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Home Buying 101 Archive


Single-Family Housing Starts Virtually Unchanged in June 2010

RISMEDIA, July 22, 2010—Single-family housing starts were virtually unchanged from the previous month at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 454,000 units in June 2010, according to newly-released figures by the U.S. Commerce Department. Meanwhile, a 21.5% decline on the more volatile multifamily side weighed down the overall housing production number, which fell 5% to a 549,000-unit rate.


U.S. Second Home Sales Increase – Lifestyle and Economical Benefits Attract Vacation Home Buyers

RISMEDIA, July 20, 2010—While some sectors of the economy struggle to regain solid footing, the vacation home market is enjoying healthy numbers. The National Association of Realtors' (NAR) 2010 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey, covering


How Financial Reform Impacts Homeowners and Buyers

RISMEDIA, July 19, 2010—“Homeowners and buyers who are sitting on the sidelines should get moving today, unless they want to get blindsided by the impact of a new law,” said Gibran Nicholas, Chairman of the CMPS Institute, an organization that trains and certifies mortgage bankers and brokers. “The massive financial reform law that just passed Congress has two main components that could very negatively impact homeowners and home buyers in the future.”


Home Buyers Are Ready to Move from the Sidelines: Survey

RISMEDIA, July 15, 2010—Are more Americans positioning themselves for home purchase? Although May's data showed that home sales were down 26.8% as the home buyer tax credit concluded, a new survey conducted by


From Townhouse to Rental Studio: Downsizing Makes Sense

RISMEDIA, July 14, 2010—(MCT)—Courtney Zinter doesn't have a big house with rooms full of stuff, a fancy car or a manicure habit. But she still has it all. Just not how the Joneses next door would define it. With a well-paying job, Zinter had no problem paying the mortgage on her 1,600-square-foot townhouse in Chaska, outside Minneapolis. But at 29, she sold it and moved to a $590-a-month studio apartment that overlooks a freeway on the outskirts of downtown Minneapolis.


Prudential California/Nevada Realty Teams with Bank of America to Improve Home Buying Experience

RISMEDIA, July 8, 2010—Prudential CA/NV Realty announced an alliance with Bank of America Home Loans that will help streamline the home buying process for today’s home shopper. The alliance will span the company’s 33 offices through Northern California and Nevada. ...


Home Buyers Win More Time to Claim Tax Credit

RISMEDIA, July 7, 2010—(MCT)—President Barack Obama recently signed into aw a three-month extension on the deadline for home buyers to obtain a federal home buyer tax credit of up to $8,000.


Pending Home Sales Drop as Expected

RISMEDIA, July 6, 2010—Following a surge driven by the home buyer tax credit, pending home sales fell with the expiration of the deadline for qualified buyers to sign a purchase contract, according to the National Association of Realtors. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator, dropped 30% to 77.6 based on contracts signed in May 2010 from a reading of 110.9 in April, and is 15.9% below May 2009 when it was 92.3. The falloff comes on the heels of three strong monthly gains as home buyers rushed to take advantage of the tax credit.


7 Things All Borrowers Should Know About FHA Loans

RISMEDIA, July 3, 2010—FHA Pros, LLC, a national FHA condo approval service, has developed a list of facts speaking to the top misconceptions associated with FHA loans in order to help home buyers better navigate an already confusing market. FHA loans are mortgages issued by qualified lenders and insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). “We have seen home buyer interest in FHA loans go from practically zero three years ago to upwards of 87% today,” said Christopher Gardner, founder and president of FHA Pros, LLC.


House Extends Home Buyer Tax Credit Closing Deadline

RISMEDIA, July 1, 2010—(MCT)—The House of Representatives introduced and passed a proposal to extend the original June 30 closing deadline for home buyers who want to get up to $8,000 in tax credits. The Home Buyers Assistance Act of 2010 would push the deadline to midnight September 30, 2010 on contracts that were signed by the midnight April 30 deadline. The vote was 409 to 5, with 18 not voting.


Foreclosure Homes Account for 31 Percent of All Residential Sales in First Quarter 2010, According to RealtyTrac

RISMEDIA, June 30, 2010—RealtyTrac, one of the leading online marketplaces for foreclosure properties released its first U.S. Foreclosure Sales Report, which shows that foreclosure homes accounted for 31% of all residential sales


Home Buyers Who Missed 8,000 Dollar Tax Credit Coming Out Ahead

RISMEDIA, June 29, 2010—(MCT)—Home shoppers who missed the April 30 deadline for a housing tax credit might have the last laugh. For a variety of reasons, they could end up saving more than the $8,000 they could have received from the tax refund. In some neighborhoods and price ranges, sellers are dropping their prices because buyers are harder to find now that the credit has expired. Builders and real estate companies began offering promotions after the tax credit ended that, in many cases, are worth more than the credit.


Low Mortgage Rates Not Enough to Lure Potential Home Buyers

RISMEDIA, June 28, 2010—(MCT)—Mortgage rates have tumbled to record lows, but high unemployment and job jitters by still-working Americans mean the milestone is unlikely to attract enough borrowers to boost the unsteady housing market, economic and real estate professionals say. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported recently that the average interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage in the U.S. slipped to 4.69%, down from 4.75% last week. A year ago the rate was 5.42%.


Homes Shrink as Market Sinks

RISMEDIA, June 26, 2010—(MCT)—When the going gets tough, the houses get smaller. Or at least that's what data from the U.S. Census Bureau are suggesting. The average size of a new single-family house shrank significantly from 2008 to 2009, the census figures show. According to the data, the national average decrease was 51 square feet, to 2,422 square feet. In the Northeastern United States, the change was more dramatic: House size diminished by more than 200 square feet, to 2,529 square feet.


As Tax Credit Expires, New Home Sales Sink

RISMEDIA, June 25, 2010—(MCT)—Sales of newly built U.S. homes collapsed in May 2010, the government said recently, falling to a record low and stirring concerns among some economists that the housing market would stumble again now that a popular federal tax credit for buyers has expired. The Commerce Department said new homes sold at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 300,000 units in May, a 32.7% drop from the revised April estimate and 18.3% below the May 2009 figure. It was the lowest sales pace and the biggest decline since the government began tracking figures in 1963. Sales fell across all regions.


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