29
Jul
By Jim Hasek
Home Seller Tips, ,

Sellers, Beware: Five Reasons You Might Not Get Top Dollar when You Sell Your Home (And How to Avoid Them)

For most people, their home is their largest asset, so they want to maximize that asset by getting top dollar when they sell. Here are a few reasons you might not get top dollar when you sell - and how to avoid them! Selling At The Wrong Time From early spring to late summer is home-buying season for most people, especially those with children. Putting your house on the market during this period is when you are likely to get top dollar for it. Early fall is also a good time to list your home. Winter - especially December -…
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28
Jul
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – July 28, 2014

Last week's economic news brought several housing-related reports, which indicated varying results in terms of gauging the economic recovery. FHFA reported slower growth of home prices associated with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages, but sales of existing homes as reported by the National Association of REALTORS® surpassed expectations and May's reading. Sales of new homes slumped to their lowest level in three months. Weekly jobless claims were lower than expected and also lower than for the prior week. FHFA Home Prices Grow at Slower Rate, Existing Home Sales Higher than Expected  The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) reported that…
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25
Jul
By Jim Hasek
Real Estate Tips, ,

The 7 Most Unaffordable Cities for Real Estate in the USA (And 3 Affordable Gems!)

As prices continue to rise across the board with everything from food to gas, it's no wonder that real estate prices are high in many cities across the USA. While this is the case for a large number of cities, there are also certain areas in which prices are decidedly low. Here's a small look at the most affordable and unaffordable cities within America. The Seven Most Unaffordable Cities Oakland, CA - Though Los Angeles and San Francisco are 2 California cities that may first come to mind, Oakland is also highly expensive when it comes to real estate, with…
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24
Jul
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Can One Missed Mortgage Payment Affect Your Credit Rating? Yes! Here’s What to Do if You Miss One

Most people don't know whether or not a single missed mortgage payment can have serious consequences for their credit score. The good news is that there are things that can be done to mitigate the damage and help anyone who has missed a payment repair their credit. What are some options to help homeowners get back in the good graces of their creditors? Own Up To The Mistake The best thing to do is to admit that the payment was missed and immediately make amends for it. For the most part, mortgage lenders are sympathetic to the fact that people…
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23
Jul
By Jim Hasek
Real Estate, ,

National Association of REALTORS Existing Home Sales Exceed Projections

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, existing home sales surpassed both May sales and expectations for June. Sales of previously owned homes increased by 2.60 percent in June and reached a seasonally adjusted annual level of 5.04 million sales. June's reading was the third consecutive monthly increase in sales of existing homes and was the highest reading for existing home sales in eight months. Existing home sales remain 2.30 percent below the June 2013 reading of 5.16 million sales of existing homes. Analysts projected sales of 5 million existing homes for June against May's initial reading of 4.89 million…
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22
Jul
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Is Now the Time to Consider a 15-Year Mortgage? Five Reasons to Give the 15Y Another Look

A 15-year fixed mortgage is, as its name suggests, a mortgage that's paid off after 15 years. Since it amortizes fully, after that amount of time you won't have to pay anything else. This type of mortgage has a lot of benefits, and below we'll share just a few of them. 1) No Need For Payments After Retirement Here it highly depends on when in life you choose to take on the mortgage. However, most people decide to take on a mortgage at around 30 years of age. If this is the case for you, then it means you'll be…
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