Higher home prices nationwide are hitting buyers’ pocketbooks. Eighty-eight percent of 161 metros tracked by the National Association of REALTORS® posted double-digit price increases annually in the fourth quarter of 2020. That marks a jump from 115 metros that posted such growth in the third quarter.The national median existing-home price jumped nearly 15% on a year-over-year basis in the fourth quarter to $315,900, NAR reports. All majo
The National Association of REALTORS® applauded an announcement Thursday by the Department of Housing and Urban Development that the agency will enforce the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. HUD’s move effectively expands civil rights protections to LGBTQ Americans seeking housing and housing-related services. The decision follows an executive order from the Biden administration direct
About Katherine My name is Katherine Beltran. I was born in Miami, Florida, and raised in Spain, by Venezuelan and Cuban parents. I am fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian and known for putting a great deal of energy and dedication into everything I do. I am a licensed real estate professional, with a considerable amount of experience in both central and South Florida. In my work with various clients, my multicultural background has proven to
The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced it would allow borrowers with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-backed loans to request an additional three months of forbearance.Originally, borrowers with federally backed mortgages could request up to 12 months of forbearance if experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But FHFA is now allowing those still struggling to make their mortgage payments to prolong their current forbearance.E
The home office has become an important space to stage, but certain memorabilia displayed could turn off some buyers who view the property in-person or online.“For more buyers to see themselves in that office space, you’ll do well to take a lot of ‘you’ out of it first,” Chris Haro, a real estate professional in Hilton Head, S.C., told Apartment Therapy.For example, real estate pros and stagers say college degrees and other homeowner ac
The number of “green” buildings is growing across the country—and Massachusetts is leading the way with the most LEED-certified square feet per capita, according to new rankings released by the U.S. Green Building Council.More than 60% of LEED certifications were from office, healthcare, higher education, and K-12 projects. Warehouses, distribution centers, multifamily, and retail projects represented nearly 20% of LEED certifications.“If
About 17.8 million residential properties in the U.S. with a mortgage were considered equity-rich in the fourth quarter of 2020, according to a new report from ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate data firm. That means the combined estimated amount of loans secured by those properties was 50% or less of their estimated market value.But some areas are seeing home equity grow faster than others. Overall, six of the 10 states with the bigge
Housing appreciation has grown over the last few months with the surging real estate market. Thirty percent—nearly one in three—of homes with a mortgage in the U.S. are now considered “equity-rich,” according to a new report from ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate research firm.A home being equity-rich means that the combined estimated amount of loans secured by the property is 50% or less of the estimated market value. In short, it mean
The COVID-19 pandemic has nudged homeowners to lighten the mood set by the color in their spaces. While gray has been dominant inside homes in recent years, it may now feel too gloomy, a new study says.Earthy and warmer neutral tones are replacing grays as the most popular shades, according to 54% of 68 design trendsetters recently surveyed by Fixr, a home renovation resource. Sixty-three percent of designers said that whites and creams are the s
What will the real estate investment market look like this year? A new survey by Millionacres, a Motley Fool news service, surveyed 250 of its readers and real estate investing experts to learn their 2021 predictions.Investors are particularly bullish on medical buildings, with 39% of survey respondents saying such facilities will become the hottest type of commercial real estate property this year. Industrial follows at 32% as well as self-stora
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