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Trouble for Housing Market as Underwater Mortgages Rise: Crash Alert?

Marco Santarelli

Home Equity Softening, Not Disappearing The report highlights a slight decrease in the percentage of homes considered “equity-rich,” where the loan value is less than half the estimated market value. This signifies that homeowners, by and large, still hold a healthy level of equity in their properties.

Mortgages 102
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New Year, New Home? 9 Myths About Buying a New-Construction House That Actually Aren’t True

Realtor.com

Getty Images Many first-time homebuyers might shy away from the prospect of buying a brand-new home, assuming: It will cost too much. While purchasing new construction is indeed different from purchasing previously owned property, many misconceptions abound about new builds. New construction homes are more expensive.

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Our 19-point house-hunting checklist for real estate agents & their clients

Housing Wire

Before meeting with a mortgage lender, buyers should have a clear picture of their finances. Get pre-approved with a local lender. Yes, many buyers will hop online and get a generic pre-approval letter. Yet they’ll be unable to because they aren’t pre-approved for that amount. Communication is key.

Agents 381
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How Much Leverage Do Today’s House Sellers Have?

Keeping Current Matters

To buy now and take advantage of historically low mortgage rates while they last. The seller may decide to sell their home to the buyer at today’s price, which will enable the purchaser to take advantage of current mortgage rates. Perhaps you need time to get permits or approvals for certain upgrades you made to the house.

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Combining Apartments Isn’t Easy. But for Homeowners Short on Space, It’s Worth It.

Realtor.com

The couple lived in a third-floor apartment with their two children in a pre-war building they loved on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. We kept it in the pre-war style of the building, so we maintained its spirit, but everything is modern and new.”. We wanted the apartment to be our own and to reflect what we like,” she said. “We

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How to Get a 203k Loan in 6 Steps (And What Else to Consider As a Buyer)

HomeLight

Does the idea of buying a fixer-upper and quickly gaining thousands of dollars in equity by making minor cosmetic repairs appeal to you? Many mortgage lenders will not finance the purchase of a home that needs significant repairs. A 203(k) loan can be an excellent way to gain large amounts of equity soon after buying the home.

Loans 80
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23 ways to find off-market, hidden inventory

Real Trends

New build sales reps can be a goldmine , especially in medium-priced and luxury new construction communities. This means they know who has a home to sell before they can close on the new one! New build sales reps can also tell you which homes are about to fall out of contract. Aim for five relationships like this.