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HOUSING INVENTORY HITS FIVE-YEAR HIGH via themortgagepoint.com—According to a new report from Redfin, homebuyers have the most options since 2020, but few are biting because rising housing costs have made monthly payments tough to swallow. Redfin found that pending home … Read More

Q4 HOME PRICE GROWTH JUMPS IN NEARLY ALL U.S. METROS via themortgagepoint.com—According to the most recent quarterly report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), home prices increased in nearly 90% of metro markets (201 out of 226, or 89%) … Read More

EXISTING-HOME SALES RISE 2.2% IN DECEMBER via realtor.com—Existing home sales improved in December, rising 2.2% to a pace of 4.24 million home sales. Importantly, this was a third straight year-over-year gain after a streak of declines stretching back to August … Read More

CONTRACTORS, HANDYMEN, LOAN BROKERS, EVEN FAMILY CAN SCAM OLDER HOMEOWNERS. WHAT TO KNOW via miamiherald.com—Every few years, federal regulators issue warnings to banks and credit unions about the dangers of senior financial abuse. But it isn’t just up to financial … Read More

THE SURGE IN TITLE FRAUD—AND HOW TO PREVENT IT via themortgagepoint.com—Title fraud, though not new, recently gained national attention when a Missouri woman attempted to fraudulently auction Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate. She falsely claimed the property was collateral for an … Read More

Warm wishes for a prosperous 2025, from your team at Leonard Real Estate Group! REALTOR.COM 2025 HOUSING FORECAST via realtor.com—Mortgage rates are expected to keep mortgage payments essentially unchanged in 2025 despite continued home price growth. With Donald Trump’s victory … Read More

FANNIE MAE RELEASES 2025 ECONOMIC OUTLOOK via themortgagepoint.com—As the new year draws near, Fannie Mae anticipates that many of the housing trends from 2024 will persist in 2025, with the “lock-in effect” of mortgage rates and housing affordability continuing to … Read More

MARKET ACTIVITY TICKS UP AS BUYERS BEGIN TO TOUR HOMES via themortgagepoint.com—In a newly released report, according to a recent survey from Redfin, the Homebuyer Demand Index is close to its highest level seen since September 2023. A seasonally adjusted … Read More

GROWING SUPPLY OF RENTAL UNITS PUSHES RENT PRICES DOWNWARD via themortgagepoint.com—Nationwide, the average rent price fell by -0.8% to $1,720 in October, marking their 15th consecutive month of year-over-year declines and falling the most for smaller-sized units, according to Realtor.com’s … Read More

HOUSING MARKET FORECAST: UNPREDICTABLE MORTGAGE RATES MAY SHAKE UP 2025 via themortgagepoint.com—As 2025 draws near, mortgage rates are once again in the news. Those who want to buy, or even refinance, should prepare for a turbulent journey and be prepared … Read More

ORIGINS OF THANKSGIVING NATIONAL HOLIDAY via history.com—Pilgrims held their second Thanksgiving celebration in 1623 to mark the end of a long drought that had threatened the year’s harvest and prompted Governor Bradford to call for a religious fast. Days of … Read More

WHEN PURCHASING A HOME, MAKE SURE THE TIME IS RIGHT via themortgagepoint.com—ATTOM has released its annual analysis highlighting the best days of the year to purchase a home, revealing that while November offers a 7.3% premium, it remains the lowest … Read More

CONSUMERS FEELING BETTER ABOUT HOUSING MARKET DESPITE HIGH HOME PRICES via themortgagepoint.com—The Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTCQB) Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) increased 0.7 points in October to 74.6, pushing the measure of consumer confidence to its highest level since February 2022 … Read More

SEPTEMBER EXISTING-HOME SALES FALL TO 14-YEAR LOW via themortgagepoint.com—In a new report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), existing-home sales drew back in September, as three out of four major U.S. regions registered sales declines, marking the lowest monthly … Read More

HOME PRICES DIP IN TOP U.S. CITIES via themortgagepoint.com—The U.S. housing market is showing signs of relief for buyers, as home prices drop in more than half of the largest metropolitan areas. According to the Realtor.com® September Housing Market Report, … Read More

UNCERTAINTY FUELS RECORD LOW HOME TURNOVER via themortgagepoint.com—According to a new Redfin analysis, in the first eight months of 2024, only 25 out of every 1,000 U.S. homes changed hands, representing the lowest turnover rate in decades. Further data found … Read More

RENOVATIONS THAT WILL BOOST YOUR LISTING PRICE via realtor.com—When it comes time to sell your home, some renovation projects can provide a bigger price bump than others. Using a statistical analysis of listings on Realtor.com®, our economic research team identified … Read More

EXISTING-HOME SALES RETREAT AS MEDIAN SALE PRICE JUMPS via themortgagepoint.com—While supply has inched up in some parts of the country, August experienced a decline in existing-home sales, according to the National Association of REALTORS (NAR). The Midwest had no change … Read More

CONSUMERS FEELING MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT HOUSING MARKET’S FUTURE via themortgagepoint.com—Although there was little change in the general sentiment of homebuyers, the Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) rose 0.6 points to 72.1 in August as consumers expressed far higher … Read More

HOUSING MARKET TRENDS via realtor.com—The 2024 summer housing market is wrapping up by shifting to a more buyer-friendly environment. Lower prices, an increase in listings, and longer time on the market are giving buyers more time and flexibility to consider … Read More

PENDING HOME SALES FALL 5.5% DESPITE EASING RATES via realtor.com—Pending home sales dropped 5.5% in July as affordability remained a challenge for homebuyers, despite easing mortgage rates through the month. Pending home sales were 8.5% lower year over year and … Read More

BUYERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOWER RATES via realtor.com—Buyers continue to see growing existing for-sale inventory, but new home inventory dipped this month as buyers returned to the market in the wake of falling mortgage rates. Overall, for-sale inventory hit a … Read More

U.S. FORECLOSURE ACTIVITY RISES via themortgagepoint.com—The U.S. foreclosure market experienced a notable uptick in July 2024, with foreclosure filings increasing by 15% from the previous month, according to the latest report from ATTOM Data, a land, property, and real estate … Read More

REPORT: ANNUAL U.S. HOME PRICE GROWTH SLOWS via themortgagepoint.com—In June, U.S. home prices registered a 4.7% year-over-year increase, continuing the trend of decelerating growth, according to the CoreLogic Home Price Index (HPI) and HPI Forecast released covering the month of … Read More

ACTIVE HOMES FOR SALE HITS POST-PANDEMIC HIGH via themortgagepoint.com—The market is getting more buyer-friendly as a result of a combination of increasing inventory levels and price decreases, according to Realtor.com’s July housing data. In July 2024, the number of active … Read More

