Category: Real Estate
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Now, After the Building Spree, Top Texas Cities Are Full-Blown Buyers’ Markets
Some market watchers say Texas has the best prices in the country for home buyers at the moment. The Redfin real estate group is one of them. Redfin says there are many more homes for sale in Austin than potential buyers. Home prices are now back to where they were five years ago in the…
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Breaking Down the Debate on 50-Year Mortgages
So, the federal government is going to bring 50-year mortgages back? Yes, the idea has been tried before. Some lenders marketed 50-year mortgages back in the lead-up to the 2008 mortgage crisis — although those loans weren’t government-backed. We can’t tell how the federal government would try to make them work this time, but there’s…
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Financial Planning for Deed Holders: Keep the Mortgage?
Some deed holders, hoping to pay their loans down early, send extra money toward their mortgage principal each month. Why are they eager to pay down a mortgage balance faster than the loan agreement requires? Is that the best approach from a financial planning standpoint? Here, we go through some factors that prompt some deed…
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Zillow Says: Now, Your Rental Payments Count for Credit Scoring
Rental payments have traditionally been ignored by credit scores. This makes it that much harder for a renter to qualify to borrow money to buy a home. So, millions of people have excellent housing payment histories, but are shut out of opportunities that a strong credit profile can offer. Like, you know, getting a mortgage…
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From the Head of the Central Arizona Association of Realtors®: Hot Take on AI in Real Estate
Writing to agents about the impact of AI, Dennis Riccio, president of the Central Arizona Association of REALTORS®, offered a helpful take on the use and future of the technology in various stages of our deed transactions. Let’s look at the main points that came up involving the residential side of real estate.
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“The Debasement Trade”: Home Values Climb, But Is the Dollar Value Real?
On Wall Street, they call it the debasement trade. Here’s what the concept means. As the U.S. dollar loses value, some investors are moving their cash into things like gold and real estate. They’re trading…in favor of hard assets. Homes are “hard assets”, but are they actually holding their value? We all know the story…
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Zillow’s 2026 Home Trends: Climate Comes Into Striking Focus
What will an attractive home look like in 2026? Just in time, the Zillow® Home Trends Report weighs in. Zillow’s press release starts off with what you might expect to see in an announcement about home design trends. In 2026, bold, dramatic hues will prevail. Whimsical spaces like reading nooks will be all the…
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Winter Is Coming…Are You Covered? Home Insurance Checklist
Winter weather can damage your roof, plumbing, or other aspects of any home you own. Are you prepared?
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One in Three Home Buyers Now Pay Cash. Here’s What This Means for Everybody Else.
A third of home buyers this year haven’t needed a mortgage. The proportion of people paying cash is “well above pre-pandemic levels,” according to the National Association of Realtors®. It’s hard to compete with buyers who don’t need to wait for a lender’s approval. These wealthier buyers are shaping markets by snapping up the lion’s…
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Game Plan: Negotiating the Best Price for the FSBO Home
The home you want is marketed as for sale by owner. But the price is not right. What’s the best way to buy the home for a better price? Many deed holders have an exaggerated idea of what their property is worth. And those who opt to sell their homes themselves can be especially likely…
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Real Estate Update: Housing Agencies, States Suffer “Staggering” Blows in Shutdown
The U.S. federal government has been shut down for three weeks now. The impact on everyday life for many has been serious. What might not be obvious is the impact on federal housing agencies and state-based real estate industries. Sellers and buyers are feeling the effects as well. In some states, the impacts are outsized…
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Can a Criminal Record Stop Someone From Acquiring a Deed?
We begin with the short answer. No. There is no background check when you file a deed with the county recorder’s office. Nor does any government, be it local, state, or federal, put real estate off-limits to people simply on account of prior criminal charges or convictions. Because questions do come up about dealing with…
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Can I Find My Property Line With My Deed?
Need to check your property lines? Will the deed tell you what you need to know? Your deed shows you the legal description of your property. But when accuracy matters, you’ll need a surveyor to stake the land and confirm the location of your property boundaries. Let’s take a look at what the deed tells…
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“From the Have-Nots to the Haves”: Skewed Taxation Is Moving Deeds from Homeowners to Investors
As our readers know, property tax is an under-the-radar cost of acquiring a deed. Property taxes are up 27% from pre-pandemic days, according to CoreLogic figures. The communities struggling the most appear to be paying the most, a recent ABC television investigation found. An ABC News report shows how “homeowners in minority communities often face…
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Making Deeds Affordable: State Lawmakers Bring a Breath of Fresh Air
People need homes. Solutions are possible. Where are the politicians and what are they doing — or not doing? We’ve already highlighted the federal ROAD to Housing Act of 2025. We’re watching Congress to see how that proceeds in a turbulent year. With a government shutdown casting its chaotic shadow of confusion and delays, many…
