National News

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Congressional Republicans pass sweeping tax bill

After being approved by the House of Representatives and Senate on Dec. 20 after months of deliberations and negotiations, the Republicans’ so-called Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is set to land on President Donald J. Trump’s desk for final

Existing-home sales reach strongest pace in more than a decade

The end of the year usually means a slowdown in home sales, but this year is showing to be an exception, with existing-home sales growing in November for the third straight month to reach their strongest pace in nearly

Fannie Mae: Gig economy workers hope to buy houses, but not in near future

We see evidence of it everywhere — big pink mustaches on car dashboards, round black “U” stickers slapped on the back of car windows and friends allowing out-of-towners to rent rooms in their homes for a modest price. The

Single-family housing starts surge along with builder confidence

After a slow construction season in October, housing starts across the nation saw a 3.3 percent jump in November, according to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Commerce Department.  Single-family construction, in particular,

Freddie, Fannie announce increased affordable housing initiative

The United States has been grappling with a dearth of affordable housing, spurring a number of municipalities and officials around the country to address the problem head on. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae recently unveiled a plan to fix what

Boom in single-family rentals contributing to inventory crunch

Due to a boom in single-family rentals, 270,000 fewer homes have sold each year since 2006. According to a new Zillow analysis, between 2006 and early 2017, the number of single-family homes that are rented increased by 5 million,

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Homebuyers plunking down more money for down payments

The average U.S. homebuyer in the third quarter made a down payment that was higher than any other quarter since the first quarter of 2000, according to a new report. In Boston, the average homebuyer made a down payment

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HOME survey reveals diminished housing and economic optimism

Optimism regarding homebuying and home-selling is down in the final quarter of 2017, according to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) fourth-quarter Housing Opportunities and Market Experience (HOME) survey. The percentage of homeowners who believe now is a good time

Top five home perks buyers will not give up

With home prices skyrocketing and inventory in high demand, it’s not surprising that homebuyers have started sacrificing some of their most desired amenities in the name of finding an affordable home. In the current market, buyers are willing to

How will tax reform affect Illinois homeowners?

As Congress continues to work on creating a new tax bill, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has expressed concerns about the ways in which the proposals would affect homeowners, home prices and the real estate industry as a

Live in a landmark

Frank Lloyd Wright, known for his Prairie School style of architecture, decided to branch out and explore a more experimental design for this house, The Foster House and Stable. Built in 1900 and designated a Chicago landmark in 1996,

Survey finds experts predict home prices will continue to increase in 2018

Zillow recently released its Q4 Home Price Expectations Survey, which polled 100 housing experts, market strategists and economists on what they think the housing market will look like in 2018, and their expectations were less than optimistic. The study was

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FHA to increase floor and ceiling loan limits in 2018

The Federal Housing Administration announced that they will raise loan limits in more than 3,000 counties nationwide in 2018. In total, 3,011 counties will have higher loan limits next year, up slightly from 2,948 counties in 2017 and a

Trulia: U.S. housing inventory down more than 10 percent

Tight inventory has nagged the U.S. housing market all year, but in the last quarter of 2017, the number of homes for sale plunged 10.5 percent year over year — the largest decrease since 2013, according to Trulia.  The

Fannie Mae: Housing sentiment nears all-time high in November

The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) grew to 87.8 in November, a 2.6 point increase from October, nearing September’s all-time high and marking a year-over-year increase of 6.6 points. Four of the six HPSI components increased. The

Mortgage delinquency dips to lowest rate in more than a decade

The number of past-due mortgage payments and of homes currently in some stage of foreclosure are the lowest they’ve been in 10 years, according to the monthly CoreLogic Loan Performance Insights Report. The report, which analyzes the health and

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