HOUSES GATHERING DUST ON MARKET AS UNSOLD INVENTORY GROWS via themortgagepoint.com—Nearly two-thirds (64.7%) of homes on the market in June had been listed for at least 30 days without going under contract, according to a new report from Redfin, a … Read More

HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE FOR CAREGIVERS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES via themortgagepoint.com—Down Payment Resource (DPR) is showcasing 18 U.S. homebuyer assistance programs that are especially made to support persons with disabilities and their family caregivers on their road toward homeownership in honor … Read More

IS THE HOUSING MARKET BECOMING BUYER FRIENDLY? via themortgagepoint.com—The number of homes currently for sale increased for an eighth consecutive month in June, rising by 36.7% year-over-year, according to Realtor.com June housing data. The median home also spent 45 days … Read More

HOME PRICES COOL; ANNUAL GROWTH NOW BELOW 5% via themortgagepoint.com—According to a new report from CoreLogic, annual home price gains have dipped below the 5% mark for the first time since October while monthly gains posted a 0.6% growth rate, … Read More

THE HOUSING MARKET MEETS THE ‘SANDWICH GENERATION’ via themortgagepoint.com—The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the “sandwich generation” as a generation of people who are caring for their aging parents while supporting their own children—and according to new research by Realtor.com, 17% (or … Read More

HOMES SITTING ON MARKET LONGER AS HIGH PRICES CURTAIL DEMAND via themortgagepoint.com—According to new Redfin research, more than three in five—an estimated 61.9%—of homes on the market in May had been listed for at least 30 days without selling. That’s … Read More

SELLERS SLASH LIST PRICES ASBUYERS FACE RECORD HIGH HOME COSTS via themortgagepoint.com—Home sales dipped 1.7% month-over-month in May on a seasonally adjusted basis, and 2.9% year-over-year, according to a recent Redfin study. There have only been two months in the … Read More

HOME SELLERS FORCED TO GET FLEXIBLE WITH ASKING PRICES via themortgagepoint.com—According to a new report from Redfin, nationwide, 6.4% of home sellers cut their asking prices during May, the highest share since November 2022. By the numbers, the median asking … Read More

PENDING HOME SALES FALL TO FOUR-YEAR LOW via themortgagepoint.com—The latest analysis of housing data by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that pending home sales fell 7.7% in April, with all four U.S. regions reporting month-over-month and year-over-year declines. … Read More

via history.com—Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2024 will occur on Monday, May 27. Originally known as Decoration … Read More

RECORD HIGH PAYMENTS PUSH POTENTIAL BUYERS TO THE SIDELINES via investors.redfin.com—During the four weeks ending May 5, the median monthly housing payment in the U.S. hit an all-time high of $2,894, up 14% from the previous year, while home prices … Read More

THE FASTEST & SLOWEST-SELLING HOUSING MARKETS IN Q1 2024 via creditnews.com—2023 was America’s worst year for home sales in nearly three decades, and the start of 2024 isn’t faring much better. Faced with chronically low housing stock, elevated mortgage rates, … Read More

PENDING SALES RAMP UP FOR SPRING HOMEBUYING SEASON via themortgagepoint.com—In a new report, the National Association of REALTORS (NAR) reported that pending home sales increased by 3.4% in March. Transactions increased in the Northeast, South, and West each month, but … Read More

HOW ARE EXISTING-HOME SALES FARING? via themortgagepoint.com—According to the latest Existing-Home Sales Report housing snapshot from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), existing home sales fell 3.7% year-over-year in March 2024 while median existing-home sale prices rose 4.8% year-over-year to … Read More

WHAT FACTORS ARE DRIVING UP MONTHLY HOUSING PAYMENTS? via themortgagepoint.com—The median monthly housing payment in the U.S. reached an all-time high of $2,747 during the four weeks ended April 7, up 11% from the previous year—this according to a new … Read More

WEEKLY HOUSING TRENDS: WEEK ENDING 3-23-2024 via realtor.com—As the number of fresh listings continues to grow, homebuyers this spring have a wider array of options compared to this time last year. Additionally, the increased listings might put some downward pressure … Read More

WEEKLY HOUSING TRENDS: WEEK ENDING 3-9-2024 via realtor.com—The lower listing price seen last week is an encouraging sign to home shoppers, given the ongoing affordability challenges in the housing market. However, the key question is whether this decline is a … Read More

HOUSING SUPPLY TICKS UP AFTER EIGHT-MONTH LAG via themortgagepoint.com—According to a new Redfin study, for the four weeks ending March 3, the number of new listings increased 13% countrywide from a year earlier—representing the largest increase in almost three years. … Read More

HOUSING ACTIVITY TO INCREASE THROUGHOUT YEAR via themortgagepoint.com—According to the latest Fannie Mae Economic and Strategic Research Group (ESR) blog post, existing home sales and new single-family housing starts are expected to grow modestly in 2024, amid lower mortgage rates … Read More

EXISTING HOME SALES UP IN JANUARY via realtor.com—Existing home sales ticked up in January. Sales rose 3.1% from December to a pace of 4.0 million–their highest since August 2023. Sales still lagged the year ago pace by 1.7%. Mortgage rates … Read More

  MARKET TRENDS THIS LAST WEEK via realtor.com—The housing market continued to witness a positive surge in listing activities in the past week, providing today’s prospective home buyers with a more extensive array of options compared to a year ago. … Read More

FREDDIE MAC MORTGAGE RATES REMAIN STEADY AT 6.64% via realtor.com—The Freddie Mac fixed rate for a 30-year mortgage climbed 1 basis point this week to 6.64% as the market adjusted to the latest economic data. The January jobs report showed … Read More

HOMEBUYERS NATIONWIDE GAINING MORE PURCHASE POWER via themreport.com—According to new Redfin report, a homebuyer on a $3,000 monthly budget has gained nearly $40,000 in purchasing power since mortgage rates peaked this past fall. Redfin estimates that a $3,000 monthly budget will … Read More

EXISTING HOME SALES SLIP IN DECEMBER via realtor.com—Existing home sales slipped in December. Sales fell 1% from November to a pace of 3.78 million, which trailed the year-ago pace by 6.2%. Mortgage rates tumbled from late October through the end … Read More

  WEEKLY HOUSING TRENDS via realtor.com—This past week, the housing market showed signs of picking up, with the nation’s median listing price and the available inventory of homes for sale climbing year-over-year. Though inventory remains below the 2023 peak, seller … Read More

HOW MUCH MONEY ARE AMERICA’S HOMES WORTH? via dsnews.com—Have you ever wondered what the total value of homes are in a given area? According to a new study, LendingTree analyzed data from the latest U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey … Read More

