More vacant foreclosures are appearing in some markets. But while pockets of property distress continue to haunt those areas, economists say there’s no need for panic.Vacant homes in foreclosure limbo—labeled “zombie foreclosures”—rose 3.1% in the first quarter, according to a newly released report from ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate data firm. About 282,800 homes are in the process of foreclosure, and 8,700 are sitting empty as zo
Real estate pros are having a busy winter, and with buyer demand high, it could be even busier if it wasn’t for a lack of inventory continuing to plague many markets. Pending home sales rebounded in January, rising 5.2% month over month, the National Association of REALTORS® reported Thursday. Contract signings are up 5.7% over year-ago levels.“This month’s solid activity—the second-highest monthly figure in over two years—is due to th
Even as home prices rise, more Americans are heading into homeownership alone. The share of U.S. homeowners who are single reached a record 38.4% in 2018, the latest data available from the U.S. Census Bureau. A separate report says 48.5% of singles aged 18 to 34 owned a home in 2018, the highest level since 2009.The numbers are higher because more Americans are single, analysts say. Also, an improving economy and strong job market is fuelin
Homeowners are sitting on a record amount of equity, so what has them so worried about housing? A new study by LendingTree surveyed more than 1,500 Americans to gauge their expectations of homeownership.They worry most about upcoming repairs needed on their home. Nearly one-third of respondents cited major home repairs as their top housing-related worry.More than half of respondents surveyed say that homes are becoming less affordable in their ne
The higher your credit score, the better your chance to snag a lower mortgage rate and potentially save tens of thousands of dollars over the life of a loan. But one missed payment or a default can instantly bring a credit score down.“Depending on your credit history, a 15- or 20-point shift could mean the difference between being approved or declined or better terms or higher costs,” Rod Griffin, the director of public education at Experian,
Austin, Texas, topped the list as the hottest job market nationwide for the second year in a row, according to new rankings of 381 metro areas from the Wall Street Journal and Moody’s Analytics. Nashville, Tenn., made it to the second spot, up from number seven a year ago.Austin has carved a reputation as a booming tech hub and college town that has low unemployment and high wage growth. Apple Inc. has been among the latest companies to bring m
Today, American households are more likely to include pets than children under the age of 18, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey. The share of households with kids stands at 27%, while the share of households with pets is at 68%. As a result, investors in residential real estate are targeting this large demographic of pet owners by making their rental properties more appealing and pet-friendly.Pet-friendly rentals can
Mortgage rates are falling fast, and they could sink even lower. Mortgage News Daily reported that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.34% on Monday, a rate last reached in 2012 and briefly in 2016.Long-term mortgage rates loosely follow the 10-year Treasury yield. Coronavirus fears are hitting financial markets and prompting bond yields to move lower; mortgage rates are following suit.“When rates fall this quickly, it’s not so much th
Lighting can set the right mood in a home and make it feel more welcoming, and achieving that doesn’t always require an electrician. Curbed.com asked three designers to provide their best tips for improving the lighting in a home. Here are a few of their suggestions.Match the lightbulbs. Change the mismatched types of lightbulbs, particularly old compact fluorescent bulbs, Jenny Guggenheim, owner of Guggenheim Architecture and Design Studi
Existing-home sales have been fluctuating in recent months, but one clear trend is emerging: First-time home buyers are making a move into the housing market as low mortgage rates prove to be an enticing incentive.Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of REALTORS®, says he’s encouraged by the upturn in first-time home buyers in NAR’s latest existing-home sales report. First-timers comprised 32% of sales last month, up fr
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