RISMedia » Today?s Top Story ? Consumer
-
House Prices Increase Slightly in Third Quarter 2009; First Quarterly Increase since Second Quarter 2007
RISMEDIA, November 25, 2009?U.S. house prices rose modestly in the third quarter of 2009 according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency?s (FHFA) seasonally adjusted purchase-only house price index (HPI). The HPI, calculated using home sales price information from Fannie Mae…
5 Tips to Buying a Home on Deadline and How the Tax Credit Extension Can Help
RISMEDIA, November 24, 2009?(MCT)?House shopping usually slows down in the winter, as people put their home searches on hold to trim the tree, buy presents to put under it and avoid the chilly weather. This winter, however, might be different,…
Housing Affordability Hovers Near Record-High Level for Third Consecutive Quarter
RISMEDIA, November 23, 2009?Nationwide housing affordability, bolstered by affordable interest rates and low house prices, hovered for the third consecutive quarter near its highest level since the series was first compiled 18 years ago, according to the National Association of…
More Than 1 in 4 Homes for Sale in Price Reduction Report Have Seen Reduction
RISMEDIA, November 21, 2009?Trulia, Inc. has announced that 25.6% of homes currently on the market in the United States as of November 1, 2009 have experienced at least one price cut during the past 12 months. More than 40% of…
Innovative Home Staging Is Key to Home Sales in Down Market
RISMEDIA, November 20, 2009?With a $569,000 Tampa home sitting on the market for a year and a half and no signs of a sale, Tracy Truitt was a disheartened Realtor looking for a new approach that would help her sell her…
Tax Credit Expands Home Buyer, Economic Opportunities; On Pace to Help 70% of Potential Home Buyers
RISMEDIA, November 19, 2009?The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is spreading the word to consumers about an important new law that extends and expands an attractive tax incentive for potential home buyers. The Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of…
Housing and Economy Headed for Sustainable Recovery; First-Time Homebuyers Lead the Way
RISMEDIA, November 18, 2009?Aided by the home buyer tax credit, the outlook for housing and the economy appears headed for a sustainable recovery, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the projections are enhanced by…
Homeowners Slashed Listing Prices by $24,718 on Average in October 2009
RISMEDIA, November 17, 2009?More than four out of every 10 homes listed for sale (43.5%), across 27 major U.S. housing markets reduced their listing prices in October 2009, according to a report of homes listed on Multiple Listing Services (MLS) in…
Existing-Home Sales Surge in Many States in Third Quarter, Metro Prices Moderating
RISMEDIA, November 16, 2009?Most states continued to experience rising existing-home sales in the third quarter 2009, with prices moderating in many metro areas, according to the latest survey by the National Association of Realtors®. Total state existing-home sales, including single-family…
9 Tips for Improving Your Credit Score
RISMEDIA, November 14, 2009?Christine Van Tuyl and Margaret La Grange, an award-winning mother-daughter team with Prudential California Realty in Coronado, have compiled their latest list, ?Top Tips for Improving Your Credit Score Now.? ?Although interest rates are at historic lows,…
Generation Y: Their Momentum Is Building
RISMEDIA, November 13, 2009?The next generation of real estate customers, at 74 million strong, is poised to enter their prime home-buying years. Generation Y, people born between 1980 and 1995, rivals the size and potentially the influence of their parents?…
Foreclosure Activity Slows for Third Straight Month
RISMEDIA, November 12, 2009?RealtyTrac one of the leading online marketplaces for foreclosure properties, released its October 2009 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which shows foreclosure filings?default notices, scheduled foreclosure auctions and bank repossessions?were reported on 332,292 U.S. properties during the month, a…
The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit ? A Consumer?s Point of View
RISMEDIA, November 11, 2009?Like many first-time homebuyers across the country, Jen Bond and Matt Huisking were motivated to get off the sidelines and into the real estate market when the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit was enacted in early 2009. Working with…
Home Sellers: Top 5 Home Improvement Projects Based on Cost and Return on Investment
RISMEDIA, November 10, 2009?HomeGain.com, one of the first websites to offer Web-based free instant home values, announced that it has released the results of its nationwide home improvement and home staging Home Sale Maximizer survey.
HomeGain’s recent survey shows the top…
Obama Signs Homebuyer Tax Credit Extension
RISMEDIA, November 9, 2009?President Barack Obama has approved the first-time homebuyer tax credit extension which will extend the tax credit until April 30, 2010.
The extension is part of a $24 billion economic stimulus bill that will extend the $8,000 tax…
Home Buying 101: College Towns are Undiscovered, Affordable and Stable Markets for Homebuyers
RISMEDIA, November 16, 2009?Every fall, college football fans feel nostalgic for the tradition, lifestyle and spirit of their college towns as they cheer on their favorite teams. This year?s Coldwell Banker® College Home Price Comparison Index (HPCI) reveals that these school-centric…
5 Spaces to Consider When Creating a Flexible Home
RISMEDIA, November 6, 2009?The definition of family has expanded far beyond the traditional image of a married couple and 2.2 children, and daily lives are busier than ever. Understanding a family?s unique needs and lifestyle is important in helping them…
Senate Clears Homebuyer Tax Credit Extension; May Pass as Early as This Week
RISMEDIA, November 5, 2009?After two weeks of delay, the Senate cleared the way to pass a seven month extension and expansion of the tax credit for homebuyers. By an 85 to 2 roll call vote, the Senate voted to cut…
What Impact Will Homebuyer Tax Credit Extension Have on Housing Industry?
RISMEDIA, November 4, 2009?(MCT)?Congress is a step closer to extending the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit and offering a new credit to other types of buyers, but some analysts are downplaying the controversial stimulus’ effect on the housing market.
In a…
Pending Home Sales Rise for Record Eight Straight Months
RISMEDIA, November 3, 2009?Pending home sales rose again, marking eight consecutive monthly gains?the longest streak since measurement began in 2001, according to the National Association of Realtors®.
The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in September 2009,…
