General News - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

Mortgage Rates Inch Closer to 7%

Buyers would be smart to shop around: The large dispersion in rate offerings among lenders could amount to several hundreds of dollars, Freddie Mac says. Home buyers who waited to buy a home this month compared to last month may have some regrets. Home buying is 12% more expensive than just a month ago. Fast-rising mortgage rates—up one percentage point in September alone—have added an extra $250 more onto monthly mortgage payments over the p

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Decade-High Rates Deeply Cut into Contract Signings

Pending home sales are posting annual losses in the double-digits as home buyers continue to back away from the market due to surging mortgage rates. House hunters are backing away from the housing market as mortgage rates continue to rise sharply. The National Association of REALTORS®’ newly released Pending Home Sales Index—a forward-looking indicator of home sales based on contract signings—fell 2% in August compared to July and is down

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Lumber Prices Drop Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels

Yahoo Finance reporter Ines Ferre looks at the price action for lumber, which is down 64% year to date. Video Link https://finance.yahoo.com/video/lumber-prices-drop-back-pre-192124858.htmlVideo Transcript RACHELLE AKUFFO: Now lumber prices are rebounding today from a 2022 low. Ines Ferre has more on the price action of the essential building material. So for more, we turn to Yahoo Finance's Ines Ferre. Ines, what are you seeing now?INES FER

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Home Purchase Cancellations are Above 15% for the Second Straight Month

Amid higher interest rates and a softening housing market, home buyers are continuing to back out of purchase contracts at an elevated rate.About 64,000 home-purchase agreements were canceled in August, according to a new report from Redfin. That’s equal to 15.2% of home contracts initiated during the month and similar to the 15.5% canceled in July. A year ago, the share was 12.1%.If you’re considering joining the ranks of those who walk away

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13 Essentials to Protect your Most Important Investment

Moved in the last few years? Smart features and a few tried-and-true essentials provide the options you need to protect your new home. Your home is a major investment. If you are one of the many Americans who moved over the last several years or are planning to buy a new home soon, you might be wondering how you can protect your asset. Luckily, smart-home features offer many layers of protection for your home and your family.New Locks It doesn’

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Mortgage Rates Jump Even Higher After Fed Hike

The monthly mortgage payment on a $400,000 loan is about $2,470 compared to $1,660 a year ago, according to NAR.After the Federal Reserve raised its key short-term benchmark rate by another three-quarters of a percentage point on Wednesday, the average for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbed to its highest level in 14 years, remaining above 6% and hitting more home buyers’ pocketbooks. It’s the fifth time this year the Fed has taken aggre

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Adjustable-Rate Mortgages are on the Rise as Interest Rates Soar

As interest rates shoot up, some buyers are turning to a different — and slightly more risky type — of mortgage.Adjustable-rate mortgages, known as ARMs, have seen an uptick in popularity recently as home shoppers, eager to avoid soaring interest rates amid a torrid housing market, are turning to these loans in order to nab a cheaper rate.“People are looking at ways to bring down their housing costs and their mortgage payments and with

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Mortgage Rush Underway as Rates Set to Move Even Higher

Fear of next interest rate hike helped to boost demand for mortgages, refinancing People interested in buying a house and getting a mortgage played a version of beat the clock ahead of the anticipated interest rate increase coming from the Federal Reserve on Wednesday afternoon.The Fed is expected to sharply raise its key short-term rate – a third straight three-quarter-point hike is likely to be announced – as its previous rate hikes are bei

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What the Federal Reserve’s Third 75 Basis Point Interest Rate Hike Means for you

The Federal Reserve raised the target federal funds rate by 0.75 percentage points for the third time in a row, in an effort to cool down unrelenting inflation.Fed officials have raised the benchmark short-term borrowing rate a total of five times this year, including 75 basis point increases in June and July, marking an unprecedented pace.“The Fed has been delivering a ‘tough love’ message that interest rates will

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Existing-Home Sales Slip Again, Yun Blames Mortgage Rates

Still, homeowners are faring well, with property prices surging despite a pullback in buyer demand, says NAR’s chief economist. Existing-home sales slipped further in August as economists blame the “housing recession” mostly on higher mortgage rates, though home prices continue rising, according to newly released data from the National Association of REALTORS®. But while existing-home sales, which reflect transactions for single-family hom

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