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

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

Young Buyers Are Targeting These Metros DAILY NEWS The millennial generation is 43.5 million strong, and they are expected to make a big splash in the housing market. The older group of millennails – those in the 25 to 34 age group, comprise 13.6 percent of the U.S. population alone and are 30 percent of...... 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

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

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

Baby Boomers Blamed for Clog in Housing DAILY NEWS Some economists say the baby boomers aren’t selling their homes like previous generations did and not downsizing fast enough, which is leading to shortages of homes for sale and rising prices. Baby boomers are “clogging up the whole chain of home sales,” says Sean Becketti, chief...... Read More

Tips for Battling Against Low Inventory DAILY NEWS A shortage of homes for-sale is creating a roadblock for some would-be home buyers. In some markets, home buyers are left scrambling for a scant number of homes for-sale and that is sending home prices escalating. Read more: Inventory Relief Coming Soon? “If you’re seeking to purchase...... Read More

Which Agent Rating Site Scores the Best? DAILY NEWS In a follow up to last year’s debut Ratings System Report Card, the Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS® has released its latest report card that scores the most popular sites that rates real estate agents. PAR reviewed the 10 most popular sites where agents receive ratings and...... Read More

The Hot List: 20 Top-Performing Markets DAILY NEWS A seasonal slowdown is taking root in many real estate markets across the country, with median list prices stabilizing and a declining number of homes on the market, according to realtor.com®’s latest housing report, reflecting November data. Read more: These Markets Will Make a Splash Next Year...... Read More

Mortgage Rates Still Below 4%, For Now DAILY NEWS For the third consecutive week, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped, offering home buyers a chance to lock in lower mortgage rates ahead of the Federal Reserve’s largely predicted move to raise federal funds rate later this month. Freddie Mac reports the following averages with national rates...... Read More

Study: Stellar Credit Scores Add Up to Savings DAILY NEWS For every 10 point increase in credit scores, borrowers can expect to receive a lower mortgage interest rate, according to a new study soon-to-be-published in the Journal of Housing Economics by researchers at Northern Kentucky University. Read more: 26 Million Consumers Are ‘Credit Invisible’ For...... Read More

A Good Time to Sell in These 10 Markets DAILY NEWS In some counties in the U.S., sellers are seeing sizable profits. RealtyTrac’s October 2015 U.S. Home Sales Report shows the following counties where sellers, on average, sold for the largest percentage profit since purchase: Alameda County, Calif., in the San Francisco metro area: 75...... Read More

Inventory Concerns Limit Sales Contracts DAILY NEWS Pending home sales inched up in October, following two consecutive months of declines. But the gains in home sale contracts were mostly centered in the Northeast and Western regions of the U.S., which offset declines in the Midwest and South last month, according to the National Association of...... Read More

GTA REALTORS® Report Rental Market Figures, , TORONTO REAL ESTATE NEWS, TORONTO, October 16, 2015 — Toronto Real Estate Board President Mark McLean announced that there were 9,635 condominium apartment rental transactions reported through TREB’s MLS® System in the third quarter of 2015.  This result represented a 22.6 per cent increase compared to Q3 2014. ...... Read More