How much home can you afford to buy? Not as much as last year, it turns out, as existing home sales fall due to affordability and lack of inventory. The National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales declined 3.7 percent in February to a seasonally adjusted rate of 5.48 million units. Economists polled [...]
4 things real estate investors should know at tax time. Insights from a principal federal tax analyst on potential tax breaks for real estate investors. Real estate investors often have a lot of questions once tax time rolls around — especially if they're new to the game. That's because while there are a number of [...]
Q: I am a 55 and own a house in Chicago. I decided to change my career and to pursue a PhD beginning in the fall of 2018. Meanwhile, I just accepted a 1-year position in Seattle, and am not sure after my year away whether I will return to Chicago, stay in Seattle, or potentially [...]
"Good afternoon. Today, the Federal Open Market Committee decided to raise the target range for the federal funds rate by 1/4 percentage point, bringing it to 3/4 to 1 percent. Our decision to make another gradual reduction in the amount of policy accommodation reflects the economy’s continued progress toward the employment and price stability objectives [...]
Q: How do I find the best real estate agent? And, how do I choose which real estate agent to use? I'm learning a lot going through the process of "properly" selling my house. I interviewed five real estate agents the Saturday before last, and I was amazed by the range of differences in their [...]
If you own a home, you're probably thinking about the top tax benefits of homeownership. But you may not know how your single biggest asset (your home) can help you save on your tax bill. You probably already know that your biggest asset could also help you save on your taxes. It's the "how" that's [...]
How clean should you leave your house when selling? That's what this new homeowner wants to know after the sellers left a mess for her at move-in. Q: I want to know how clean should a seller leave a house after the closing? My husband and I recently took possession of our new home this past [...]
If you're thinking about buying a house in 2017, you might be a Millennial. According to the National Association of Realtors 2017 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Survey, Millennials have begun buying homes. It helps to know who falls into which generation: The eldest Americans are part of the so-called Silent Generation (born 1925 [...]
Home prices are rising fairly dramatically, but those eye-popping increases could be unsustainable in 2017. According to the S&P/Case-Shiller index, home prices rose 5.8 percent annualized gain in December, a pretty dramatic increase, even as mortgage interest rates rose. Housing experts say that as the cost of buying a home accelerates, you shouldn't be seeing [...]
Are mortgage interest rates rising or falling in 2017? Home buyers and borrowers are wondering what the mortgage interest rates trend will be in 2017, so they can time their purchase or refinance. While trying to time mortgage market moves is dicey, the consensus from leading economists is that the outlook for interest rates won't [...]
