Realtor News

People quit jobs if they grow discontented, and rising rental costs may be causing some discontent: 51.2% of workers say they plan to look for a new job this year.

Homeowners with a mortgage gained an average $51,500 in home equity in the second quarter – a 29.3% year-to-year increase. It’s the biggest jump since 2Q 2010.

A listing description’s first sentence should answer readers’ top question: “Why should I keep reading?” Most of the time it will note the home’s most desired feature.

When calculating affordability, low mortgage rates have offset rising home prices so far, but 75% of U.S. counties are now less affordable than their historical average.

A possible government shutdown – and potential speedbump for closings – was postponed until at least Dec. 3 after Congress voted to approve a short-term extension.

17% of buyers who couldn’t qualify for a mortgage should have better luck now that Fannie Mae includes rent history in its lending decisions. Lenders consider a history of on-time rent payments a strong predictor for whether borrowers will make regular mortgage payments.

“Sharing data helps all of us,” said a speaker at NAR’s recent C5 Summit. But many commercial brokers avoid technology and keep info “close to the vest.”

MIT Study: Older Americans living in areas with shorter life expectancy (bottom 10%) live 1.1 years longer if they move to a peak area (top 10%) for life expectancy.

After weeks of little movement in the 2.88% range, the average 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage rose to 3.01% this week. Economist cites “many factors” pushing the increase.

Texas single-family landlords refused an applicant who wanted to create a group home for people with mental disabilities. HUD says that’s a fair housing violation.

Nationwide credit scores fall about 20 points in the months following a home purchase, but they bounce back fully in less than one year. In four Fla. cities included in a LendingTree study, the full credit-score rebound ranged from 332 days in Miami to 387 in Jacksonville.

Help generally comes in the form of support and listening, but the right balance can be challenging. Also: What should you do if a co-worker is being sexual harassed?

Starting Fri., the U.S. Postal Service will “implement new service standards for First Class Mail and Periodicals,” spokeswoman Kim Frum said in an email to USA TODAY.

Starting Fri., the U.S. Postal Service will “implement new service standards for First Class Mail and Periodicals,” spokeswoman Kim Frum said in an email to USA TODAY.

NAR Economist Yun credited “rising inventory and moderating price conditions” for bringing more buyers back to the market. A separate realtor.com survey found three Fla. metro areas to be “hottest markets,” including the areas around Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville.

When creating a list of must-haves and would-likes, three out of four homebuyers include some consideration of disaster risk, according to a realtor.com study.

NAR Economist Yun credited “rising inventory and moderating price conditions” for bringing more buyers back to the market. A separate realtor.com survey found three Fla. metro areas to be “hottest markets,” including the areas around Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville.

When creating a list of must-haves and would-likes, three out of four homebuyers include some consideration of disaster risk, according to a realtor.com study.

Facebook posts should be relaxed and accessible, but a handful of tools can make consistent posts easier to schedule and more appealing to readers.

Facebook posts should be relaxed and accessible, but a handful of tools can make consistent posts easier to schedule and more appealing to readers.