Foreclosure Starts Dip to 10-Year Lows DAILY NEWS The foreclosure crisis is continuing to fade. RealtyTrac’s U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for November showed that foreclosure filings – which include default notices, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions – fell nearly 10 percent month-over-month and are down more than 7 percent from a year ago at 104,111...... Read More
The Microkitchen: An Urban Trend? DAILY NEWS Kitchens have become grand – filled with large granite islands and a spacious area for entire families to gather besides just for cooking. But in urban tech centers, kitchens are increasingly getting a makeover from younger owners who are desiring a smaller, high-tech area. Read more: ‘Tiny Condos’...... Read More
Half of Renters Are Struggling to Afford Rent DAILY NEWS The rental affordability crisis is showing signs of worsening: Nearly half of all renters are struggling to pay their monthly payments, according to a new report by Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Financial experts usually recommend keeping housing costs around 30 percent of a...... Read More
How Will Higher Rates Affect Housing? DAILY NEWS Time is ticking: The Federal Open Market Committee is less than a week away from what most analysts predict will be a vote to raise the federal funds rate for the first time since June 2006. An uptick in the federal funds rate would then prompt interest...... Read More
Owners More Upbeat About Home Values DAILY NEWS Appraisers don’t think homes are worth as much as consumers believe, according to the latest Quicken Loans Home Price Perception Index for November. The HPPI measures home owners’ perception of value and found that owners’ estimations were 1.87 percent higher than the value appraisers reported in November. “Home...... Read More
Housing Starts in Toronto Trend Higher in November 2015 CMHC December 8, 2015 December 8, 2015... Read More
Judging a Home by Its Driveway DAILY NEWS A driveway can boost curb appeal and set the tone for an entire home. Buyers may want to carefully assess not only the condition of the driveway but also the logistics of it too, particularly if they have to share one. Concrete Cracks: Reason for Concern? The...... Read More
Where Owners Spend the Most on Renovations DAILY NEWS Maryland home owners are spending more on home renovation projects than any other area in the country. The National Association of Home Builders recently released estimates of spending on home improvements in owner-occupied housing by ZIP code. Maryland boasted a ZIP code with the highest total...... Read More
Repeat Buyers Plunge: Fannie Offers Help DAILY NEWS The percentage of repeat home buyers has fallen 40 percent between 2002 and 2014, according to mortgage financing giant Fannie Mae’s research. Why the drastic drop? Jude Landis, vice president of single-family credit policy at Fannie Mae, speculates that for home owners who are credit eligible to...... Read More