2024 HOUSING AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS: HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? via themreport.com—While the u.s. economy is doing better, inflation remains elevated, housing is prohibitively expensive for many, debt delinquency rates are rising, personal savings rates are low, and household debt … Read More

  Happy New Year to you and yours from The Leonard Real Estate Group!   We are committed to providing a premier level of service.   All aspects of your real estate experience will be accompanied by Results through exceptional … Read More

HOME PRICE GROWTH PREDICTED TO REMAIN POSITIVE THROUGH 2025 via themreport.com — According to a new survey panel from Fannie Mae, a survey of national housing experts expects annual national home price growth in 2024 to lie somewhere around 2.4% during the 2024 … Read More

HOMEBUYERS TO CATCH A BREAK IN 2024? via themreport.com — Redfin is making predictions for next years’ housing market and a new annual report lays out seven predictions and points of order that buyers and sellers should expect as we move into … Read More

2024 HOUSING MARKET FORECAST AND PREDICTIONS: HOUSING AFFORDABILITY FINALLY BEGINS TO TURNAROUND via realtor.com — As we look ahead to 2024, we see a mix of continuity and change in both the housing market and economy. Against a backdrop of modest economic … Read More

COST OF LIVING, MORTGAGE RATES KEEPING MANY HOMEBUYERS ‘ON THE SIDELINES’ via themreport.com — For the second consecutive week, Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) has shown a decline in the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM), as the average FRM fell 26 … Read More

HOME LISTING PRICES REMAIN STEADY BUT PRICE CUTS COULD SIGNAL SOFTENING via realtor.com — The national median list price declined seasonally, to $425,000 from $430,000 in September, and the median list price remained stable compared to the same time last year. Listing … Read More

ANCIENT HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN via history.com — Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient celtic festival of samhain (pronounced sow-in). The celts, who lived 2,000 years ago, mostly in the area that is now Ireland, the united kingdom and northern France, celebrated … Read More

MORTGAGE RATES PUSH CLOSER TO THE 8% MARK via themreport.com — Further stretching affordability for potential buyers, Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) shows that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 7.63% for the week ending October 19, up six … Read More

POTENTIAL HOMEBUYERS RETREAT AS RATES REMAIN ELEVATED via dsnews.com — New listings of U.S. homes for sale have ticked up 2% since the start of September, and they haven’t fallen as much from summer to fall as they typically do, according to … Read More

MORTGAGE APPS FALL TO 28-YEAR LOW via themreport.com — The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) has released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending September 29, 2023, which found a 6% week-over-week decline in overall mortgage application volume, as the purchase … Read More

HOUSING MARKET VALUES UP NEARLY 50% FROM PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS via themreport.com — While new home construction has been the catalyst for housing market growth, the U.S. housing market has rebounded significantly in 2023 after a slight downturn late last year. The total … Read More

SOUTH FLORIDA SNAPS STREAK OF RECORD HOME PRICES via miamiherald.com — South Florida’s monthly streak of record-breaking home prices ended in August, but price tags remain significantly higher than a year ago. Miami-Dade County recorded a median sales price last month … Read More

AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGES HINDERING HOMEBUYERS via themreport.com — The current real estate market’s elevated home prices and mortgage rates, as well as limited inventory, are the top reasons that Realtors and prospective homebuyers across races and ethnicities cite as barriers to purchasing a … Read More

RISING HOME PRICES FUELED BY ONGOING SUPPLY SHORTAGE via themreport.com — While mortgage rates continue to inch down from their recent peak, overall housing affordability isn’t improving at a rapid pace, according to a new report from Redfin. With the median U.S. … Read More

MIAMI-DADE HOME PRICES AGAIN HIT NEW HIGH via miamiherald.com — Despite another month of double-digit sales declines, home prices in Miami-Dade County reached a new high mark for the fourth consecutive month in July. Miami-Dade hit a median sales price of $631,670 … Read More

AMERICANS WORRIED ABOUT CHANCES OF OWNING A HOME via themreport.com — While owning a home has been seen as a sign of success, otherwise known as a quintessential part of achieving the American dream, the path to homeownership remains a tough one … Read More

WEEKLY HOUSING TRENDS via realtor.com — Home listing prices increased again this week, marking the second week of increase after a period of falling prices. Both housing and economic data have been rather positive recently. Pending home sales saw a first monthly … Read More

HOUSING INVENTORY CRUNCH ACCELERATES IN JULY via themreport.com — According to Realtor.com’s July 2023 Housing Report, the U.S. housing supply grew in July, as active listing growth slowed for the fourth month in a row and fell below year ago levels (-6.4%) … Read More

SURGE IN EQUITY-RICH HOMES CONTINUED IN Q2 via attomdata.com — ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property, and real estate data, today released its second-quarter 2023 U.S. Home Equity & Underwater Report, which shows that 49 percent of mortgaged residential properties in … Read More

SOUTH FLORIDA HOME PRICES REACH NEW HIGH via miamiherald.com — Prices for homes sold in Miami-Dade County reached a new high in June, despite a sharp drop in sales amid higher interest rates. For would-be homebuyers on the sidelines, real estate experts … Read More

U.S. FORECLOSURE FILINGS EXCEED 185K IN FIRST HALF OF 2023 via dsnews.com — According to ATTOM’s Midyear 2023 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, there were a total of 185,580 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings—default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions—in the first six … Read More

MIAMI NAMED NATION’S HOTTEST RENTING SPOT via themreport.com — All of Florida is sizzling with demand thanks to the high numbers of remote workers of all ages and ultra-wealthy newcomers—as well as many retirees—looking for tax breaks, sunshine, and a more relaxed … Read More

HOW MANY AMERICANS ARE LIVING IN MULTIGENERATIONAL HOMES? via themreport.com — A new Rocket Mortgage analysis shows that in the last five decades, the number of Americans living with multiple generations under one roof has quadrupled, according to the Pew Research Center. More … Read More

MIAMI-DADE’S HOUSING MARKET SETS PRICE RECORD, BUCKS NATIONAL TREND OF DEFLATING PRICES via miamiherald.com — For the second consecutive month, home prices soared to a record in Miami-Dade County, despite more than a year of double-digit monthly sales decreases. Miami-Dade’s median sales … Read More

WEEKLY HOUSING TRENDS via realtor.com — What this Week’s Data Means: For the first time since 2016, the median listing price started to decline year-over-year. This decrease in listing prices presents potential opportunities for home buyers, especially considering the larger number of … Read More

