Realtor News

Loan limits will likely go up to $625K in 2022, but FHFA hasn’t announced it yet. Still, higher home values have convinced some lenders to boost loan limits now.

The U.S. birth rate is the lowest it’s been in more than 100 years, and pregnant homeowner couples are a top reason buyers decide to upgrade to a large house.

Fewer buyers qualify for conventional mortgages due to higher prices and lower downpayments. As a result, the number of jumbo loans is at pre-Great-Recession levels.

More roommates are committing to long-term relationships and co-buying a home. ATTOM says the number of co-buyers with different last names surged 771% in six years.

A Va. homebuyer bought a home sight unseen and wanted to “return the house.” He killed his real estate agent who went over to talk about it and, later, himself.

How can the state mitigate condo disasters following the tragedy in Surfside? A Fla. Bar task force pulled together experts and submitted its recommendations on Tues. In Sept., Realtors outlined the problems condo buyers face getting important docs, suggesting better records and tighter oversight.

The Biden Admin. wants a $500K limit for like-kind exchanges, which allow investors to defer taxes. If enacted, the change could have a big impact on commercial RE sales.

It’s not enough to pack survival tools and photos when evacuating before a disaster. Pack cash too – or at least have credit that can help you cover the first few days.

After the 12-story Surfside condo complex collapsed, experts wondered if condo demand would decline – but 3Q Miami-Dade condo sales were the highest in years, with luxury units selling at a record pace. Any stigma seems isolated to older inventory and buildings close to the Surfside tragedy.

Buyers are allowed to tour vacant homes without an agent. Redfin’s app unlocks the door, and an agreement with ADT provides monitoring and security.

Survey: Remodeling skyrocketed during lockdowns with many homeowners focused on their bathrooms. The desire to “soak in a bathtub” rose 6 percentage points.

Business is good, according to NFIB’s monthly study – but it would be better for small companies if they could get more workers and not worry about inflation.

Before the Great Recession, mom-and-pop investors owned most single-family home rentals. But today, large institutional investors have turned it into a big business.

In Aug., 13% of appraisals came in below a home’s contract price. It was higher in May (19.7%), but is still up compared to sales early last year (7.3% in Jan. 2020).

Florida Realtors economist: NAR’s latest Florida Realtors Member Profile looks beyond 2020 home sales and prices, providing a closer look at the Realtors who made it happen. It provides details such as the state’s Realtor demographics, businesses and community commitment.

HUD says it will consider climate risk when underwriting loans (VA, Agriculture, etc.), promoting new energy-efficient housing and updating guidelines for grants.

A woman’s credit score dropped 100 points after she opened a Home Depot charge to purchase a $9 can of paint. She made a TikTok video to warn other buyers.

It’s likely more Canadians will snowbird in Fla. this year, but they must be fully vaccinated to return home – or even to vacation in a different Canadian province.

Systemic racism is hard to define, but a study found that many educated Black and Hispanic buyers have trouble buying a home because they owe larger student loans.

A proposed rule will ban evictions without giving tenants 30-days’ notice and providing info on federal emergency assistance available to them.