated with these ownership entities can...Read More

Making Work Moves Work - 08/31/2011
One of the ills crippling the job market is a severe case of homesickness. The obstacle standing between many Americans and a new job is their home - and dim prospects of selling it at a price that makes relocating for a new position affordable. Despite high unemployment, "there is a talent shortage," notes Melanie Holmes, a vice...Read More

Hearing aids for noise sensitive home buyers - 08/12/2020
If a tree falls in a forest, but no one is there to hear it, does it still make a noise? Recent homebuyers irked by the creaking footsteps of their condo neighbor or the rumbling of trains would answer that question with a resounding “yes.” “People have different reactions to sounds,” says Bonnie Schnitta,...Read More

Builders Confident in Housing Recovery - 05/27/2015
Increasing employment, attractive mortgage rates, a growing economy and pent-up demand will attribute to the housing recovery that will continue throughout 2015, according to economists who participated in National Association of Home Builders 2015 Spring Construction Forecast Webinar. David Crowe, NAHB Chief Economist, expects 2015...Read More

So You Want To Be My Realtor? - 01/25/2017
No matter the size of the market in which a prospective buyer is looking, there will several choices when it comes to selecting a realtor. Just as no two buyers are exactly alike, realtors offer different skills, working styles and levels of commitment. Here’s what you need to know before you choose. 1. Why are you a real estate...Read More

What We Want - 06/10/2009
Kitchens and bathrooms may still be among the most popular rooms that homeowners want to improve since they gravitate to the first as a hub to spend time with family and friends and cook and to the second as a place to unwind. But how nice and luxurious homeowners now want each space to be is being influenced by the economy. According to...Read More

The Right Season - 07/20/2011
Trying to time the market and determine the perfect home selling season can be a risky strategy, especially in the current real estate climate of buyer uncertainty. Conventional wisdom holds that wintertime is the worst season in which to put a "for sale" sign up. But that may not be true, for example, in warmer Southwestern states. And...Read More

Post-Recession Trends - 12/04/2013
Home values are slowly picking up after the Great Recession, though they’re nowhere near pre-recession levels. A closer look at home values shows that they declined in large counties but held steady in smaller counties after the most recent recession, according to new findings from the U.S. Census Bureau and American Community...Read More

Will Owning Your Home Make You a Better Driver? - 01/28/2015
Have a driving ambition to own a home? Purchasing that dream property may end up saving you money behind the wheel, suggests a new study. Insurance.com recently analyzed user data and found that 14.3 percent of homeowners had filed at least one car insurance claim in the past three years versus 16.8 percent of renters and 22.2 percent of...Read More

Exchanges with a Lot to ‘Like’ - 07/22/2015
Like-kind exchanges offer plenty of benefits to property owners and can be a boost to the local economy In real estate, it does not get much better than a like-kind exchange. The exchanges, which are part of the tax code going back to 1924, allow property owners to defer capital-gains taxes on a property as long as the sale proceeds...Read More

Trending Down - 11/03/2010
The shift in square-footage status is only the beginning when it comes to the "less is more" trend going on in housing. The recent "Characteristics of Single-Family Homes Started in 2009" study by the National Association of Home Builders' Housing Economics found the median size of a new single-family home to be 2,100 square feet, down from...Read More

Fighting Back - 03/26/2008
By now, Americans weary of the nation’s real estate woes can practically predict the headlines before even opening the newspaper: The housing market continues to struggle, and forecasts call for continued cloudiness at least through the next several months. But instead of waiting for these prognostications to become self-fulfilling...Read More

On the Way Up - 09/18/2013
Potential homebuyers likely have heard that mortgage rates are rising, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Still, homebuyers should not feel discouraged, as the higher rates have a limited impact on monthly mortgage payments. The national average 30-year fixed rate mortgage was at 4.7 percent as of September 16, 2013....Read More

I Wanna Be Rich - 01/20/2010
Given the economy, many Americans have the feeling that it’s not as easy to get ahead as it was in the past. According to the Bankrate “How to Prosper” survey: • 70 percent of Americans believe that it is more difficult to get rich today than it was in the past. • More than half of those surveyed believe it...Read More

Singling In On First-Time Buyers - 08/04/2010
With the first-time homebuyer tax credit in full swing this spring (first-timers now have till Sept. 30 to close deals that were put into contract by April 30), it wasn’t all about Uncle Sam helping put young singles into swanky downtown digs. The majority (52 percent) of single, first-time homeowners actually purchased a home in the...Read More

My Home Is Worth Less: Lowering Property Taxes - 06/28/2023
The more expensive your home is, the more it costs to live there. Even if your mortgage payment is fixed, property taxes are likely to rise. Nationally, average property taxes rose 3% from 2021 to 2022; and the average annual increase from 2016 through 2022 was 2.61%, according Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM, a real estate data firm. Two...Read More