Facebook acquired Instagram earlier this year, and the cutting-edge photo-sharing service has continued to soar in popularity. For real estate agents, the merger offers a new growth opportunity in marketing. With Facebook’s backing, Instagram will only get bigger. And they already are. They recently launched an...
The real estate market is starting to show signs of a recovery, and many people are purchasing vacation homes because of favorable pricing. But many of the vacation homes that people are purchasing are close to their primary residences thanks to the rising costs of...
There’s good news for military home owners who have been permanently moved because of a job. Effective June 1, the rules concerning who is considered owner-occupants changed, and some military families could qualify for the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). The HAMP program helps lower...
If fewer foreclosures create a brighter future for the housing market, Bank of America is doing its part to help out. This spring, a test segment of “underwater” BofA borrowers were invited to participate in the lender’s “Mortgage to Lease” initiative. Instead of enduring the...
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are tightening up their timelines when it comes to short sales and REO’s. Now, loan servicers that need more than 30 days to make a decision on a short-sale are required to provide weekly status updates and give a yes...
FHA Mortgage insurance premiums on loans higher than $625,500 have recently seen another increase. There was an FHA increase across the board for all loan amounts on April 9th 2012. In early June there was another monthly premium increase of 25 basis points to 1.50%...
There are indeed many benefits of owning a home. Here is a list of some of the best. Every month you are building equity on your home. Equity is the amount of money you can sell your home for, minus what you still owe on it....
For the first time in 20 years, United States cities are out-growing suburbs. The new census estimates that a change in population trends followed the current housing climate thanks in part to the spike in oil prices. Americans are choosing to stay put in big...
For many potential homebuyers, the real fun comes in narrowing down the exciting yet endless possibilities for decorating their new living space. Long before they sign the escrow papers, they’re dreaming of shiny new wood floors for the bedroom, a dramatic chandelier above the dining...
The spring season usually starts shaping up in March and goes until June, but this year thanks to unseasonably warm weather in many parts of the United States it may have started early. Spring is the litmus test for the overall housing demand. Last year,...