Retirement a dream? Boomers take on more debt
More baby boomers - those aged 50 and up - are carrying more mortgage debt than they ever have before, and at a time when they're approaching retirement, according to a new AARP study.
14 years ago
‘But wait, there’s more’. . . FTC slams home scam
A judge has awarded the Federal Trade Commission $478 million in a judgment against three marketers of real estate informercials that were accused of defrauding nearly a million consumers. The judgment is the largest judgment ever obtained by the FTC. The FTC had claimed the marketers duped consumers with get-rich-quick real estate claims. Almost all […]14 years ago
Tom Kelly: What price for a Puget Sound view?
What's the most-sought after amenity in a Puget Sound home? Probably waterfront, but those properties are limited. There's no debate for second place: view.14 years ago
Expanded refinance proposal gaining momentum
A proposal to help more homeowners refinance their mortgage into today’s low rates with any lender they choose is gathering new support, providing a lift to what had been considered a stalled proposal, The Wall Street Journal reports. Senators could vote as early as this week on an expansion of the Home Affordable Refinancing Program. […]14 years ago
Condo, apartment building activity highest since 2005
The Multifamily Production Index (MPI), released by the National Association of Home Builders, improved for the eighth consecutive quarter with an index level of 54. It is the highest reading since the second quarter of 2005. The MPI, which measures builder and developer sentiment about current conditions in the apartment and condominium market on a […]14 years ago
FICO: Short-sale credit damage same as foreclosure
With short sales, homeowners work with a bank on a solution to get out of a house they may no longer be able to afford or have to sell urgently for some reason. That’s why some argue short sales shouldn’t damage a person’s credit score in the same way as foreclosures, which can be much […]14 years ago
Home for sale? Top three homebuyer turn-offs
What makes homebuyers grimace when they tour a home for-sale? A recent article at Zillow highlighted a number of turn-offs.14 years ago
Feds crack down on movers who hold belongings
Federal lawmakers are cracking down on moving companies who try to hold homeowners’ belongings hostage during a move – a scam that’s more common than many realize. Homeowners will soon have more protection against this increasingly reported rip-off in the moving industry. It usually involves a moving company providing an owner with a lowball quote […]14 years ago
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac plan to raise loan fees
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that mortgage backers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will increase – by an average of 10 basis points – the fees they charge lenders to guarantee loans. One basis point is equivalent to 0.01 percent. The fee increases are expected to be passed along to borrowers, possibly with […]14 years ago
Tom Kelly: Is your college kid prepared to be a landlord?
Typically, the student manages the building while mom and dad reap the tax benefits and appreciation that come from owning a rental home.14 years ago
Foreclosure prices rise to highest increase since 2006
Foreclosure sales prices rose 6 percent in the second quarter and were up 7 percent year-over-year, RealtyTrac reports. This marks the largest annual increase in foreclosure-related sales prices since 2006.14 years ago
Getting a mortgage will become even more difficult
Fannie Mae, one of the nation's mortgage giants, announced new lending restrictions that might make it even more difficult for some homebuyers to qualify for a loan.14 years ago
Reports shows home ownership rate at 50-year low
The U.S. home ownership rate has sunk lower, reaching a 50-year low at 62.1 percent, according to a new report from John Burns Real Estate.14 years ago
Tom Kelly: Windermere’s Mexico debut will ease fears
Windermere Real Estate is setting up shop south of the border, a move that will go a long way toward easing buyers' fears about safety in Mexico's popular resort areas.14 years ago
BofA to donate 1,000 homes to military veterans
Bank of America has made a three-year commitment to give 1,000 homes to nonprofit organizations and local governments that will turn the homes over to military veterans and first responders.14 years ago
Three tips to help ensure an accurate appraisal
Owners can take steps to avoid having their home appraised at a lower value. Here are a three ways that homeowners often hurt their appraisal.14 years ago
Average rent in Seattle hits $1,629, Zillow reports
The average rent for a Seattle dwelling reached $1,629 in July, a 4.4 percent increase over the same month a year ago, according to the Zillow Rent Index. Rents continued to rise nationally, up 5.4 percent year-over-year to $1,278. Rents have increased in 6 out of the past 12 months, with most metros (70 percent) […]14 years ago
Tom Kelly: How do you access coveted waterfront?
Many fishermen in the Northwest cut through private property to reach their favorite section of a river. Often, that entry can be illegal trespassing, but there are many places where access is granted and encouraged. For example, there is a private-property owner on the Skykomish River who for years had a deposit box on a […]14 years ago
Higher rents eventual ‘wake-up call’ to buy – UCLA report
The dramatic rise in multifamily starts will continue for another two years as more credit-starved individuals turn to apartment rentals, David Shulman, senior economist with the UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate, suggested in a new report. At the same time, the dramatic uptick in multifamily construction carries the “seeds of its own destruction” since […]14 years ago
Gen Y aspires to homeownership, survey finds
A survey of millennials, born from 1978 to 1995, found that 32 percent have already achieved homeownership – a purchase more than 90 percent of them made because they either wanted their own place or viewed ownership as a symbol of achievement, according to ERA Real Estate. Homeownership is a future goal of 64 percent […]14 years ago
New bailout terms set for Fannie and Freddie
The Treasury Department announced tweaks to a bailout agreement with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that sets out to decrease the mortgage giants’ holdings faster and speed up repayment of taxpayer bailout money given to the companies. Under the new agreement, Fannie and Freddie will be required to pay the government any and all of […]14 years ago
The merits of swapping versus renting on your next vacation
As prices for vacation rentals rise, many families are looking to save money by home swapping, rather than renting, on their vacations.14 years ago
Affordability tips lower with rising home prices
While housing bargains can still be found, homebuyers are increasingly finding that home prices are on the rise in many markets. As such, housing affordability is being pushed lower, according to the second quarter Housing Opportunity Index by the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo. Still, by historical standards, housing affordability remains high. According to […]14 years ago
