Residential Real Estate
Ditch the Doom and Gloom About Real Estate Commissions
Columnist Bernice Ross argues associations, brokers, agents and MLS leaders shouldn’t assume that defendants in the commission lawsuits can win on appeal – and that agent commissions will go down in the lawsuits’ wake.
States Seek to Battle Foreign ‘Invasion’
Florida recently enacted a bill that limits some foreigners from owning property in the state – a move that shocked some. It’s one of six states that passed laws this year barring foreigners from buying homes.
White House Acts to Boost Housing
The Biden administration is taking steps to help create more affordable houses and apartments, like helping finance ADUs, which could help fill the inventory gap that plagues the housing sector.
Are Buyers Agents an Endangered Real Estate Species?
New Hampshire real estate industry leaders are nervously hoping that a recent federal court ruling won’t lead to a major overhaul of how buyer agents are compensated in coming years.
Younger Buyers Look to ‘Hack’ Their Houses
Affordability concerns are everywhere in the nation’s many real estate markets, so is it any surprise that the youngest buyer cohorts are increasingly looking to rent out parts of their homes to make ends meet?
Homebuilders Ride a Bifurcated Housing Market
The existing home market has been stymied – by mortgage rates in the 8 percent range and ultra-low inventory – and it’s created an opening for builders to take credit for double their normal share of sales.
Typical U.S. Homebuyer Now Makes $107K
In another sign of just how expensive American homes and monthly mortgage payments have become, the National Association of Realtors says the typical homebuyer’s income jumped nearly $20,000 in one year.
Share of Homes Bought with Cash Hits Highest Level in Nearly a Decade
Homebuyers who can afford to bypass the highest mortgage rates in two decades are increasingly forgoing financing and paying all cash.
Most Can Raise Their Credit Scores
The common wisdom is that would-be homebuyers with lower credit scores benefit the most from improving them. But that’s not the case, says a new survey.
Don’t Put Your Earnest Money at Risk
Attaching a check to the offer on a house you hope to purchase is the right way to signal your intentions to the seller. But that means you need to keep your side of the bargain, too.