Category: Real Estate
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Looking for a 3D-Printed Home? Wells Fargo Has Mortgages with Lender Credits
Wells Fargo just said it’s ready to issue mortgages on homes built with 3D printing technology. The Austin-based startup ICON, now a leading U.S. robotic construction firm, is building the homes. At a prior ICON-built development in partnership with Lennar, the financing was handled by Lennar itself. Now, Wells Fargo will issue loans for ICON…
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Pro-Consumer Trend: New York to Ban Private Listings, Making More Homes Visible to Buyers
Most people visit real estate websites when they kick off their home-buying process. In New York, a proposed state law would ensure they can actually view everything that’s for sale. The New York state Senate just unanimously passed the Fair and Transparent Real Estate Listing Act. If signed by the governor, real estate agents…
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Struggling With Your Mortgage Payments in a Harsh Economy? Not All Promises of Help Are Legit.
There are deep problems in the U.S. housing economy—including for deed holders. And today, for many households coping with inflation, oil price surges may be the last straw. This financial pressure will likely create many more targets for the grotesque business of promising mortgage relief in order to snatch equity from homes. You might have…
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States Have Been on a Housing Affordability Roll. Can Cities Stop Standing in the Way?
Just a few months ago, we reported on state lawmakers stepping up for housing affordability and creating big, bold changes. If Congress is slow to act, at least the states can bring relief to the people. Optimism, and the winds of change, have gained strength. Texas even passed a law to stop small groups of…
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Read and Keep This Info: A Deed Holder’s Disaster Preparation and Recovery Guide
The scout’s motto works well for the homeowner. Be prepared. Know where you can receive the kinds of services and support that enable deed holders to rebound after a disaster. You might like to bookmark this page for future reference. You might also wish to go through its content with other members of your household.
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Real Estate Investment Apps Are Targeting Nervous First-Time Investors
TikTok and YouTube influencer “Jackie The Happy Investor” has launched an app by the same name. The online tool promises to help small investors analyze potential investment properties like a pro. Users can assess homes, examine comparable properties in detail, and break down repair costs and net values. Paid access to the platform also includes…
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Young Voters Want Congress to Act on Housing Costs Now
According to the National Association of REALTORS®, about half the people who rent or live with family believe both of these statements are true: (a) I’d like to buy a home, but don’t have affordable options in my area. (b) U.S. housing is so expensive that I’ll likely never be able to hold the deed to…
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Investors: Know When a Cheap Home Is a Money Trap
In the midwestern states, purchasing a home for under $100K is entirely possible. Some people do it as an investment. In a big-picture way, it can be a smart thing to do. A deed means land, and land has scarcity value. Meanwhile, a home can also produce an income stream. That said, for every prince…
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“The Lending Environment Shifted Under Their Feet”: War Sidelines Mortgage Seekers
Turmoil in Iran is causing lenders to get stricter with mortgage loan applicants. Now, FICO scores that would normally pass muster are winding up in some lending companies’ rejection piles. The conflict is now widely projected to batter global economies for many months to come. An increasing number of U.S. lenders look at this situation…
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An App for That? Tech Promises to Help Young People Afford a Deed
Housing affordability continues to present barriers to first-time buyers. People who already have deeds find this market so much easier to navigate. Only one in five buyers is a newbie. Far too many younger people feel like permanent renters. Not surprisingly, property tech companies and app developers are showing up with solutions. And the National…
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Waiting for Home Prices to Drop? Don’t Count on It.
Some hopeful deed holders have waited a long time for property values to fall. Home prices remain high. Interest rates, too. It’s a time of war and simmering inflation. Generally, mortgage rates go up when inflation goes up—and when our federal treasury prints money. Which it’s doing now. As inflation rises, so do borrowing rates.…
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Financing a Home Purchase With a Disability: Where to Look
There’s a lot of talk today about affordable homes. But we also need more accessible affordable homes. More than one in four U.S. residents live with a disability. And the U.S. population is getting older. If you’re an individual with a disability, there are agencies and alliances that have your back. And yes, you can buy a…
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HUD Moves to End Fair Housing Rule That Shelters Battered Spouses
The “disparate impact rule” has been used in cases involving domestic violence survivors and others in vulnerable housing situations. This rule is often used to help keep at-risk people in safe, healthful, stable housing. Now, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) plans to cancel the rule.
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Senate Passes ROAD to Housing Act—Builders, Housing Advocates Weigh In
In March, the U.S. Senate passed the housing bill called the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. The intent of the law is to make U.S. housing more accessible to more people. The price tag on a typical home sold in the U.S. is sidelining hopeful buyers caught in a troubled economy. The ROAD to…
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Multiple States Demand Paybacks From Company That Paid Deed Holders to Use Its Brokerage in the Future
States have come down hard on listing agreements that bind deed holders to one brokerage to sell their homes in the future. Now, under a settlement agreement, MV Realty must pay restitution for the harm done to Massachusetts deed holders for contracts that bound customers for 40-year periods. If MV Realty complies with the agreement, it will…
