The U.S. Federal Reserve this week slashed interest rates for the first time since the Great Recession in 2008, but experts say the move is unlikely to improve what is already a very favorable borrowing environment for home buyers. The federal funds rate, which governs the rate banks charge each other for short-term borrowing, will […]
Experts forecast growth in homeownership rates as millennials come of age
July 30, 2019 by
U.S. Census Bureau data published this week shows that the homeownership rate fell slightly to 64.1%, despite the fact that the number of new households is rising. That’s because most new household formations come from rentals, the number of which was larger than the amount of new homeowners for the first time since 2016. “The […]
Hippo Raises $100 Million in Series D Funding to Fuel Expansion
July 27, 2019 by
Last week, InsurTech company Hippo announced a $100 million Series D funding round led by Bond.
Vacant & abandoned homes are a big factor in the ‘housing crisis’, experts say
July 26, 2019 by
The U.S. is often said to be facing a “housing crisis”, with much of it centered on a shortage of available homes for sale. But a new report from the National League of Cities says that abandoned and vacant homes across the country are also a big part of the problem. In some parts of […]
Amazon launches real estate agent matching service with free product incentives
July 25, 2019 by
Amazon is offering home buyers who use a real estate agent via its new TurnKey program thousands of dollars worth of free smart home technology, plus home service credits, as it looks to push into the real estate sector. The online retail giant launched its new homebuying program in 15 U.S. cities this week, in […]
Redfin teams up with Opendoor to expand its Instant Offers service
July 16, 2019 by
Web-based real estate brokerage Redfin is expanding the availability of its instant offers service via a partnership with iBuying company Opendoor. The partnership, announced last week, will allow homeowners who sell their homes on Redfin’s platform to get instant offers on their properties. The way iBuying works is that companies like Opendoor buy the homes […]
Zillow highlights 36 metros where high school grads can afford a mortgage
July 12, 2019 by
Households including at least one person with a high school diploma or GED can afford the typical mortgage payment in most large metro areas across the U.S., according to a new analysis by Zillow. But soaring home values that have outpaced incomes have made down payments a barrier for many, particularly first-time home buyers. Mortgage […]
Florida city wants homeowners to raise their homes to protect against flooding
July 2, 2019 by
Government officials in flood-prone areas are trying to make it cheaper for homeowners to raise their properties in order to help protect them against the threat. Flooding is one of the major threats to homes in low-lying coastal areas, and the problem is being compounded by increasing federal flood insurance premiums. “The seas are rising, […]
Selling a home brings a third of Americans to tears
June 27, 2019 by
Selling a home is one of the most stressful experiences in modern life, second only to a relationship break-up. More than three quarters of Americans who have sold a home in the past three years say it was a stressful experience, and it could easily become more stressful as the market slows and turns in […]
Five Game Winning Real Estate Marketing Trends for 2019
June 20, 2019 by
To succeed in marketing your real estate business in 2019, you must keep up with the latest trends. Here are some game winning tips.
