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Home buyers are purchasing for keeps, planning to remain in their homes an average of 13 years before moving out, according to new research by the National Association of Home Builders. First-time home buyers are expected to stay in a home a shorter amount of time—11 and a half years—compared to about 15 years for home buyers who have owned a home previously. The length of stay for trade-up buyers has consistently been longer than first-time home buyers. “Since 2001, the spread between first-timers and trade-ups has been at least […]

A tax break for forgiven mortgage debt that was set to expire Dec. 31 was extended by lawmakers when they dodged the “fiscal cliff” this week. The tax break, which has been extended to the end of 2013, allows home owners facing short sales, reduced loan principals, or foreclosures to avoid paying taxes on any debt still owed to the bank. Otherwise, the debt would have been taxed by the IRS as income. The tax break first took effect in 2007. Home owners had rushed to complete short sales before […]

Detailed information on the nation’s housing sector for homeowner as well as renter experiences are available for the first time with American FactFinder data access tool. The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development posted the survey results on the quality of housing in the nation, with the most interesting result being households pay more per month compared to renters. On average, households pay $927 per month, or 24% of their household income for housing. The cost is higher for residents of new construction, with […]

Even though prices have fallen the last few years, the real estate market still remains out of reach for many people in some areas of the country. Interest.com recently analyzed America’s 25 largest cities to find the least affordable metros based on home prices compared to local median incomes. In 11 of the 25 areas, families didn’t make enough to qualify for mortgages that would allow them to purchase a median-priced home. “The fundamental [unaffordability] of these markets hasn’t changed despite the fact that home prices are down and we’re […]

I am committed to bringing to each real estate transaction energy, enthusiasm and a high level of service. It is my goal to have you feel comfortable and confident that every detail in the process of the sale or purchase of a home is handled smoothly and professionally. I believe active listening and open communication are key in developing a complete understanding of your needs ~ I believe in frequent communication before, during and after each transaction ~ I will endeavor to answer all your questions in a timely and […]

I am committed to bringing to each real estate transaction energy, enthusiasm and a high level of service. It is my goal to have you feel comfortable and confident that every detail in the process of the sale or purchase of a home is handled smoothly and professionally. I believe active listening and open communication are key in developing a complete understanding of your needs ~ I believe in frequent communication before, during and after each transaction ~ I will endeavor to answer all your questions in a timely and […]

Mortgage interest rates are expected to rise this year, and the increase will likely curb refinancings and affect move-up home buyers. The Mortgage Bankers Association projects the 30-year fixed rate to increase to an average of 4.1 percent in 2013 and 4.5 percent in 2014, up from 3.7 percent last quarter. The group’s December forecast has the dollar value of refis dropping to $818 billion this year and $350 billion next year, from approximately $1.2 trillion in 2012. Neither higher interest rates nor fewer refis are expected to have a […]

During the housing crisis, Generation X made up the largest percentage of households in foreclosure — particularly the well-educated and affluent members of this generation, according to a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, “The Foreclosure Crisis in 2008: Predatory Lending or Household Overreaching?” Generation Xers who had an average household income of $59,500 and 14.8 years of education were found to have the highest rate of foreclosures, with more than 1 in 10 in foreclosure, according to the St. Louis Fed’s research. The study also found […]

The number of homes in “shadow inventory” dropped from 2.6 million in October 2011 to 2.3 million in October 2012, according to a new report from CoreLogic. Shadow inventory refers to the supply of homes that are in foreclosure or have seriously delinquent mortgages but are not yet on the market. Many housing experts once predicted that the shadow inventory would cause overall inventories to skyrocket and place downward pressure on home prices. Yet an increase in short sales and loan modifications have helped to lessen the impact, analysts say. […]

About a quarter of first-time home buyers use gifts from relatives to fund a down payment for a home purchase, according to data from the National Association of REALTORS®. But lenders are carefully scrutinizing such gifts. “Basically, the banks want to make sure that you’re not getting a second loan,” Ray Mignone of Ray Mignone & Associates, a financial planning firm, told The New York Times. “If all of a sudden $50,000 pops into your account, they want to make sure it’s not a loan against the property that they’re […]