More buyers are making concessions to win bidding wars amid a deepening housing shortage, record-low interest rates. The pandemic and high unemployment rate haven’t slowed the housing market, and rather home buyers are facing heightened competition for a limited number of homes for sale. In an effort to make their offers more competitive, many have […]

Before buying a home, you would ideally save enough money for a 20% down payment. You can get a home loan with less than a 20% down payment, but you’ll probably have to pay for mortgage insurance. The purpose of the insurance is to protect the mortgage company if you stop making your monthly mortgage payments and default […]

Buyer demand outpacing supply During the month of June, there were 322 more homes and condominiums listed for sale compared to May. The jump from 3,232 to 3,554 new listings generated increased interest and foot traffic from buyers actively seeking to purchase a home in central Ohio. Both buyers and sellers took a step back […]

While FHA FICO score requirements have not changed during the COVID Crisis, some FHA mortgage lenders have increased requirements following the uncertainty caused by the pandemic. For those interested in applying for an FHA loan, applicants are now required to have a minimum FICO score of 580 to qualify for the low down payment advantage, […]

Live Well Every Day Founders Ed Bacome and Phil Fankhauser began Epcon Communities in Dublin, Ohio, in 1986, when they tapped into an overlooked segment of real estate—the maturing homebuyer. Today, based on a mission to combine innovative home design with myriad amenities, more than 26,000 families and individuals live in an Epcon community. With […]

Alton Place, a proposed 354-acre mixed-use development in Hilliard has been approved to move forward. After carefully reviewing the latest iteration of the project, one which has been in the works for nearly three years, Hilliard City Council voted 6-0 to approve the development agreement for Alton Place. The nearly $300 million “generational” development will […]

Getting a mortgage, paying your mortgage, refinancing your mortgage: These are all significant undertakings, but during a pandemic, it all becomes more complicated. Sometimes a lot more complicated. But make no mistake, home buyers are still taking out loans, buying homes and refinancing mortgages during the current global health crisis. There have, in fact, been […]

Representing the last full month before the coronavirus became a global pandemic, February saw the third consecutive month of year-over-year increases in U.S. home sales—a streak not seen since 2015. At the same time, inventory across the report’s 53 metro markets plunged 15.8%, marking the fourth successive month of double-digit percentage, year-over-year declines. Locally, Central […]