woodbridgevirginiabuyeragent: Lower Home Loan Rates Are Pushing Home Sales Higher
- 08/22/19 02:09 PM
Existing-home sales showed improvement in July, a welcome sign for what has been a mostly sluggish summer real estate market. Reversing course last month, sales climbed 2.5% over June, the National Association of REALTORS® reported Wednesday. The Northeast was the only major region of the U.S. to see sales decline in July. The bulk of sales growth was attributed to the West. “Falling mortgage rates are improving housing affordability and nudging buyers into the market,” says Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. But a shortage of supply in the lower price brackets continues to limit sales growth, he adds. “The shortage of lower-priced … (0 comments)
New-home construction for single-family homes saw an improvement in July, despite builders’ concerns about affordability headwinds. Single-family housing starts rose 1.3% to 876,000 units last month, the Commerce Department reported. The largest regional increases in single-family homebuilding last month occurred in the South. But a decline last month in multifamily production for condos and apartments led to an overall decrease in total housing starts by 4% in July. That marked the third consecutive month for overall decreases on the Commerce Department’s index. Still, “builders remain confident about the market, and this is reflected in recent modest gains in single-family starts,” says Greg … (0 comments)
woodbridgevirginiabuyeragent: Is There A Bat In Your Bedroom Or A Snake In Your Pool?
- 08/20/19 11:37 AM
August 19, 2019 Ray Hartley, owner of Intrepid Wildlife Services in Westchester County, N.Y., uses the company tagline “Your castle shouldn’t be a zoo.” Hartley recently recounted to The Wall Street Journal the many calls he receives from homeowners about animal invaders, from squirrels and skunks in pools to bats in the bedroom. “We can deal with pesky seagulls on the beach,” Hartley told the Journal. “But when it comes to raccoons in our chimney, chipmunks in our yard, and bats in our bedroom, we human beings are helpless—especially in this era of 'Uber-Insta-On-Demand' everything. Why would we handle a snake in our garage … (0 comments)
woodbridgevirginiabuyeragent: Solar Power Can Add Value To Your Home
- 08/20/19 11:16 AM
By Rhone Resch, president & CEO, Solar Energy Industries Association Warm weather tends to draw people out hunting for a new home or to inspire others to make home improvements. It turns out home owners with solar energy systems may have the upper hand. In 2006, my family installed a 6-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) system on our roof that converts sunlight into electricity. That means that I’m not only using clean energy, but also saving money on my monthly electric bill, and even making extra income whenever my system produces more energy than my family needs. It’s the only home improvement I know of that … (0 comments)
woodbridgevirginiabuyeragent: Real Estate Still Favored As Best Investment
- 08/14/19 11:51 AM
Real estate has surpassed stocks as Americans’ favorite long-term investment, according to a nationwide Bankrate survey of about 1,000 respondents. Thirty-one percent of survey respondents named real estate as their favorite investment for building wealth that they don’t need access to for a decade or more. That is the best that real estate has performed on Bankrate’s annual survey in the last seven years. In 2018, stocks were the most popular investment. Millennials, at 36%, were the most likely age group to call real estate their top long-term investment choice, according to the survey. Other generations also favored real estate, including generation … (0 comments)
woodbridgevirginiabuyeragent: House Rich, Cash Poor, The House Got $90K In Upgrades From Equity
- 07/31/19 10:23 AM
Bob and Kathy enjoyed raising their kids in their lovely single family home in Lake Ridge home that they bought in 1992, with $37,000 down payment, and a 9.5% loan. Over the years they refinanced their mortgage to 5%, then to 3.25% on fifteen year loans as rates fell.
The kids were grown and gone, with homes and families of their own. Bob and Kathy didn't need a big 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath home with a finished basement. Bob has a 100% VA disability rating from the VA for his knees. Bob's knees took a beating during his years of service with … (0 comments)
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