General News - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

Mortgage Rates Average 6.66%

Home buyers have lost about $107,000 in buying power since the beginning of the year—and that’s what’s truly scary.Despite a slight decrease this week in mortgage rates, the average for the 30-year fixed-rate loan remains more than double what it was a year ago, adding hundreds of dollars per month to financing costs for home buyers. This is prompting more buyers to retreat from the market: Mortgage applications to purchase a home are down

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Lighting Design can Make or Break the Living Room

Interior designers and lighting experts aim to include at least this many light sources when designing a living room How many lights is enough for a living room to feel relaxing and cozy? You're not the only one wondering. It's a fine line to walk - while you don't want your space to be overly bright, neither do you want a space that is poorly lit. Building a richly layered lighting scheme gives you the options to get it right, whatever you'

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Low-Income Housing and Affordable Housing, What’s the Difference?

Lack of firm definitions creates confusion, VHA’s CEO says The terms low-income housing and affordable housing are often used interchangeably, causing confusion for many.So, what is the distinction? The answer is complicated.As defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, affordable housing is any housing that costs an owner or renter no more than 30 percent of gross household income, including utilities.Low-income, on

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How to Choose the Best Window Treatments for your Home

Accent the windows to bring extra design to a space. Find out what’s trending in window coverings. You’re looking at your room, and although furnished, it just feels bare. Your windows may be begging for some extra treatment. A room can be transformed with customized blinds, shades and drapery. But with growing options, how do you choose which one is right for your space?Design experts at Stoneside Blinds & Shades(link is external)&n

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Mortgage Rates Inch Closer to 7%

Buyers would be smart to shop around: The large dispersion in rate offerings among lenders could amount to several hundreds of dollars, Freddie Mac says. Home buyers who waited to buy a home this month compared to last month may have some regrets. Home buying is 12% more expensive than just a month ago. Fast-rising mortgage rates—up one percentage point in September alone—have added an extra $250 more onto monthly mortgage payments over the p

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Decade-High Rates Deeply Cut into Contract Signings

Pending home sales are posting annual losses in the double-digits as home buyers continue to back away from the market due to surging mortgage rates. House hunters are backing away from the housing market as mortgage rates continue to rise sharply. The National Association of REALTORS®’ newly released Pending Home Sales Index—a forward-looking indicator of home sales based on contract signings—fell 2% in August compared to July and is down

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Lumber Prices Drop Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels

Yahoo Finance reporter Ines Ferre looks at the price action for lumber, which is down 64% year to date. Video Link https://finance.yahoo.com/video/lumber-prices-drop-back-pre-192124858.htmlVideo Transcript RACHELLE AKUFFO: Now lumber prices are rebounding today from a 2022 low. Ines Ferre has more on the price action of the essential building material. So for more, we turn to Yahoo Finance's Ines Ferre. Ines, what are you seeing now?INES FER

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Home Purchase Cancellations are Above 15% for the Second Straight Month

Amid higher interest rates and a softening housing market, home buyers are continuing to back out of purchase contracts at an elevated rate.About 64,000 home-purchase agreements were canceled in August, according to a new report from Redfin. That’s equal to 15.2% of home contracts initiated during the month and similar to the 15.5% canceled in July. A year ago, the share was 12.1%.If you’re considering joining the ranks of those who walk away

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13 Essentials to Protect your Most Important Investment

Moved in the last few years? Smart features and a few tried-and-true essentials provide the options you need to protect your new home. Your home is a major investment. If you are one of the many Americans who moved over the last several years or are planning to buy a new home soon, you might be wondering how you can protect your asset. Luckily, smart-home features offer many layers of protection for your home and your family.New Locks It doesn’

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Mortgage Rates Jump Even Higher After Fed Hike

The monthly mortgage payment on a $400,000 loan is about $2,470 compared to $1,660 a year ago, according to NAR.After the Federal Reserve raised its key short-term benchmark rate by another three-quarters of a percentage point on Wednesday, the average for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbed to its highest level in 14 years, remaining above 6% and hitting more home buyers’ pocketbooks. It’s the fifth time this year the Fed has taken aggre

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