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 […]

As the mortgage business continues to try to deal with the repercussions of interest rates hitting an all-time low last week, it appears that some lenders are inflating their advertised mortgage rates to try to stem the tidal wave of mortgage applications they’re receiving. A review of the top mortgage rate comparison sites (LendingTree, Bankrate, […]

Believe it or not the housing market has started even stronger this year than it did last year. Lower mortgage interest rates have been a driving force, this as the average 30-year rate in 2019, according to Freddie Mac, was 3.94%. Today that rate is closer to 3.5%. The Census Bureau also just reported the […]

Knowledge is power. And if you’re planning on buying a home and purchasing what typically represents the single largest purchase the average person will ever make, you’ll want to arm yourself with as much information as possible. If you’re a homeowner planning on selling this year, it pays off know your competition, and what buyers […]

Private mortgage insurance may be unavoidable — and it can increase the cost of your loan. But would you feel better about paying PMI if those premiums were tax deductible? If you put down less than 20 percent when you purchased your home, chances are you’re paying private mortgage insurance (PMI). While the deductibility of […]

It’s no surprise that young adults have been slow to purchase their first home. Many face significant student loan debt and have struggled to save for a down payment due to rising rents. Parents today are looking for ways to extend a helping hand to get their children into their first home and on the […]

The average U.S. rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 3.29% this week, the lowest ever recorded by Freddie Mac in a series that goes back to 1971. The rate fell 16 basis points from the prior week after the worst stock retreat since the 2008 financial crisis sent investors piling into the bond […]