CONSUMERS REPORT: GOOD TIME TO SELL, BAD TIME TO BUY via dsnews.com — According to the latest Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) published by Fannie Mae, the index decreased 1.2 points in May 2023 to an index level of 65.6 due … Read More

PROPERTY VALUES ARE UP 12% IN MIAMI-DADE via miamiherald.com —Miami-Dade County saw a double-digit spike in property values this year, approaching the kind of growth last seen before inflated housing prices hit their last peak ahead of the Great Recession. Taxable … Read More

MEMORIAL DAY…..ALWAYS via history.com —Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2023 will occur on Monday, May 29. Originally known … Read More

CONTINUED RATE HIKES CAUSING HOUSING MARKET UNCERTAINTY via dsnews.com — HouseCanary has released its latest Market Pulse Report for April 2023, which covers over 20 listing-derived metrics and compares and compares them year-over-year. The Market Pulse is an ongoing review of proprietary … Read More

COMPETITION FOR HOMES IS HEATING UP AGAIN via zillow.com — The typical U.S. home value climbed 1.0% from March to April, the strongest growth since last June, and relatively normal for this time of year. Still, a “normal” springtime seller’s season represents … Read More

HOW HOME SALES BLOOM IN SPRING AND SUMMER via themreport.com — ATTOM has released its annual analysis of the best days of the year to sell a home, showing that based on home sales over the past 12 years, the months of … Read More

10 CRUCIAL QUESTIONS TO ASK A REAL ESTATE AGENT WHEN SELLING YOUR HOME via realtor.com — The up and down roller coaster ride of the real estate market and continued fluctuations in interest rates can leave sellers scratching their heads, wondering how to … Read More

SOUTH FLORIDA HOME SALES FIZZLE DURING FIRST QUARTER. WHY DO PRICES KEEP RISING? via miamiherald.com — Existing home sales in South Florida plunged during the first three months of the year, however, the steady stream of outside buyers pushed median prices of houses … Read More

WEEKLY HOUSING TRENDS via realtor.com — The median listing price grew by 3.2% over last year. Home prices continue to follow their usual seasonal advance in the spring, with the median list price climbing above $424,000 in March. However, momentum has slowed, … Read More

MORTGAGE RATES CONTINUE TO FALL FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT WEEK via realtor.com — The Freddie Mac fixed rate for a 30-year mortgage ticked down 4 basis points, reaching 6.28% this week as 10-year treasury yields fell to the lowest level since September. Mortgage … Read More

THE BEST TIME TO SELL: THE WEEK OF APRIL 16-22 via realtor.com — Home sellers on the fence waiting for that perfect moment to sell should start preparations, because the best time to list a home in 2023 is approaching quickly. The … Read More

HOME SALES SHOW STRONG INCREASE via themreport.com — Despite being down 24.4% year-over-year, February home sales increased 16.8% from January, according to the RE/MAX National Housing Report for February 2023. That was the largest month-over-month increase in 11 months and ended a … Read More

RATES FALL AS MARKETS FEAR BANKING FALLOUT via realtor.com — The Freddie Mac fixed rate for a 30-year loan fell 0.13 percentage points to 6.6% this week as uncertainty in the banking sector sent investors to find a safe haven in Treasury bonds. … Read More

EXPERTS FORESEE HOME PRICE GROWTH PICKING BACK UP IN 2024 via themreport.com — According to a new Zillow survey of housing experts, home prices nationally should bottom out in 2023, returning to a more normal growth rate. Economists and housing experts polled in … Read More

via realtor.com — This week’s data indicates that buyers and sellers are still largely in a stand-off in the housing market. In a sign that sellers could be relenting, the gap in new listings shrank this week. On the other hand, asking … Read More

THE BALANCE IS SHIFTING via realtor.com — The housing market today remains in a hazy no man’s land, with neither buyer nor seller willing to surrender what little control they have. Buyers face the dual enemies of high home prices and mortgage … Read More

WEEKLY HOUSING TRENDS VIEW via realtor.com — The housing stalemate continues. The number of homes on the market was still up significantly from one year ago even though fewer homeowners have recently decided to sell compared to one year ago. High home … Read More

SELLER’S MARKET, BUYER’S MARKET, ‘NOBODY’S MARKET’? THE WEIRD STATE OF HOUSING RIGHT NOW via realtor.com —Today’s housing market has everyone wondering: Is it still a seller’s market, or has the power dynamic finally shifted in favor of buyers? Try neither. “Today, … Read More

HOMEBUYERS GAIN BARGAINING POWER The U.S. housing market offered homebuyers greater bargaining power in January, as mortgage rates fell to their lowest level in months, inventory rose, and the growth in the typical asking price continued to slow, according to … Read More

INFLATION IMPACTING MILLENNIAL HOMEBUYING PLANS Debt and inflation are unrelenting barriers to the dream of homeownership for millennials, according to a new survey from Real Estate Witch. Clever polled 1,000 millennials looking to buy a home in the next year … Read More

DECEMBER DECLINES ACCENTUATE YEAR OF TRANSITION The housing market decelerated significantly throughout 2022, creating more opportunities for homebuyers, in stark reversal of the frenzied seller’s market of the previous year. According to a new report from RE/MAX, the year’s most … Read More

MONTHLY HOUSING MARKET TRENDS According to Realtor.com®’s December housing data, the housing market continued to cool, with inventory and time on market increasing and listing price growth dropping below 10% for the first time in a year. This gradually-cooling market … Read More

EXAMINING 2023 HOUSING AND ECONOMIC PREDICTIONS The year 2022 was full of financial hurdles for many, with economic uncertainty and a volatile housing market, resulting in many homebuyers and homeowners struggling to purchase a home or keep up with monthly … Read More

WILL HOME PRICES DROP IN 2023 ? Surging mortgage rates have put some much-needed pressure on the housing market in recent months after home prices hit record highs across the nation. But as mortgage rates have begun to decline in … Read More

  2023 HOUSING MARKET FORECAST AND PREDICTIONS: HOMEBUYING COSTS AREN’T COMING DOWN The major question on the minds of homeowners and aspiring buyers alike is what will happen to home prices. In the second quarter, the value of owner-occupied household … Read More

WILL PROJECTED PRICE DECLINES DRIVE HOMEBUYERS UNDERWATER? According to a new report from Redfin, recent homebuyers in certain places, like Sacramento and Phoenix, are at higher risk of falling underwater on their mortgage, while Florida homeowners are at even lower … Read More

PURCHASE SENTIMENT IMPROVES SLIGHTLY Consumer sentiment toward housing, as measured by the Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI), slightly improved for the first time since February. The index, based on the survey that dates to 2011, increased by 0.6 … Read More

