“Overall, the study revealed that Raleigh, North Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; and St. Louis are the three best metropolitan areas for homeownership. Each of these metros ranks among the lowest for share of homes lacking complete plumbing and kitchen facilities (both are lowest in Raleigh), meaning they appear to have relatively high-quality housing available,” said LendingTree Senior Economist Jacob Channel.
Read More »’Hidden’ Home Expenses Can Add Up to $15k Annually
According to a new analysis by Zillow and Thumbtack, utility bills, property taxes, insurance and essential home maintenance can add up to nearly $14,155 for the average homeowner, or an additional $1,180 per month on top of a typical mortgage payment.
Read More »HUD Focuses on Healthy Homes in June
The Department kicks off the month of June by focusing its attention on the importance of creating and maintaining a healthy home by addressing home-based hazards, including reducing moisture and mold, and maintaining indoor air quality.
Read More »The Week Ahead: Small Business Lenders & Dodd-Frank’s Section 1071
An upcoming Five Star Institute Webinar will feature a trio of experts discussing the impact of Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act, a rule requiring financial institutions to collect and report data on small business loans.
Read More »Q1 Mortgage Lending Falls to 20-Year Low
Total residential loans dropped 19% in the first quarter of 2023, reaching the lowest point since 2000; refinancing was also down 85% year-over-year.
Read More »Home Price Gains Slow to Levels Last Reported in 2016
As reported by Realtor.com, home prices rose by 0.9% in May 2023, landing below numbers during pandemic and going further back to 2016.
Read More »Upcoming Hurricane Season May Threaten an Estimated 33 Million U.S. Homes
A new report from CoreLogic has found that climate change is expected to alter hurricane activity this year, placing $11.6 trillion total reconstruction cost value at risk of hurricane-force wind damage across U.S. coastal counties.
Read More »Real House Prices Increased 3.2% in March
While the Real House Price Index found that home prices, and therefore affordability, decreased across the country, median household income has increased 4.1% since January 2022.
Read More »Investor Home Purchases Fell a Record 49% YoY in Q1
While real estate investors bought up a large number of homes during the pandemic, a new report from Redfin revealed investors purchased 48.6% fewer homes in Q1 of 2023 than a year earlier, outpacing a 41% drop in overall home purchases.
Read More »Homebuyers Leaving Their Hometowns in Search of Affordability
As many Americans are leaving their hometown in search of more affordable areas, elevated mortgage rates and a shortage of inventory continue to deter U.S. homebuyers, as overall home sales dropped 22% from a year earlier in April.
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