National News

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Education levels impact post-recession homeownership for Millennials, study shows

For Millennials seeking to become homeowners, level of education may be more of a determining factor than any other socioeconomic indicator, according to a newly published white paper. The study by Fannie Mae comes as the industry seeks to

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New home contracts are nearing decade highs

  Pending home sales made an unexpected jump in February, leading contract signings to their second highest mark since 2006, according to the National Association of Realtors. NAR’s pending home sales index showed a 5.5 percent jump in homes under

Demand for 55-plus communities takes off

Toning it down after retirement is becoming a thing of the past. Many over the age of 55 are looking to downsize in scale and upsize the fun. Communities exclusively serving that age group are growing in popularity, according to reports. These

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Home prices continue to rise, hit 31-month peak in January

Home prices continued to increase into the new year, making January the fifth straight month of record-high home prices, according to new S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices, which measure U.S. home prices. The latest version of the indices, generated by S&P

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Renting is now more popular than owning in Chicago, study shows

  Homeownership rates are falling in over half of the country’s largest cities as more residents seek out rental agreements, according to a recent Redfin study. Though home sales jumped in 2016 and are projected to climb by a modest 3 percent

HOA fees are on the rise

  Condo shoppers have more to contend with than just rising home prices. According to a new report from Trulia, homeowners association (HOA) fees are on the rise across the nation. The U.S. has seen a rise in homeowners association

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Freddie Mac to offer automated assessments for borrowers without credit

Freddie Mac will offer automated assessments for borrowers who do not have credit scores, saving time for lenders and expanding its lending service to more prospective customers, according to multiple media reports. Starting in June, borrowers without credit scores

February produces surge in home sales and prices

Across-the-board rises in new home sales, average sales price and inventory were reported in February, according to newly released figures from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Home sales in February totaled

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A fresh look at real estate tech: 6 agent and brokerage habits

  For today’s real estate agent, technology is indispensable in getting the job done quickly and efficiently. According to NAR’s recent 2017 Real Estate in a Digital Age report, agents and brokerage firms rely on a variety of tools

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Build more homes to combat rising inflation, housing prices, economist says

The historic, nationwide housing inventory shortage could be cured by more new-home construction, real estate economist Lawrence Yun said, but barriers exist before construction can ramp up. Raising interest rates could dampen homebuying activity, with 53 percent of prospective

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How “green” is the average homebuilder?

  “Green” amenities and building practices are all the rage, but how green is the average homebuilder, really? As it turns out, some green practices and products are more popular than others among single-family home builders. According to a recent

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4 homebuying regrets to help your clients avoid

Typically, the purchase of a new home would merit jubilation. But not among the more than 2,400 adults recently surveyed by NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Almost half the homeowners surveyed said they’d tackle buying in a different way if

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Agents and the AHCA

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its highly anticipated analysis of the new legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare on Monday afternoon, including findings that the law will leave millions more people uninsured compared to the current health care

6 kitchen improvements you can do for less than $5,000

Whether your client is planning on selling their home soon or they want a fresh look without moving, the below upgrades can increase their home’s value without breaking the bank, giving it the look they’ve been dreaming of while minimizing cost and

More young unmarried couples buying homes together

Millennials value individuality and often defy tradition. But according to a recent analysis from Zillow, the full picture of the American dream has not been lost on Millennials – owning a home still remains one of the largest milestones in adulthood, though

Report: Most Millennials want a bigger home

Americans live much larger than they did 30 years ago, despite families being slightly smaller. But that doesn’t mean Americans want bigger homes. As a recent Trulia study showed, homeowners suffer from widespread “grass-is-always-greener” syndrome, in which small home

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