Miami Springs Property Owners HELP LOWER YOUR PROPERTY TAXES !!! Having lower property taxes is what our beautiful city is missing. The annexation option is the best and quickest way that Miami Springs can acheive many economic benefits including lower … Read More

Existing Home Sales Fall for 9th Straight Month What Happened This Month: Existing home sales weakened further in October, following a sharper pullback in September pending home sales. Existing home sales were at a pace of 4.43 million, down 5.9% … Read More

Weekly Housing Trends Already above their 2020 level in October, active listings continued to ratchet higher this week despite the largest year-over-year pullback in new listings since January. The data suggest that it’s not just many buyers, but sellers, too, … Read More

Home Prices Retreat in Nearly All Major Markets According to the new Knock Sellers-Buyers Market Index, of the top-100 largest metropolitan markets, 98 of them reported home price declines in September, while 15 markets reported home prices falling by more … Read More

Pending Home Sales Drop to Lowest Level Since 2010 Amid Surging Rates Contract signings for existing homes dropped 10.2% in September, to the lowest level since June 2010, with sharp declines across all geographic regions. Pending home sales were 31.0% … Read More

Key Findings Weekly Housing Trends Several trend indicators including home price growth, the new listings trend, and time on market changes didn’t move much if at all over the week. In contrast, after several weeks of very little movement in … Read More

Rates Resume Surge Toward 7% As Inflation Remains Hot What it Means: Housing markets continue to feel the direct impact of higher mortgage rates. With incomes lagging behind inflation, homebuyers’ ability to finance a purchase has been slashed by mortgage … Read More

Active Inventory Continued to Grow Highlighting the roller coaster ride that the housing market and its participants have been on in the last few years, one’s take on the current number of homes for sale depends very much on the … Read More

Fannie Mae Continues to Forecast 2023 Recession According to new research from Fannie Mae’s Economic and Strategic Research Group (ESR), the housing market is expected to further cool as mortgage rates continue to rise and continues to predict an official … Read More

Mortgage Rates Surge, Hitting Highest Point Since October 2008 The Freddie Mac fixed rate for a 30-year loan surged this week hitting 6.29% – the highest level since October 2008. This builds on the upward momentum of the past 5 … Read More

The Best Time to Buy a Home Since the start of the pandemic, homes have been in high demand leading to intense competition, rapidly depleting inventory, soaring prices and a breakneck market pace. Buyers flocked to areas that offered spacious … Read More

  Mortgage Rates Jump to 14-Year High According to Redfin, the Labor Day holiday brought with it a slight downturn in the housing market, with the rise in rates as a catalyst, with home-touring activity taking a nosedive, and the … Read More

Homes Selling for Less Than Asking For the first time since the housing market picked up after the pandemic, Redfin has reported that the average home has sold for less than its listing price as of August 28 in another … Read More

July Home Sales Drop to Early-Pandemic Levels Home sales showed no signs of stopping its recent descent in July 2022, as sales dropped to their lowest level since the beginning of the pandemic when the market was at a near … Read More

  Bidding Wars Becoming Less Common Now recording its sixth month of decline, homebuyer competition has now fallen to levels seen during the initial throes of the pandemic. According to Redfin, 44.3% of home offers written by their agents faced … Read More

Home Purchase Sentiment Falls to Lowest Levels Since 2011 Consumer sentiment toward housing fell to the lowest levels seen since late 2011, as measured by the Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI). Buyer confidence has been rocked by rising … Read More

Change is Coming For the first time in two years, weekly data show that homes are taking longer to sell than they did at this time last year. The increase in time on market is just another one of the … Read More

Housing Markets Shifting Toward a ‘New Equilibrium’ The latest S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI) for May 2022, a measure of U.S. home prices, show that home prices continue to increase across the U.S., as the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. … Read More

Fannie Mae Predicts Recession Conditions in Early 2023 The current state of the real estate market—which is now adapting to record high inflation and higher interest rates—is giving real estate companies and experts a run for their money as the … Read More

The 7 Deadly Sins of Home Selling Today Home sellers have been in heaven these past couple of years, awash in bidding wars that have pushed property prices sky-high. But at long last, the tables are starting to turn. In … Read More

What the housing market correction will do to home prices in 2023 There’s no doubt about it: The Pandemic Housing Boom was an inflationary engine. Elevated homebuyer demand during the pandemic simply overwhelmed inventory. It translated into fierce bidding wars … Read More

Housing Inventory: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back June numbers show that for-sale homes available to buyers climbed 18.7%—the fastest yearly pace of all time—according to Realtor.com’s Monthly Housing Trends Report. A key demographic driving June’s jump in active listings … Read More

Zombie Properties on the Rise Zombie foreclosures refer to properties where a homeowner is presented with a pending foreclosure notice, and abandons their house before legally necessary, as the house slowly falls into disrepair and a state of dilapidation. ATTOM’s … Read More

Summer Busy Season? Not So Fast In May, the HouseCanary Market Pulse reported the first signs of a potential softening in the housing market as a litany of external influences exerted pressure on the housing market. “In May, we saw … Read More

Homebuying Sentiment Continues to Decline The share of survey respondents saying it is a bad time to buy outnumbered those saying it is a good time to buy almost five-to-one, leading to the largest net bad time to buy response … Read More

Weekly Housing Trends Data Week Ending May 28, 2022 The median listing price maintained a surprising amount of momentum this week even as recent monthly data show signs of a growing gap between buyer and seller expectations in today’s housing … Read More

Pending Home Sales Drop Contract signings for existing homes declined for the sixth consecutive month in April, with a 3.9% drop, as real estate markets feel the pressures of record-high prices and rising mortgage rates in April. The median listing … Read More

More Than Half of Investors Believe the Housing Market is Overvalued Up from 40% a year ago, 55% of real estate investors feel that their local market is overvalued and expect to see a price correction in the coming months. … Read More

Home Purchase Sentiment Hits Lowest Level Since Start of Pandemic Homebuyer confidence slipped again in April to the lowest level since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as measured by the Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI), which dropped … Read More

Spring & Summer Remain Best Times to Sell Homes ATTOM Data, a national provider of real estate and property data, has released its annual analysis of the best days of the year to sell a home and found that based … Read More

Homebuyer Demand Has… Redfin reports that homebuyer demand has softened further over the last several weeks, triggered by surging mortgage rates and housing costs, as an estimated one in eight sellers cut their list prices during the four weeks ending … Read More

What’s Ahead for Homebuyers, Sellers, and the Market Recent weekly housing data suggests that we may start to see a turn-around in availability, with the most recent 2 weeks of data showing year over year increases in the number of … Read More

