The U.S. may be well into a prolonged period of steady economic growth, but it hasn’t yet reached its full potential, according to Fannie Mae’s (FNMA/OTC) Economic & Strategic Research Group. Fiscal headwinds are expected to keep growth to below 2.0 percent for the first half of the year, with ...

The U.S. may be well into a prolonged period of steady economic growth, but it hasn’t yet reached its full potential, according to Fannie Mae’s (FNMA/OTC) Economic & Strategic Research Group. Fiscal headwinds are expected to keep growth to below 2.0 percent for the first half of the year, with ...

HSA Home Warranty recently announced their participation in a nationally televised segment of Designing Spaces™, the popular home improvement show on Lifetime Television, to help educate homeowners on the benefits of having a home warranty. ...

Americans’ confidence in their ability to buy and sell a home climbed sharply in May, likely due to reports of strong home price gains, according to results from Fannie Mae’s May 2013 National Housing Survey. The share of respondents who say now is a good time to sell a home ...

According to the Federal Reserve Board, growth in the amount of consumer credit outstanding, this includes outstanding credit extended to individuals for household, family, and other personal expenditures, excluding loans secured by real estate, accelerated in April. ...

(MCT)—In a recent column, I pointed out that mortgage lenders today can make a loan with only 3 percent down to a borrower with a steady job but a credit score of only 570, and have it insured by the Federal Housing Administration. But lenders can’t or won’t accommodate a ...

Ken Olin and Patricia Wettig have recently listed their Santa Monica, Calif. residence for $6.9 million dollars. Olin, an actor, director and producer (“Alias,” “Brothers & Sisters),” and Wettig, a three-time Emmy-winning actress (“Brothers & Sisters,” “Thirtysomething”) have lived in the ...

A report released earlier this year from the Chicago-based Spectrem Group estimated there were 8.99 million households in the United States with a net worth of at least $1 million at the end of 2012. ...

As the housing recovery presses onward, a new generation of buyers is leading the way: millennials. Not only is this younger generation full of fresh enthusiasm for homeownership, but they have a fresh idea of what their homes should look like, ...

Comedic duo Anna Faris and Chris Pratt recently listed their Los Angeles home for $2,295,000. They recently purchased an additional home literally across the street from their old digs, so their move won't be too stressful. ...

Want to sell your home quickly and for the best price? Making some small improvements can give buyers the best first impression and make a world of difference when selling your home. ...

Jason Doyle ...

Want to move to paradise? Who could blame you! This Hawaiian estate, located on the big island of Hawaii, is called Laule’a, or “a place of peace and happiness.” Happiness, indeed! Overlooking the fifth green of the Kona Country Club’s mauka course in the prestigious Keauhou Estates, this stunning property mixes tropical design with contemporary Asian architecture. The spectacular one-story home was designed with indoor/outdoor living in mind. Interested in sleeping outdoors, but don’t want to forfeit the comfort of your bedroom? No worries! Featuring walls of glass that pocket back, the entire home can be opened to the outside.

The current trend in real estate has been quite positive. For an extended period of time, we have seen pretty consistent growth in sales and home prices. After years of dealing with poor market conditions, we are all breathing a sigh of relief. Nevertheless, the industry must be vigilant in ensuring that nothing is done to impede or reverse the housing recovery, particularly by Congress and the regulators in Washington. Despite the improved sales numbers, however, mortgage credit remains tight. Nowhere is this more evident than in the consistently high percentage of cash purchasers in the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) monthly existing home

Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes improved three points to a 44 reading on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) for May, released recently. This gain, from a downwardly revised 41 in April, reflected improvement in all three index components – current sales conditions, sales expectations and traffic of prospective buyers. “Builders are noting an increased sense of urgency among potential buyers as a result of thinning inventories of homes for sale, continuing affordable mortgage rates and strengthening local economies,” notes National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Chairman Rick Judson,