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Stressed Over Higher Interest Rates?
Mortgage rates have risen since the election of Donald Trump, from 3.5% to the recent 4.2%. Bond investors are perceiving an economic stimulus package to uplift the economy. More business activity, greater commerce, and faster job growth are certainly good news, which thereby also no longer justifies the ultra-low interest rate environment of the past decade.
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'Preserving the Middle Class': Outgoing HUD Secretary Castro on Housing
Outgoing Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro recently released an exit memo recognizing the agency's efforts under the Obama Administration, summing up its missive in words every disenfranchised American Dreamer strives for: "HUD provides a passport to the middle class."
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10 Anti-Burglary Tips for Your Sellers
After the holidays, many people put the empty boxes their expensive gifts came in out on the curb. What do you think that says to potential burglars? It screams, "I just got a brand-new TV! Come and rob me!" That's just one example of some unwise habits homeowners have. If those owners are sellers opening their doors to the public for showings, habits such as these put them in even greater danger.
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Is 2017 the 'Year of the Tablet'?
There's been enough change over the last couple of years that the pendulum has swung fully in favor of tablets as a viable alternative to desktop and laptop computers - and for real estate professionals, the mobility and lack of tech-savvy required make them an ideal choice.
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How smart real estate professionals will use social media in 2017
#SnapPack Live is a fast-growing community on Facebook for real estate practitioners who want to improve how they use social media marketing. It's unlike most other real estate groups in that there is no selling or self-promotion. It's a community of people helping one another.
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North Jersey a Hot Property, Retail Deal-Makers Say
North Jersey remains one of the hottest properties for retail, but the definition of retail is changing to include a lot more than just stores, said shopping center owners and real estate brokers who gathered in Manhattan on Monday for the annual deal-making conference sponsored by the International Council of Shopping Centers.
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Looking Ahead: Tax Reform in 2017
As we kick off 2017 with a new administration and the start of the 115th Congress, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) will ramp up its messaging on the social and financial benefits of homeownership. While NAR has long touted the benefits of owning a home, it's more important than ever to send a strong message to lawmakers about NAR's priorities as Congress considers tax reform proposals in 2017.
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How The Gov'ts Student Loan Repayment Programs Can Trip Up Home buyers
There's a new study by Federal Reserve researchers quantifying something many Realtors already know from experience: Excessive debt-to-income ratios account for nearly a quarter of all mortgage denials. Evidence from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Data detail how monthly payments on everything from student loans to credit cards and car payments often push would-be homebuyers beyond the maximum limits set by Fannie Mae , Freddie Mac and FHA.
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New technology Helps Less Wealthy Chinese Invest in US Real Estate
A new generation of smartphone apps and online lending platforms in China and around the world are helping small investors leap legal and language barriers to put their money to work globally. This informal lending network - which allows Chinese investors to fund overseas projects and buyers - largely bypasses banks and other traditional sources of funds.
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US RE Grabs Foreign Investors' Intentions
Ninety-five percent of the respondents to the new survey taken among the members of the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE) and released today say they will maintain or increase their investment in the US. New York City is in its seventh year as the number one US city among foreign investors and is in its third year as top global city.
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