Whether you’re looking at a foreclosed home, bank REO, a Short Sale or really any home, you need to be aware of the FHA 203K Program. The general condition of real estate has taken a dip over the past few years, as homeowners are not sprucing up their home as they have in the past. (Pssst…there’s […]
In yesterday’s blog post, we explained that the ‘shadow inventory’ of distressed properties which has hung over the housing market will soon be released for sale. The real estate market won’t recover until we work our way through this discounted inventory. The great news is that as these properties exit the bottom of the inventory […]
One of the biggest challenges to the housing industry throughout the rest of the year will be the increase in discounted properties coming unto the market. There is a glut of foreclosures that have been delayed by the court systems in many states while paperwork was corrected. The banks are rectifying their paperwork and processes. […]
We are honored to have Chip Wagner, an icon in the appraisal industry and our good friend, as a guest blogger yesterday and today. Yesterday, Chip defined the role of the appraiser in today’s real estate market. – The KCM Crew Today, Chip will discuss the impact distressed properties have on housing values. Contrary to […]
We are honored to have Chip Wagner, an icon in the appraisal industry and our good friend, as a guest blogger today and tomorrow. Tomorrow, Chip will discuss the impact distressed properties have on housing values. Today, Chip defines the role of the appraiser in today’s real estate transaction. – The KCM Crew I have been […]
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Estate Planning is a boring topic. However, there are few issues more misunderstood that have such tremendous impact on families and the legacy they leave behind. Many people don’t realize that when adding a home to their assets, being a “paper” millionaire isn’t as farfetched as it seems when living paycheck-to-paycheck. The federal estate tax exemption has been extended for two years […]
For the last couple of weeks, all we have heard is how bad the current economic situation is. “The markets are going to crash and interest rates are going to skyrocket.” Panic has definitely engulfed the entire country. Consumer confidence, as measured by the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Survey, has fallen to a number […]
Yesterday, Fannie Mae released their National Housing Survey for the second quarter of 2011. They survey the American public on a multitude of questions concerning today’s housing market. Each quarter, we like to pull out some of the findings we deem most interesting. Here they are for the most recent report: Most Important Reasons to Buy […]
In this difficult housing market, more and more homeowners are considering renting their house instead of adjusting the price. We strongly believe that residential real estate is a great investment and therefore can understand this thinking. However, if you have no desire to actually become an educated investor in this sector, you may be headed […]
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What if there was a shoe store that had: An unparalleled selection of shoes of every size, color, and price range The shoes were discounted 30% or more You had a credit card that would finance the shoes for 30 years at 4.5% How many shoes would you buy? My bet is there would be […]
Several pricing indices have reported that, on a month-over-month basis, home values have ticked up slightly over the last quarter. This has caused some to call the bottom to the housing market – at least from a price standpoint. We must realize that prices are determined by supply and demand. Demand has indeed shown improvement […]
This blog prides itself on the quality of real estate information we deliver each and every day. We try to gather empirical evidence to validate the positions we take. We do not use just an anecdotal story to make a point. We also do not get caught up in the sensationalism of the moment. However, […]
We want to discuss the impact the downgrade of the U.S. credit rating will have on mortgage interest rates. In these times of uncertainty and volatility, no one knows for sure what will happen next. However, we want to talk about possible scenarios. Mortgage rates normally run parallel to the country’s Treasury bonds. If many […]
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In their never ending quest to “simplify” the confusion surrounding the borrowing of money, the Fed has released their Final Rule for Risk Based Pricing Notices, as well as Adverse Action Notices. More paper work filled with CYA, legal terminology that winds up baffling people more than giving them any clarity. Let’s take a peek…. […]
We are again honored to have Ken H. Johnson, Ph.D. — Florida International University (FIU) and Editor of the Journal of Housing Research as our guest blogger. To view other research from FIU, visit http://realestate.fiu.edu/. – The KCM Crew What is in a Subdivision’s Name? The Research What is in a subdivision’s name? Is there any pricing […]
There seems to be a paralysis in America right now. Companies are afraid to hire even though they are sitting on hordes of cash. Politicians are afraid to show leadership on certain issues as it may cost them the next election. People are afraid to move forward with a purchase of a home because they […]
We are dedicated to bringing you the most current and important housing news each and every day. We don’t get involved with the ‘what ifs’ of politics. The current debate in Washington has caused a paralysis in consumers, caused by uncertainty. People just can’t be sure what is coming next. As always, we will work hard to bring clarity to the confusion. We will […]
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Should you lock in the interest rate on your mortgage? A couple of things to consider: 1. While I am confident that the Debt Ceiling Debate will be settled (whether it’s for six months or a year), my greater concern is the growing belief that the ratings agencies are looking at downgrading our government’s bonds from […]
We hope that headline grabbed you. The reason we used it was to bring some perspective to the debate as to whether or not homeownership is a wise investment in today’s troubled market. A family should never look at the purchase of a home simply as a financial investment. It is so much more than […]
There has been much written about the falling inventories of distressed properties in many market places. Some have looked at the decreasing percentage of distressed property sales reported by the National Association of Realtors over the last four months as a sign that we are finally cleaning out the last remnants of the foreclosures. If […]