Mortgage Rates Hit 11-Year High After mortgage rates fell to all-time lows just 15 months ago, for the first time since 2011, mortgage rates have hit the 5% mark, as reported by Freddie Mac in its weekly Primary Mortgage Market … Read More

Increased Mortgage Rates Continues to Soften Purchase Activity “Mortgage rates have increased 1.5 percentage points over the last three months alone, the fastest three-month rise since May of 1994,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist. “The increase in mortgage … Read More

Home Selling Checklist: 12 Things to Do Before Selling Your House Getting ready to sell your house? Then it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work because there are tons of things to do before listing your … Read More

Pending Home Sales Drop for Fourth Consecutive Month Contract signings for existing homes declined for the fourth consecutive month in February, with a 4.1% monthly slide, due to a combination of rising mortgage rates, real estate prices and consumer inflation. … Read More

Foreclosure Rates Continue Upward Climb ATTOM, along with its subsidiary RealtyTrac, has released its latest Foreclosure Market Report for February which has found that there was a total of 25,833 properties with foreclosure filings against them, up 11% from January … Read More

Inherit a House and Sell It, How Are the Profits Taxed? If you sell your house and make a profit, you must pay capital gains tax—so does the same rule apply when you inherit a house from a deceased relative? … Read More

THANK YOU It was great to for our community to welcome back the River Cities Festival after two long difficult years. We were happy to participate and support the festival. It was especially nice to see so many of our … Read More

New Listings Work to Keep Pace with Housing Demand According to a new report from Redfin, the number of newly listed homes for sale during the four weeks ending February 20 was down just 2% year-over-year—the smallest decline since mid-November. … Read More

Homes Continue to Fly Off the Market “Movers are feeling a big pinch. There is nowhere for them to run from increasing housing costs now that mortgage rates are rising and inflation has spread to the rental market,” said Redfin … Read More

Millennial Demand Forcing Rise in Home Prices According to Zillow, home values are growing fastest in areas with the highest population of children, reflecting the impact millennial homebuyers are making on family-friendly neighborhoods with a shortage of homes for sale. … Read More

Weekly Housing Trends View Households who put “find a new home” on their list of resolutions for 2022 will find plenty of company, but not yet more options in the housing market. Realtor.com’s weekly housing data points to even more … Read More

HOME VALUES UP NEARLY 20% FROM LAST YEAR According to Zillow’s December Home Market Report, home values grew a record 1.6% month-over-month in December, and that appreciation accelerated throughout much of the U.S. The typical American home is worth $320,662, … Read More

MORTGAGE RATES JUMP AGAIN The Freddie Mac fixed rate for a 30-year loan pushed upward again for the fourth consecutive week, with an 11 basis point gain to 3.56%. This is the highest rate since March 2020, and followed the … Read More

FORECLOSURE ACTIVITY DROPS TO ALL-TIME LOW “The COVID-19 foreclosure tsunami that some people had anticipated is clearly not happening,” said Rick Sharga, EVP at RealtyTrac, an ATTOM company. “Government and mortgage industry efforts have prevented millions of unnecessary foreclosures, and while … Read More

SELLER’S MARKET CLOSES 2021 ON HIGH NOTE As 2021 was a record-breaking year for U.S. home price growth, CoreLogic has released its Home Price Index (HPI) and HPI Forecast for November 2021. For many prospective buyers, the housing market will … Read More

HOME PRICES MODERATING BUT GROWTH REMAINS ABOVE HISTORIC NORMS With prices for all kinds of goods and services continuing to rise, housing is no exception. The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index shows that home prices rose in a range of … Read More

AMERICANS LOOKING TO RELOCATE TARGET THE SUNSHINE STATE Some 30.3% of Redfin.com users nationwide looked to move to a different metropolitan area in October and November, according to a new report from Redfin. Percentages are down from a record-high 31.5% in … Read More

2022 HOUSING MARKET FORECAST AND PREDICTIONS Americans will have a better chance to find a home in 2022, but will face a competitive seller’s market as first-time buyer demand outmatches the inventory recovery. Additionally, with listing prices, rents and mortgage … Read More

HEADING FULL STEAM INTO 2022 As the days grow shorter and the year draws to a close, the real estate market is heading full-steam into 2022 and bringing record high prices with it. Looking ahead to 2022, Zillow has released … Read More

  INVENTORY FINDS NEW LOW IN NOVEMBER If you thought the housing supply hit rock bottom in February, you thought wrong. According to a new report from Redfin, the number of homes available for sale fell by another 38,000 units … Read More

TIME ON MARKET WAS DOWN Homes continue to move faster than previous years. In fact, the speed has improved so much that every week since mid-March has had a lower time on market than the fastest-selling week in any year … Read More

  We are committed to providing a premier level of service.   All aspects of your real estate experience will be accompanied by Results through exceptional Service and Honesty. From the onset of our marketing meeting, we are dedicated to … Read More

MORE LOOKING TO LIST THEIR HOMES THIS WINTER Those who have sat on the sidelines over the last few months and held out on selling their homes are increasingly looking to get into the market, a move that could pay … Read More

HOME SALE PROFIT MARGINS HIT 10-YEAR HIGH The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has The latest U.S. Home Sales Report from ATTOM has shown that profit margins on median-priced single-family U.S. homes and condos jumped to 47.6% in Q3, hitting … Read More

Pending Home Sales Fall in September The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has reported that pending home sales declined in September, retreating slightly following a previous month of growth. Each of the four major U.S. regions saw contract activity decline … Read More

WHY LETTING GO OF A PROPERTY CAN BE SO HARD A home can be many things: a personal oasis, an investment, a familial homestead—and a massive emotional and financial anchor. A property can become a burden, especially when it comes … Read More

FORECLOSURES TICK UP The first bits of foreclosure data are starting to come through after the federal government’s foreclosure moratorium expired July 31 and the numbers are not as bad as some experts were predicting at the start of the … Read More

HOUSING MARKET SURVEY: GREAT TIME TO SELL (NOT BUY) Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae Senior Vice President and Chief Economist. “The survey’s story is also largely unchanged: Consumers feel it’s a bad time to buy a home but a good time … Read More

FOREIGN REAL ESTATE INVESTORS PLOT THEIR RETURN As signs that the second wave of COVID-19 is beginning to wane and travel restrictions loosen, foreign investors are looking to return to the U.S., potentially driving up home prices in an already … Read More

SKY-HIGH HOUSING PRICES WON’T FALL USA TODAY spoke to eight experts to find out if a housing crash is on the horizon. The short answer? No. For one, they say the housing market in 2021 is not like the boom-bust … Read More

