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How the Opaque Mortgage Industry Hurts Consumers
Tweet Share on Facebook January 8, 2013 CommentExperts often advise mortgage borrowers to "shop around." But although it seems that phase is heard ad nauseum, according to government mortgage giant Fannie Mae, many consumers still do not "adequately investigate or fail to understand fully the choices available to them" when it comes to selecting a home loan.
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Housing Boost Shifts Focus to Big Ticket Items Like Autos
Tweet Share on Facebook January 4, 2013 CommentIn addition to juicing the prospects for the broader economy, the revitalized housing market also has the potential to jumpstart auto sales, experts say.
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Trulia: Home Prices to Rise In 2013
Tweet Share on Facebook January 3, 2013 CommentAsking prices for homes were up more than 5 percent year-over-year across the nation in December, according to data released by real estate information website Trulia. Of the 100 major metropolitan areas tracked by the survey, 82 saw year-over-year gains in 2012, compared to just 12 in 2011.
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Why America's Aging Houses Are a Good Thing
Tweet Share on Facebook January 3, 2013 CommentWhile total home improvement activity has grown over the past two years, there have been numerous ups and downs driven by policy changes and broader housing market conditions.
Like other elements of the housing industry, home improvement spending declined with the onset of the housing crisis. From March 2007 to July 2011, Census data indicate remodeling activity fell by approximately 38 percent. While painful for professional remodelers, this drop was relatively small compared to the peak declines for single-family (81 percent) and multi-family (76 percent) construction spending.
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Why the Housing Market Can't Move On Without More First-Time Homebuyers
Tweet Share on Facebook January 2, 2013 CommentHome values are now increasing nationwide. While that's certainly better than the alternative, a deeper dive into the data reveals a serious crack in the foundation: too few first-time homebuyers.
