In times of crises, people tend to come together. That's certainly been true over the past year. The coronavirus pandemic meant we all had to look out for one another a little bit more than usual, and we did. Especially, closer to home. In fact, according to one recent analysis, the pandemic led to an immediate uptick in neighborhood outreach. We started relying more on the people in our own communities for everything from picking up prescriptions to walking dogs and letting each other know where supplies that had … [Read more...]

When you own a home and its value increases, you build equity. And when the amount of equity you've built is more than double what you owe on your mortgage, you're considered equity rich – at least, according to ATTOM Data Solutions' 2021 U.S. Home Equity & Underwater Report. The report, which looks at the number of equity-rich properties across the country, found that almost one in three homes qualified during the first quarter. In fact, 31.9 percent of the 55.8 million mortgaged homes included in the analysis … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates fell last week from the week before. Rates were down across all loan categories, including 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances, loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages. Joel Kan, MBA's associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting, says rates are now lower than they've been in months. “Mortgage rates fell last week to the lowest … [Read more...]

In order to be approved for a mortgage, borrowers have to meet certain standards. How well they meet those standards not only determines whether they're approved to borrow but also the terms of the loan they receive, should they be approved. Lending standards aren't fixed, though. Which means, there are times when they're stricter and times when they loosen. That's why the Mortgage Bankers Association tracks mortgage credit availability each month – to help potential borrowers know what to expect. In April, … [Read more...]

In a competitive market, home buyers have to make their offers as attractive as possible. Good homes are in high demand and homeowners will, most likely, have more than one offer to choose from. That means, you have to make a strong case, if you hope to have yours chosen. So what's the most effective strategy for winning a bidding war in a hot market? Well, according to one recent analysis, the single most effective strategy is an all-cash offer. In fact, 41 percent of surveyed real-estate agents named it as the … [Read more...]

In April, Fannie Mae's Home Purchase Sentiment Index found a widening gap between the number of respondents who say it's a good time to sell a home and those who say it's a good time to buy one. The index – which is based on a survey that asks Americans for their opinions on the housing market and economy – shows the share of participants who say it's a good time to buy fell from 53 percent to 47 percent month-over-month. Conversely, the share who said it's a good time to sell rose from 61 percent to 67 percent. … [Read more...]

While the housing market outperformed expectations last year, it wasn't untouched by the economic impact of the pandemic. There were scores of American homeowners who were suddenly without work or a way to cover their mortgage payment. Which is why the most recent Mortgage Monitor from Black Knight Financial is an encouraging sign. The report – which looks at loan-level residential mortgage data – found that, in April, the number of Americans paying their mortgage on time rose to the highest level since the … [Read more...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, average mortgage rates were mostly flat last week, with slight increases for loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration and 30-year fixed-rate loans with both conforming and jumbo balances. But despite flat rates, demand for loans to buy homes was down for the second week in a row. Joel Kan, MBA's associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting, says home buying demand is being held back by low inventory and higher … [Read more...]

Everybody with a home to sell wants to get as much as they can for it. But beyond sprucing it up and making sure it looks its best, what else can you do to be certain you get a good offer? Well, according to a new analysis from ATTOM Data Solutions, you can also choose the right day to sell. ATTOM looked at 40.1 million home sales between 2011 and 2020 to determine which days of the year brought sellers the biggest premiums. The results show the month of May gives homeowners their best shot to sell their home above … [Read more...]

New home sales peaked at the height of the housing boom in 2005. But following those all-time highs, sales plummeted and the subsequent recovery took more than a decade. In fact, annual sales still haven't reached the highs of 15 years ago – though they've largely made up the lost ground. In one way, however, new home sales are doing better than ever. According to an analysis of recent sales, 25.7 percent of homes sold during the first quarter of 2021 were newly constructed homes. That's up from 20.4 percent last … [Read more...]