REMOTE WORKERS ARE TRANSFORMING HOUSING MARKETS NEW YORK – Remote work since the pandemic has fueled the flexibility for Americans to leave larger cities near job centers and move elsewhere to farther-out locales. They’re flocking to mid-tier cities nationwide, leading … Read More

BUYERS HOPING FOR FORECLOSURES FACE COMPETITION FROM INVESTORS NEW YORK – Wall Street’s appetite for fixer-upper houses is insatiable, a challenge compounded by the task of finding shabby, out-of-date properties to renovate and resell for a profit. For more than … Read More

MORE AND MORE FLOCKING TO THE SUNSHINE STATE Miami, Sacramento, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Tampa were the most popular migration destinations among major U.S. metros in July, meaning they had the biggest net inflows. A net inflow is a measure … Read More

4 THINGS PEOPLE SAY ABOUT SELLING A HOME TODAY THAT JUST AREN’T TRUE You’ve heard the stories: Maybe your neighbors sold their fixer-upper as is for $100,000 over asking price. Or your friends were deluged with crazed homebuyers engaged in a … Read More

ASTONISHING’ PRICE GROWTH CONTINUES, DEMAND SOFTENS The median home price once again hit an all-time high in July, reports the research team at Redfin, reaching $385,600. That marks a 20% annual increase, which does not quite top the largest annual growth-rate … Read More

HOT HOUSING MARKET DRIVES HOME FIX-UPS NEW YORK – More homeowners plan to renovate their homes this year. The remodel trend took off during pandemic lockdowns when homeowners had little else to do and a general frustration with a home … Read More

HOME PRICES END THEIR DOUBLE-DIGIT INCREASE Home prices ended their double-digit increasing streak just 2 weeks shy of a full year at this pace. While this marks a key buyer-friendly milestone, home prices remain high and price growth is faster … Read More

Pending Home Sales Decline in June Contract signings declined in June, with a 1.9% monthly slide, reversing the strong advance from May. The monthly decline was driven by drops in the South and West regions. Pending home sales were 1.9% … Read More

Existing-Home Sales Expand in June Existing-home sales increased in June, snapping four consecutive months of declines, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Three of the four major U.S. regions registered small month-over-month gains, while the fourth remained flat. However, … Read More

The New Normal of Selling a Home Today If you’re selling your home right now—or thinking about doing it soon—you should know that today’s housing market is unlike anything we’ve seen or experienced lately, maybe ever. In the past, home … Read More

Seller Optimism Has Never Been This High WASHINGTON – Almost eight out of 10 U.S. consumers (77%) say it’s a good time to sell a home – a record high, according to Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index. Sellers have … Read More

New Listings Stage a Comeback in June Nationally, the inventory of homes actively for sale in June decreased by 43.1% over the past year, a lower rate of decline compared to the 50.9% drop in May. A deceleration in the … Read More

No Immediate Relief From Skyrocketing Home Prices Looking to buy a house, but think house prices are going crazy?  You’re not wrong. Housing prices are rocketing upwards across the country, showing their biggest annual gain since 2005.  Existing homeowners are … Read More

Homebuying Frenzy Shows Signs of Slowing While competition remains fierce and prices are still soaring, some indicators measured in a new Redfin study suggest the sizzling sellers’ market is cooling. “Many measures of the housing market, such as pending home … Read More

Will Rising Inflation Cool Down—or Further Inflame—the Hot Housing Market? Home prices aren’t the only cost that has been soaring over the past few months. It seems like just about everything, from rental cars to puppies, has gotten more expensive—and … Read More

Fierce Bidding Wars Drive Home Prices Upward In May, U.S. median home prices continued a trend of double-digit appreciation, reaching a new an all-time high of $380,000 according to Realtor.com, up 15.2% year-over-year. But in a good sign for home … Read More

MEMORIAL DAY: Why it is Important! Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time … Read More

U.S. Existing-Home Sales Drop 2.7% in April Existing-home sales waned in April, marking three straight months of declines, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). All but one of the four major U.S. regions tracked by NAR saw month-over-month … Read More

Are You Truly Ready To Downsize? There’s a host of reasons for downsizing to a smaller home. You might want to pocket the savings and build upon your nest egg. Maybe you’re ready for a new adventure and eager to … Read More

  Are We In a Housing Bubble? Will the Housing Market Crash in 2021? Today’s housing market is fierce! Due to remote work and record-low mortgage rates, Americans are relocating and purchasing homes at an all-time high. However, there is … Read More

Homes Are Selling Lightning Fast Amid a Continuing Inventory Crunch The national inventory of active listings declined by 53.0% over last year, while the total inventory of unsold homes, including pending listings, declined by 21.9%. Newly listed homes on the … Read More

Is a Housing Market Crash Possible in 2021? With the real estate market experiencing surging prices, scant inventories and a backlog of new home construction, many consumers are wondering if what’s gone up must come back down—in other words, are … Read More

The US is 3.8 Million Homes Short The U.S. housing market needs nearly 4 million single-family homes to meet the nation’s demand, according to a new analysis from Freddie Mac. The 3.8 million shortfall marks a 52% increase in the … Read More

Sellers in a Strong Position, For How Long? After increasing last week for the first time in 2021, new listings were down again, highlighting the up and down progress on the road to a more normal housing market. We’re still … Read More

SOLD THIS WEEK! 3810 NW 63rd Ct 3 bedrooms, 3 baths 1,240 Sq Ft $430,000 $2,500.00 credit $338.58 per sq ft   Spring Season? Listings Down 70% If buyers are struggling to find a home for sale, at least they’re not … Read More

SOLD THIS WEEK! 6615 NW 39th St 3 bedrooms, 1 bath 1,145 Sq Ft $400,000 $349.35 per sq ft 6645 NW 38th Ter 3 bedrooms, 1 bath 1,308 Sq Ft $400,000 $305.81 per sq ft 6347 NW 39th Ter 4 … Read More

Buyers are Flooding the Market Buyers are flooding the housing market early in the year, as they have in the last few years, eager to find a home of their own. With plenty of buyers and not as many sellers, … Read More

Foreclosures 2021: What to Expect in the Months Ahead The million-dollar questions that everyone in the industry is asking right now are: “What are foreclosures going to look like once the foreclosure moratoria and forbearance programs come to end?  And … Read More

More Than 200,000 New Listings Are Missing From U.S. Housing Market National inventory declined by 48.6% over last year. The inventory of newly listed properties declined by 24.5% nationally and by 23.5% for large metros over the past year. The … Read More

5 Sweet Tax Deductions When Selling a Home You may be wondering if there are tax deductions when selling a home. And the answer is: You bet! Sure, you may remember way back to 2018 and its new tax code—aka … Read More

