Fla. Town Considers End to Single-Family Zoning
Is single-family zoning good or bad? It’s a hot issue, but affordable-housing advocates say it’s one of the problems, and Gainesville might nix it altogether.
Mortgage Rates Switch Direction, Rise to 5.22%
Last week, mortgage rates dropped below 5%; this week, they changed direction. One year ago, the average 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage averaged 2.87%.
Fair Housing: Problem Ran Deeper than Redlining
Discrimination tends to find loopholes. In the 1960s, Blacks bought homes using a land contract – but sellers held the deed and could evict for one missed payment.
Self-Employed? You’ve Got to Plan for Retirement
Small biz owners can live on hope – hope that future deals and success will automatically create a retirement nest egg. But they need a better plan now.
Build a Base Through YouTube Videos
Many consumers randomly watch YouTube videos, and engaging Realtors who can entertain and even be funny can build their online audience.
80% of Metros See Double-Digit Price Gains in 2Q
NAR: Median home prices in the second quarter were up 14.2%, but Fla. saw bigger gains: Of the top 10 U.S. metros for home-price increases, Fla. had 7 ranking cities.
Average Cost for a One-Bed Apartment? $1,769
Rent.com: $1,769 is a 39% year-to-year increase. The nationwide average monthly cost for a two-bedroom rental in August is $2,105, a 38% increase year-to-year.
Fla. Woman Sues Equifax Over Loan Costs
From mid-March to early April, credit-scorer Equifax gave faulty info to lenders, and some borrowers may now be paying higher monthly payments than they deserve.
Inflation Slows in July – But It’s Still High
Year-to-year, U.S. prices rose 8.5% in July compared to 9.1% in June. Most of that savings – though not all – resulted from falling gas prices.
HUD Wants to Help Renters Build Assets
Through the “Bridging the Gap” program, HUD hopes to give historically left-out people help to improve their credit, save resources for homeownership and build wealth.