News / Features

Builder Confidence Regains its Footing in June

After a few months of fluctuations, it appears builder confidence has regained its, well, confidence! #103724088 / gettyimages.com Builder confidence for the single-family new construction home marketplace rose four points in June to reach a level of 49, according

The 7 Important Things to Know about Residential Construction

The Census Bureau’s new data on residential construction is out, but as always, we’re here to report on what lies between the lines. #482869355 / gettyimages.com Housing starts in the month of May reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate

NAR Report: What Do Job Growth and Construction Have in Common

A new report finds that construction is failing to meet the explosive level of job growth in many areas throughout the country; though, what that means is up for debate. #102853195 / gettyimages.com Earlier this month, the Department of

How Damaging, Really, Was 2013’s Mortgage Rate Increase?

Everyone knows that mortgage rates increased in a sudden, dramatic fashion in 2013, but how did that increase end up impacting housing? #98476417 / gettyimages.com It was the most dramatic story to hit housing since the downturn: on May

NAR Planning Big Changes for Local Associations

In the old days, eight years ago, when a newly licensed real estate agent was told by her broker that she needed to join the Realtor organization, she might ask, “Why do I need to join?” The broker would

The 3 Things that Could Hold Housing Back in 2014

The housing market has made considerable strides in the last few years, but what could hold it back from a true recovery? #173807241 / gettyimages.com There are many uncertainties in this world, but here’s something we can be fairly

Regulators Close to Chucking 20% Downpayment Requirement

The 20 percent downpayment in the Dodd-Frank bill proved quite controversial, but it’s looking like it will not become a reality. #112781338 / gettyimages.com A newly announced compromise between the SEC and federal regulators will likely result in the

The Serious Delinquency Roller Coaster Ride

We keep hearing that the nation’s serious delinquency rate has fallen, but what does its overall trajectory look like? #a0071-000153 / gettyimages.com The other week, news broke that the nation’s serious delinquency rate, as measured by Fannie Mae, fell

The 3 Things You Should Know About Student Loan Debt

Student debt is back in the news this week; as real estate agents, what details should you know? #107831987 / gettyimages.com Thanks to President Obama, the student debt crisis is back in the news, and once again, the numbers

Shocking Number of Americans Think We’re Still in a Housing Crisis

The numbers may be telling us that the housing crisis is a thing of the past, but don’t say that to a shockingly high percentage of consumers. #109350597 / gettyimages.com You’d think it was a fabricated stat – 70

More than Half of U.S. Adults Cannot Afford Their House

A new survey from the MacArthur Foundation is generating substantial waves, and for good reason – its findings are quite surprising. #83590515 / gettyimages.com Here’s a stat you wouldn’t expect to see: in the past three years, 52 percent

Why We Might Be Saying Good-bye to Fannie and Freddie

The U.S. Senate has taken a step towards reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, only it might be in the wrong direction. #479290095 / gettyimages.com Go back five or six years and you’d be hard pressed to find a news

Redfin Report: What Has Many Homes Selling Faster

Despite depleted inventories, a new Redfin reports finds home tours, offers and overall demand are still holding strong. #172155167 / gettyimages.com Home tours and offers have historically responded to the ebbs and flow of available inventory – an almost

The 3 Reasons that Housing May Not Be as Affordable as it Looks

We’re often told about how affordable housing is, but there is a world inside of the world of housing affordability. #475106427 / gettyimages.com Housing, we often read, is currently in a promised land of affordability. Though not quite the ideal

The Real Reason Construction Activity is Up

Construction numbers have been up in 2014, but there’s a very specific reason behind the increased activity. #138626281 / gettyimages.com Overall construction spending in the U.S. economy rose 0.2 percent from March to April and 8.6 percent from April

The Inconvenient Truth About Housing – in Two Charts

The most recent existing-home sales report indicated that housing may have turned a corner, but structural issues persist. #142483561 / gettyimages.com Covering the housing market nowadays is a strange experience. On one hand, you have the clear monthly reports

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