Daily Real Estate News  |  May 5, 2011  |   Gallup Poll: Americans Say Buy Now With dropping home values in many markets mixed with interest rates at historical lows, homes are more affordable now than they’ve been in the last 35 years, reports Zillow.com. The average buyer nowadays can expect to spend about 17 percent of her monthly gross income on a mortgage, which compares to a 25 percent … [Read more...]

Daily Real Estate News  |  May 3, 2011  | Buyers Bypass 'Fixer-Upper,' Want Move-in Ready More buyers are shunning “as-is” properties in favor of homes that are in move-in condition, according to real estate professionals and recent surveys. For example, a Coldwell Banker survey recently found that 87 percent of first-time buyers say they desire a “move-in” ready home. “This is absolutely … [Read more...]

WSJ By S. MITRA KALITA and DAWN WOTAPKA| April 21, 2011 As Surge in Distressed Deals Discourages Owners From Trading Up, Tough Loan Rules Keep First-Time Buyers on Sideline Sales of previously owned homes rose slightly in March, but prices continued to fall, underscoring the fragility of the housing market's recovery. Existing home sales increased 3.7% in March from February, according to … [Read more...]

Daily Real Estate News  |  April 20, 2011  | Mortgage Applications Bounce Back, Up 5.3% The number of mortgage applications are back on the rise again after a monthlong decline in filings, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Mortgage applications increased 5.3 percent the past week, with most of the increase attributed to a surge in applications for government loans. Government … [Read more...]

Daily Real Estate News  |  April 20, 2011  | No More Utility Bills? More Builders Spotlight 'Green' Major builders say they are ramping up efforts to build homes that cost less to maintain and that you can buy at affordable prices. "Just about all the larger builders are focusing on energy efficiency," says Kevin Morrow of the National Association of Home Builders. But while net-zero … [Read more...]