ArchivesTag : Real Estate

Will The Value of Your House Go Up Over Time?

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There’s an interesting article by Harvard professor Edward Glaeser in the New York Times Economix blog that says your home’s value probably won’t rise. Despite the downturn in the housing market, nearly everyone who buys a home does so on the assumption that the value will go up if you wait long enough. Glaeser argues [...]

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Interest-Only Mortgages Are Getting Harder to Obtain

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Freddie Mac, one of the two main government-sponsored institutions that set lending standards for home mortgages announced recently that it will be phasing out interest-only loans. This is expected to drastically shrink the number of interest-only mortgages available to consumers. Freddie Mac has already begun the phase-out after losing money on the loans over the [...]

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When Is It Really The Best Time to Buy A House?

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If you talk to any real estate agent you’ll hear the same mantra: it’s a great time to buy a home. Realtors said it in 2001 when home prices were climbing steadily, they said it when prices peaked in 2005, and they continue to say it today. So what’s the real answer? There a couple [...]

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8 Financial Steps Every Family Must Take

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Becoming a parent means getting your financial house in order. While you could let your finances slide a bit when you were single, you now have people depending on you. Doing some basic financial planning today can mean the difference between making your golden years happy and productive or stressful and uncertain. Whether it’s your [...]

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California Tops Least Affordable Housing Markets

Once again, California has many of the most expensive housing markets in the country. In its recently released Home Price Comparison Index, Coldwell Banker revealed that eight out of the top 10 least affordable metro areas were located in California. While the most expensive areas may not be much of a surprise – especially for [...]

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Housing Sales Rise, Aided by Falling Mortgage Rates

In further signs that the housing market is finally recovering after three years of turmoil, new data shows that home sales have increased and mortgage rates have again dipped below 5 percent. According to mortgage company Freddie Mac, the average for 30-year fixed rate loans was 4.94%, down from 5.05% last week. These low home [...]

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