More sellers are listing their homes, but 7% mortgage rates and still-high home prices are pushing down sales New listings of U.S. homes for sale rose 13% year over year during the four weeks ending February 25, the biggest increase in nearly three years, according to a new report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. Total inventory is also improving: Active listings are flat from a year ago, marking the first time in nine months the total number of homes for sale hasn’t declined.
That’s welcome news for homebuyers, who have been battling the dual challenges of low inventory and high mortgage rates for over a year. But while today’s buyers have a few more homes to choose from, they’re still facing historically high housing costs. The typical homebuyer’s mortgage payment is $2,671, just $47 shy of last October’s record high. High costs pushed pending sales…
Posted On Sunday, 03 March 2024 07:47 Written by
Meet Tim Holmes, creator of Nurkl Toys, who is on a mission to help kids stay creative! In his recent video, Tim showcases how sticks can be transformed into endless possibilities for kids to enjoy. Check out the video!    
Posted On Friday, 01 March 2024 13:09 Written by
Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.94 percent. "Mortgage rates continued their ascent this week, reaching a two-month high and flirting with seven percent yet again,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist. “The recent boomerang in rates has dampened already tentative homebuyer momentum as we approach the spring, a historically busy season for homebuying. While sales of newly built homes are trending in a positive direction, higher rates and elevated prices continue to pose affordability challenges that may leave potential homebuyers on the sidelines.” News Facts The 30-year FRM averaged 6.94 percent as of February 29, 2024, up from last week when it averaged 6.90 percent. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.65 percent. The 15-year FRM averaged 6.26 percent, down from last week when it averaged 6.29 percent.…
Posted On Friday, 01 March 2024 09:47 Written by
Being Anticipatory as a leader or an organization is not necessarily a sole act of seeing the future, although paying attention to Hard Trend future certainties and seeing disruptions of any kind before they occur may make it seem so. An Anticipatory mindset that embodies an entire organization or specific leader within an organization means they have also embraced the reality that change is always occurring. Anticipation gives the right individual the opportunity to get in front of that change and turn it into a transformation within their industry and the world! The beauty of my Anticipatory Organization® Model is that any and every organization in any and every industry can leverage it to their advantage. To do so, it helps to first read about how certain organizations changed their mindset before creating positive disruptions and transformations in and outside of their operation. Their level of pushing the envelope all relates in some way or…
Posted On Friday, 01 March 2024 00:00 Written by
Lending Tree's latest survey found that nearly two-thirds of homebuyers or sellers who asked their real estate agent for a lower commission fee were successful. Here's what else they found. While just 31% of homebuyers or sellers have attempted to negotiate real estate agent commission fees when buying or selling, 64% of those who asked successfully reduced theirs. Additionally, 36% say they weren’t aware negotiating was an option but would have tried if they were. Overall, 84% of Americans believe real estate agents should be flexible with their commission. Among homebuyers or sellers, 48% admit they don’t know what percent commission their agent received in their last transaction. 44% of those who do know say their agent received between 3.00% to 4.99% in their last transaction, while 30% say it was 5.00% or higher.  64% of Americans believe a real estate agent is at least somewhat necessary when buying or selling. However, 44%…
Posted On Thursday, 29 February 2024 08:32 Written by
Human beings are meant to be creative. Year after year, entrepreneurs and employees alike are constantly driven to transform the world around them into something new, useful, and impactful in both their careers and personal lives. One problem we witness too often in society is the treatment of creativity and business innovation as mutually exclusive occurrences. Trust me when I say they are directly connected far more than the average person realizes. Most notably, older organizations are the ones that place creativity in one column and positive disruptions via innovation in another. The fact that many Americans work for organizations that have been around for many decades makes this divide between creativity and innovation all the more concerning. For example, Citibank started as the City Bank of New York in 1812, making them over 200 years old!
The Test of Time Older organizations, especially those as old as…
Posted On Thursday, 29 February 2024 00:00 Written by
If you're stuck in traffic, getting stressed out about it will not change your circumstances. Life's a journey, not a destination, so do what you can to enjoy the ride. How often is your day ruined before it begins by a horrible commute? Does it make you feel out of control to be stuck, with nowhere to go... stewing? I bet that doesn't make for the most productive workday, and definitely not the most enjoyable. How could it? You're starting in a happiness hole. But there are some easy techniques you can practice every day to make your commute a lot less tense, or at least keep it from spoiling the other 23 hours in your day. 1. The Power of Preparation.  Mentally prep yourself for your upcoming ride. Before you get in the car to drive to work or school, stop for 10 seconds and prepare yourself for traffic. Say,…
Posted On Wednesday, 28 February 2024 00:00 Written by
Florida’s condo market is faltering as the increasing intensity of natural disasters pushes up home insurance costs, and HOA fees soar in the wake of the 2021 Surfside condo collapse Prices of condos in major Florida metros are dropping year over year, and sales are declining, according to a new report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. New condo listings are soaring as sellers try to offload their properties. That differs from the U.S. as a whole, where condo prices are rising, sales are holding steady and new listings are increasing at a much slower rate. In the Jacksonville metro, for instance, the median condo price declined roughly 7% year over year in January, sales declined 27%, and new listings increased 32%. The story is similar in Miami, where condo prices fell 3%, sales dropped 9% and new listings rose 27%. Florida’s market for single-family homes is faring…
Posted On Tuesday, 27 February 2024 05:38 Written by
More than forty years being associated inside the mortgage and real estate communities has taught me a great deal. Working with some of the best professionals in these areas across the country can also remind me that the more things change, the more they stay the same. I have preached here before the value of situational awareness and that the true value of any professional is providing options for their clients and sharing multiple ways of getting things done. A recent conversation with one of my clients brought back the exact same scenario I had with a client more than 30 years ago and helped me understand very deeply about how much value we can bring to the table if we just look at all the details and provide objective options! Quite simply, the story goes like this; a couple want to sell a house and buy another one that…
Posted On Monday, 26 February 2024 00:00 Written by
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