Lawmakers in Massachusetts are trying to clamp down on short-term rental companies such as Airbnb with a new law designed to tax and regulate the industry. A new bill, signed into law by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker this week, requires all rental hosts to register with the state government. In addition, each host must pay […]
Pulte Home agrees to settlement over defective home construction
January 2, 2019 by
PulteGroup subsidiary Pulte Home Company has reportedly reached a settlement with the Florida Attorney General’s office.
Kansas City couple lose $130K in down payment scam
January 1, 2019 by
A couple from Kansas City, Missouri, recently lost a massive $130,000 down payment in a money wire scam that’s becoming increasingly prevalent in real estate transactions. The couple, Ross and Melinda Fulton, were trying to buy a home so that they could live closer to their daughters and grandchild in the Kansas City area. They […]
Rising rates to erode affordability in 2019
January 1, 2019 by
With home value growth apparently stalling, price cuts becoming more regular and for-sale inventory on the up, it sounds like an optimistic time to be a home buyer. But, steadily climbing mortgage rates are threatening to eliminate whatever advantages buyers may have gained in 2018, Zillow says. In a new analysis, Zillow notes that interest […]
Net-zero homes to substantially reduce energy footprint
December 31, 2018 by
So-called “net-zero homes” designed to boost energy efficiency will soon become more commonplace, and that could have a big impact U.S. energy usage, experts say. Just 8,547 net-zero homes, which are those buildings that generate more electricity than they use, were constructed in the U.S. in 2017. However that number is set to get a […]
Small towns win big rural housing aid
December 28, 2018 by
The location of prisons and military bases within smaller, rural towns is often thought to bring about economic advantages to those communities, but it’s also a double-edged sword for local residents. The problem is that prisons and military bases are also counted towards an area’s population, and this means that those communities sometimes come in […]
Most influential factors for first time buyers
December 27, 2018 by
The idea of love at first sight is normally applied to human relationships, but the concept is also true for house hunters, according to a new survey published by home improvement website Porch.com this week. The survey of almost 1,000 consumers about their first home purchase looked at some of the factors that can influence […]
How mortgages will be impacted by latest increase in interest rates
December 26, 2018 by
The Federal Reserve caused a stir last week when it voted to raise interest rates yet again – the fourth time its done so this year. Now, the real estate industry is bracing itself to see how the latest rate increases will impact mortgage rates as we head into 2019. The Federal Open Markets Committee […]
NAR President elect Vince Malta proposes changes to Bipartisan Financing Reform Act
December 26, 2018 by
Reform of the secondary mortgage market was the subject of a new bill heard by the House Financial Services Committee last week, which was given the thumbs up by incoming National Association of Realtors President Vince Malta. RealtorMag quotes Malta as saying that the Bipartisan Financing Reform Act of 2018, put forward by Rep. Jeb […]
How the government shutdown impacts real estate
December 24, 2018 by
A number of government run programs important to the real estate sector are likely to be affected by the government shutdown that began last weekend following the failure of lawmakers to pass short-term budget legislation. RealtorMag reports that the National Association of Realtors is working closely with officials at Congress and in the White House […]
