The nationwide inventory of residential homes for-sale dropped 21 percent in March compared to a year ago, according to newly released housing data from Realtor.com, tracking 146 metro markets. In fact, all 146 markets posted a drop in their inventory, except for two — Hartford, Conn., and Philadelphia. The nationwide median list price in March [...]

Have a plan for reviewing purchase offers so you don’t let the best slip through your fingers. Selling your home will go a lot smoother if you think of it as a business transaction and don’t let emotions get in the way. You’ve worked hard to get your home ready for sale and to price [...]

15-Year Fixed-Rate Mortgage Hits New All-Time Record Low   In Freddie Mac’s results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey®, average fixed mortgage rates declined for the third consecutive week on the heels of a weaker than expected employment report. The 30-year fixed averaged just above its record low while the 15-year fixed averaged a new [...]

Are Homeowners Glad They Own? It might come as a surprise but a whopping 72 percent of surveyed homeowners nationwide are satisfied with owning a home. The other 28 percent, not so. They say they’re dissatisfied and that’s likely due to the devaluation of their homes.   But surprisingly, of those who were satisfied with [...]

Cleaning Maven: Keeping Allergens Out Our bodies and homes are exposed to allergens at every turn. Each and every day our bodies fight an uphill battle to keep these invaders out. Give your body a break by taking a few precautionary steps.   The Mayo-Clinic explains why allergies are such a serious issue. “The Mayo-Clinic [...]

It’s Buying Time Again, Big Time!   If you’ve got the income. If you’ve got plenty of tenure on the job. If your credit is solid. If you can otherwise past muster at the mortgage loan desk. If it’s cheaper for you to buy than it is to rent.   Yes, there are lots of [...]

Relying On An Agent   The latest NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers showed a growing trend among recent buyers.   The latest figures show that 89 percent of buyers purchased their home with the help of a real estate agent or broker. This is a sharp increase from a decade ago in 2001, [...]

What Can I Do To Sell My Home?     It’s a question that all sellers ask, yet, many are still searching for answers. At one time, houses flew off the market but today’s market conditions have changed.  With the flood of foreclosures, short sales, and excess inventory, some houses sit for a long time [...]

The Changing Landscape of Single-Family Homes   As household spending and income adapt to meet the needs of today’s economic conditions, new single-family home have followed suite. In a surprise divergence from recent trends, homes seem to be on a growth spurt again.   According to the latest Census Bureau data homes for the first [...]

  March 2012  Market Update   Opportunities in the housing market continue to grow for buyers and sellers. Home affordability, driven mostly by record low interest rates, is among the lowest it has ever been. According to the National Association of Realtors, and based on national averages, the payments on a home today represent 12.8% [...]