According to most sources, the housing market has still not fully rebounded from the 2008 recession although there are some positive trends (prices rising, low interest rates) as well as some negative ones (sales growth flat). That said, spring is traditionally a big...
Real Estate
Foreclosures Down in Housing Rebound
The rate of new foreclosures has hit its lowest level in eight years, according to Bloomberg's website. Rising home prices brought homeowners "above water," enabling them to sell without a loss. The rate of foreclosure fell to its lowest since the third quarter of...
Lead Paint Ruling Could Send LA Home Values Into Nose Dive
When a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge ruled recently requiring three major companies to pay $1.15 billion in lead paint remediation, the Los Angeles real estate industry took a collective breath. Roughly 2.6 million LA County homes could be affected by the...
Open House Checklist
We can't all afford to stage our homes, so for those of us who have to make do prior to open house day, Charter Homes put together this helpful checklist chock full of valuable advice. A few of the tastier tips include: Use Natural Light. Bright homes look bigger and...
Top 10 Home Improvement Fixes for Return on Investment
Are you looking for the most bang for your home improvement buck? Then you'll be interested in this recent infographic by Nationwide Insurance, which details the top 10 home improvement for getting a return on your investment. The infographic breaks down the ROI of...
Buying vs. Renting – The Tipping Point
It may be a wildly overused phrase, but "tipping point" applies to the Buying vs. Renting comparison, particularly as mortgage rates start to rise. And according to a finding published recently in Trulia, we're still a little ways away (nationally) from reaching that...
Will an Aging Baby Boomer Population Lead to the Next Housing Crisis?
The baby boom generation is heading towards retirement, which means a sizable slice of the housing pie could be hitting the market soon. And demand is not shaping up to meet the expected supply. This according to a recent article in The Atlantic Cities, which...
Builder Declares Top 10 Design Trends of 2012
It's inevitable that these start coming out. And with the impending Mayacalypse, we'll likely see some Top 10 (In the History of the World) lists, too. Builder came up with some bulls eyes with their Top 10 Design Trends of 2012, though, including: Open Spaces Making...
Four More Years of What, for Housing?
The economy may have been the main election issue, but neither candidate delved too deeply into their plans for housing in America. Now that we know our president for the next four years, what can we expect for the housing market? Forbes published an article recently...
Fannie Mae Initiates Foreclosure Prevention Program
When foreclosures take place, there aren't many winners. Certainly not the homeowners. Nor the mortgage servicer, as it turns out. To help prevent future foreclosures, Fannie Mae has launched a training and support initiative aimed at improving the information given...