4 Good Reasons to Consider Selling your Home
Why do people decide to move? Unless it’s a requirement, such as a job relocation, the research tells us that you, like many homeowners, may decide to sell at some point for one or more of the following reasons: Your home is no longer a good fit. You may have outgrown your current home and need something bigger, maybe with an additional bedroom. Or, you’ve become empty-nesters and want to downsize into something smaller. You may also want cash in the home equity you’ve built up to store...
Read MoreCOVID-19 & The Return to Real Estate
Governor Whitmer Eliminates Remaining Real Estate Limitations and Reopens Much of the State. Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-110, rescinding her “Safer at Home” Order, and moving the entire state to phase four of the MI Safe Start Plan. This action removes most of the restrictions that real estate brokerages and clients have been operating under. As we reported last week, Michigan Realtors® was working with the Governor’s Office to remove the previously imposed...
Read MoreWhat Affects Mortgage Rates?
Your mortgage rate depends on your own financial portfolio and the home you plan to buy. But that’s not all. Mortgage rates also reflect movements in the U.S. housing market and the global economy — which is why they’re in constant flux. Economy – The global financial picture drives all interest rates, including mortgage rates Lender pipeline – The amount of business a lender is currently processing can impact their rates Property location – State laws can drive up lender costs or keep them...
Read MoreHUD FHA Condo Financing
HUD Announces New FHA Condo Financing Rules! The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is expected to release updated guidance tomorrow on FHA-insured condominium financing. The new rules should benefit your real estate clients and customers by allowing more buyers to obtain low down-payment mortgages on affordable housing options. Specifically, the new rules will: Extend FHA certifications on condo developments from two years to three years, reducing the compliance burden on condo...
Read More14 Things to Avoid Before Buying a House
14 Things to Avoid Before Buying a House Many first-time home buyers are surprised to discover just how many ways you can mess up a home purchase. You may have got your pre-approval, found a home you loved and made an offer. But if you want to avoid messing up the transaction, you will need to be extremely careful until the sale has closed. Keep reading as I tackle what not to do before buying a house. Many of these items are mortgage mistakes that can be easily avoided. If you have an...
Read MoreHousing Affordability
The Ultimate Truth About Housing Affordability There have been many headlines decrying an “affordability crisis” in the residential real estate market. While it is true that buying a home is less affordable than it had been over the last ten years, we need to understand why and what that means. On a monthly basis, the National Association of Realtors (NAR), produces a Housing Affordability Index. According to NAR, the index… “…measures whether or not a typical family earns enough income to...
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