2021 Mortgage Loan Limit Increases

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has announced the 2021 conforming and high balance loan limit increases. Starting Nov. 24, 2020, you can lock Conventional loans in H2O with the new loan limits. 2021 Conforming and High Balance Loan Limits The base conforming loan limit will increase from $510,400 to $548,250. Conforming Loan Limits Number …

How Much Do Septic Tanks Cost? The Stomach-Churning Price Revealed

How Much Do Septic Tanks Cost? The Stomach-Churning Price Revealed By Gordon K. Hur   brittak/iStock How much do septic tanks cost? Septic tank installation costs can head up into the tens of thousands of dollars, but if you’re thinking of buying or building a home in a rural area or some other place that’s not …

Should You Prepay Your Mortgage? The Pros and Cons

Should You Prepay Your Mortgage? The Pros and Cons By Daniel Bortz | Aug 13, 2019   aydinmutlu/iStock Should you prepay your mortgage? For some homeowners it’s a financially savvy move—but for others, beefing up their loan payments just doesn’t make sense. To help you figure out whether prepayment is right for you, here are the pros and cons …

The One Thing That Can Make or Break How People Feel About Your House

By Kelsey Ogletree | Jul 31, 2019 GMVozd/iStock Considering the time and energy homeowners put toward making their house look great (particularly if they’re trying to sell), many make the critical mistake of neglecting another one of our senses that can be far more powerful: smell. Even if you’ve decorated or staged your home perfectly, if potential buyers walk …

Trump Administration to Take on Local Housing Barriers

By Laura Kusisto | Jun 25, 2019     Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Trump administration will explore using federal programs to push local governments to soften or eliminate rules that block housing construction, an issue that has stymied officials at all levels of government for years. President Trump is expected to sign an order Tuesday …

The Weird but Totally Natural Way You Can Kill Germs in Your Home

By Stephanie Booth | Jul 25, 2019 PeopleImages/iStock; realtor.com Think about this for a second: The average house collects a staggering 40 pounds of dust each year. And let’s take a moment to remember what makes up dust: Pet dander. Dead skin cells. Dust mites. Insect droppings.   The surprising answer: Open your blinds. How sunshine fights germs In a study …

Sunbaked? 9 Shade Ideas for Your Porch, Backyard, and Beyond

Sunbaked? 9 Shade Ideas for Your Porch, Backyard, and Beyond By Jennifer Kelly Geddes | Jul 26, 2019     KittisakJirasittichai/iStock With the dog days of summer upon us, seeking relief from the blazing sun is a must—but if you lack natural shade from large trees, what then? Don’t sweat it! Here are nine smart shade options for …

Investors Are Buying More of the U.S. Housing Market Than Ever Before

By Laura Kusisto | Jun 21, 2019 The share of investor purchases of U.S. homes have climbed to an all-time high, a sign that rising home prices have done little to dampen demand for flipping homes or turning them into single-family rentals. Big private-equity firms, real-estate speculators and others that buy properties comprised more than …

Home buyer, Home Seller, and For Sale By Owner Statistics

Home Buyer Statistics First-Time vs. Repeat Buyers: First-time buyers: 33% Median age of first-time buyers: 32 Median age of repeat buyers: 55 Median household income of first-time buyers: $75,000 Median household income of repeat buyers: $100,000 The typical home purchased was 1,900 square feet in size, was built in 1991, and had three bedrooms and …

What ‘Move-In Ready’ Really Means

A “move-in ready” home may mean different things to different buyers—everything from having freshly painted walls to having window blinds included. Bungalo, a real estate platform for buying newly renovated homes online, surveyed more than 550 home shoppers between the ages of 25 to 54 on what elements are required for a home to be …