Mortgage Rates Unchanged This Week, Hold at 2.73%
Rates for 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages hovered near record lows again this week. Freddie Mac’s chief economist encouraged lower-income homeowners to refinance.
Does Airbnb Impact Local Housing Prices and Rents?
A study comparing listings to Airbnb properties found short-term rentals can boost property values in high-rent areas – slightly less if there’s high owner-occupancy.
4Q 2020 White Homeownership Rate Hits Nine-Year High
However, the ownership rate for Blacks fell. The overall rate rose to 65.8% in the fourth quarter, but it’s 74.5% for white Americans and 44.1% for Black Americans.
How Do We Sort a Sale of Our Deceased Mother’s Home?
RE Q&A: Two out of six children want to buy the property, and one sibling has since died. Who gets money? Does a share go into the deceased brother’s estate?
Why Aren’t Homeowners Selling? Lots of Good Reasons
In 2010, owners stayed for 8.7 years; in 2020, it was 13 years. Pandemic worries, fear of a competitive market and ultra-low loan rates convinced many to hunker down.
Fla. Ranks No. 2 for Short-Term Rentals Listed on Airbnb
Vacationers see private home rentals as a safer pandemic option, and demand has gone up. Fla. ranks second after Calif. with 154K listings and an occupancy rate of 55%.
RE Q&A: Statute of Limitations Can Prevent Enforcement
Also: A condo board member purchases units at foreclosure sales – but that’s not allowed, right? And are front-gate employees allowed to photocopy license plates?
Revamping Social Media? 5 Absolute Necessities for 2021
Get ready for your close-up. Thanks to social distancing and Zoom meetings, buyers and sellers online expect to see faces telling stories.
2 in 3 Buyers Surprised by How Much House They Can Afford
Study: 47% of first-time buyers found that their budget allowed them to afford a larger house than they thought they could afford – but 21% had to lower expectations.
Come on Down! Fla. Attracts Retirees and Many More
Florida Realtors economist: Marketing to out-of-staters and wondering which demographic group to target? The most-cited reason for moving to Florida is retirement (39%), but many others come for the jobs (23%), the lifestyle (21%) and family (17%).