Central metros dominated realtor.com®’s rankings of top-performing housing markets for September, claiming nearly half of its 20 spots. For the third consecutive month, Fort Wayne, Ind., landed first on the list.Realtor.com® bases its monthly hottest market rankings on the metros that are seeing some of the quickest sales in the nation as well as those that are garnering the most views of listings at realtor.com.Thirteen of the
Tens of thousands of households and businesses went dark in California overnight. Unprecedented power outages are sweeping across the state as the utility company Pacific Gas & Electric leverages the blackouts to try and prevent wildfires from spreading.With strong winds forecast for California mixed with hot and dry conditions, PG&E is taking the precautionary move to curb wildfire risk by shutting off power to thousands. About
Many homeowners attempting to save money on household projects are turning to DIY projects. But do-it-yourself fixes can be costly, shows a new survey from Clovered, a home insurance company.Eighty-seven percent of more than 1,000 homeowners recently surveyed admitted to making a mistake while attempting a do-it-yourself home improvement project. The median amount spent on fixing those DIY mistakes was $137.50, the survey showed. Millen
Certain home sales of $400,000 and below will no longer require an appraisal, under a new rule that takes effect today. Homes that qualify for the appraisal exemption can receive an evaluation instead.This is the first time in 25 years that federal regulators have increased the property value limit of the homes that require an appraisal as part of the selling process. Federal regulators cited price appreciation in residential real estate transact
Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law this week a measure that would cap rents throughout the state, a move that the real estate industry has warned could have dire long-term consequences.The law limits annual rent increases that landlords can enact on tenants in the state to 5% after inflation. The new limit will take effect in January.Lawmakers said the rent cap was driven by skyrocketing affordability in the state. Fifty-five percent of ren
Homeowners 62 and older are feeling richer thanks to homeownership. Senior housing wealth grew by 0.5%, or $32 billion, in the second quarter, on top of a cumulative $7.17 trillion reached in the first quarter of 2019, the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association reports.The increase in senior homeowners’ wealth was mainly driven by an increase in home values.“Many retired and soon-to-be-retired Americans lack financial assets for a comf
Mortgage denials have fallen to the lowest rate since the financial crisis and dating back to 2004, according to data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act. Still, that doesn’t mean all borrowers on the path to homeownership will qualify for financing. Nearly one in 10 borrowers get denied for a mortgage, according to a new analysis from LendingTree.LendingTree researchers analyzed more than 10 million applications available through the Home Mo
Homeowners can do plenty to spruce up their home and make it more enticing for buyers. But when they're narrowing their list, what are a few quick fixes that can have a big impact? Besides a fresh coat of paint, Redfin highlighted some additional ideas on its blog, including:Update the door.A new front door can be a cost-effective update that can make a big difference, real estate pros say. “Solid wood doors are always a classic style
Homeowners seem to have a love-hate relationship with their homeowners associations. They appreciate those that mow the lawn, manage neighborly disputes, offer amenities, and organize social events, but they don’t agree with all their rules.The number of Americans living in a community association has grown over the last 50 years from 10,000 communities in the 1970s to more than 300,000 as of 2016, Porch.com reports. (Those figures also include
Eighty percent of homeowners anticipate taking on a home improvement project in the next year, and more than 70% of that group plans to do the work themselves, according to a new survey from Chase Home Lending. The top motivators for sprucing up a home include adding value to the property, creating a comfortable space for family and entertainment, and accommodating a DIY hobby, the survey of 1,000 homeowners found.“More and more, homeowners are
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