Existing Home Sales, and Prices, Rise Again in January Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose again last month, a sign that the housing market’s strong momentum from 2020 may be carrying over into this year The red-hot housing market … Read More

New Listings Continue to Fall Behind the Year Ago Pace After the upswing in new listings at the end of 2020, new listings have tread a different path in 2021. New listings are a smaller sample and thus the trends … Read More

Fewer Options for Buyers as Prices Rise Nationally, the inventory of homes for sale in January decreased by 42.6% over the past year, a higher rate of decline compared to the 39.6% drop in December. This amounted to 443,000 fewer … Read More

Buyers Returning Faster Than Sellers in the New Year Despite a slower than anticipated return of buyers and sellers this January, the U.S. housing market continues to remain tight and in position for further growth this spring. The realtor.com Housing … Read More

2020 Home Prices Up 13 Percent Annually in U.S. “The economy faces new challenges in the next few weeks, which are likely to see continued political instability and rising coronavirus cases,” said Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather. “Still, it’s unlikely … Read More

Weekly Housing Trends Homebuyer demand has started strong in 2021. While shoppers may be optimistic that the new year brings new opportunities, they will likely face some familiar challenges, too. The number of sellers listing homes for sale shrank and … Read More

TOP 10 U.S. HOME BUYING TRENDS FOR 2021 In this elongated era of COVID-19, Zillow has just announced the TOP 10 housing trends to watch for in 2021 to adjust to living in this environment for the foreseeable future. Zillow’s … Read More

Another Record Year !!! It is with sincere gratitude and appreciation that we thank our clients, both old and new, for making this past year a record-breaking year for us at The Leonard Real Estate Group. Your support, loyalty and … Read More

With Record Real Estate Prices, Now Is A Good Time To Sell Your Home Things are coming to a boil in the market for U.S. homes, and it may be the right time to sell. In October, prices for houses across … Read More

Demand for Homes Set to Break More Records in December Compared to this time last year, demand for homes is growing at the fastest pace we’ve seen to date. The ‘housing demand’ component – which tracks growth in online home … Read More

2021 Housing Market Forecast and Predictions To say 2020 was a year of surprises is an extreme understatement. What started off as a bright year for the housing market and the economy was soon derailed by a global pandemic and … Read More

Weekly Housing Trends Key Findings This week’s data show that the housing market continues to be much more active than usual even though the usual end of year slowdown in activity is underway. As discussed last week, the closer we … Read More

NAR Forecast: 2021 Could Be Real Estate’s Best Winter Ever WASHINGTON – The housing market defied high unemployment and an economic recession and surged during the COVID-19 pandemic – and that isn’t likely to let up heading into the winter … Read More

Some Fla. Owners Will See Big Property Insurance Increases State regulators have approved about 100 rate hike requests involving dozens of property insurers. The insurance regulation office in Florida gave the green light to South Fidelity to raise their rates … Read More

…Sellers Can Make a Bundle in the ‘Best’ Winter Sales Season in Years The coronavirus has changed real estate in a multitude of ways, and perhaps one of the biggest is the sea of buyers who put off buying during … Read More

The Serious Disconnect Between  a Hot Residential Real Estate Market and the Coming Tsunami of Foreclosures Various reports show that the market for previously-owned homes climbed nearly 10% in September, the fourth straight monthly increase. It is not just sale … Read More

Housing Recovery Trends Point to More Balanced Conditions Ahead Housing activity continued to surface signals of more balanced conditions this week as the pace of demand eased and the pace of new listings improved. Despite the shift, the realtor.com Housing … Read More

4 Ways to Increase the Chances of Getting a Mortgage WASHINGTON – The coronavirus pandemic has made a huge dent in the U.S. economy, but mortgage interest rates are at an all-time low. It’s no surprise then that in 2020, … Read More

Housing Recovery in Full Swing as Sellers Inch Their Way Back into the Market Buyers and sellers remain increasingly motivated post pandemic, setting the stage for a full market recovery through the end of the year. While many buyers will still … Read More

We should be in a buyer’s housing market right now, but COVID turned everything upside down. By the end of September each year, homebuyers should be expecting the market to cool down as children go back to school and families … Read More

What Does the Future Hold? The Outlook Is Cloudy The markets have been churning at a steady pace from late summer into early fall, but is this coronavirus recovery continuing into the winter and beyond? According to Zillow®’s recent Home … Read More

Waive a Home Inspection? Why Buyers Are Willing to Right Now A home inspection is something that protects your financial interest in what will likely be the largest purchase you make in your life—one in which you need as much … Read More

Will the COVID-19 Pandemic Kill the Open Floor Plan? The pandemic has thrown millions out of work and deflated entire industries. But not the residential real estate market. A year ago, it was humming. Today, in the teeth of the … Read More

What Is Title Insurance? Peace of Mind When Buying a Home Buying a home often entails also buying various types of insurance to protect your property, and one type you might need to get is called title insurance. So what is title insurance? When … Read More

Buyer Competition Intensifies as More Housing Markets Recover In many markets, fierce competition, bidding wars and multiple offer scenarios may be the common theme in the weeks to come. Real estate activity continued to grow above the pre-pandemic pace for … Read More

Existing-Home Sales Soar at a Record Pace in July The numbers: Sales of previously-owned homes in the U.S. rose 24.7% between June and July to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 5.86 million, the National Association of Realtors reported Friday. It … Read More

Home Prices Increased Across Most Metro Areas in Second Quarter Year-over-year, 96 percent of the measured markets experienced increases in median single-family home prices—the same number of metro areas that saw price gains in the first quarter. On a national level, … Read More

Experts Share Predictions For The Rest Of 2020 Mortgage rates are searching for a historic bottom. Home prices are inching up toward record highs. Home shoppers are looking for deals. Homeowners are weighing selling versus refinancing. A lot is going … Read More

Listing Prices Continue to Accelerate Realtor.com®’s July housing data release reveals that an improving but continued lack of newly listed homes on the market, coupled with pent-up buyer demand, is driving inventory to all-time lows and is also steadily pushing … Read More

RE Rebound Report: ‘Housing Market Has Recovered While the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a U.S. recession, that economic drop isn’t reflected in the U.S. Housing Market, according to an index created by realtor.com to gauge how quickly the industry returned to … Read More

The summer market “remains tipped in favor of sellers,” according to realtor.com’s economist Summer 2020 is shaping up to be a very competitive market for buyers thanks to record-low interest rates and scarce inventory, according to realtor.com’s Weekly Recovery Report … Read More

Why This Is Actually the Best Time in Years To Sell a House Talk about a strange summer. Between the continued threat of the novel coronavirus, a wobbly economy, and layoffs happening left and right, it’s no surprise that many who … Read More