Klor Strong Team Blog

Newly-Delinquent Mortgage Loans Fall to Lowest Share in nearly 4 years

Michael Strong — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 01:52:34 +0000

A bright spot has appeared – with the lowest reading for loan delinquencies as a share of total loans outstanding in nearly three years. Take a quick look at this link to read more:

http://eyeonhousing.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/mortgage-bankers-newly-delinquent-mortgage-loans-fall-to-lowest-share-in-nearly-4-years/

Don’t let down-payment gifts delay mortgage loan

Wanda Klor — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:48:30 +0000

In 2010, 27% of first-time buyers received a gift from a friend or relative to use toward their down payment. That’s up from 22% in 2009 and 23% in 2005, according to statistics from the National Association of Realtors. Here is the link to read further:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dont-let-down-payment-gifts-hold-up-your-mortgage-2011-12-19

New Home Sales Edge Up

Wanda Klor — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:44:33 +0000

Take a look at these recent positive reports: Sales of existing homes rose 12% year-over-year; home building spiked nearly 21% compared with 12 months ago; and mortgage rates hit record lows.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/23/real_estate/new_home_sales/index.htm?iid=HP_LN

Existing-Home Sales Show Uptrend

Michael Strong — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:41:56 +0000

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said these are early signs of what may be a sustained recovery. “The pattern of home sales in recent months demonstrates a market in recovery,” he said. “Record low mortgage interest rates, job growth and bargain home prices are giving more consumers the confidence they need to enter the market.”

http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2012/01/ehs_dec

GOP cribs: Where the candidates live

Wanda Klor — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:35:51 +0000

Here is an interesting article. Out of all of the candidates, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney owns the most real estate, including a townhouse in Boston and a beachfront home in La Jolla, California. Take a look at this link to read more.

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2012/real_estate/1201/gallery.candidate-homes/

Before Buying a Home: Insurance Questions Everyone Should Ask

Wanda Klor — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:36:05 +0000

The video on this site points out some important questions to ask when buying a home – some of which may reduce your costs! Don’t forget to calculate insurance into your housing budget.

http://www2.iii.org/video/buying-a-home.html#.TueZn15GYsw.gmail

Flawed Appraisals Preventing Home Sales

Wanda Klor — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:27:47 +0000

With 1/3 of builders saying they have “lost an in escrow sale” due to appraisal issues, both buyers and sellers need to be aware of what they may be facing after agreeing on a contract.

http://eyeonhousing.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/flawed-appraisals-preventing-home-sales/

What the Websites Get Right…and What They Don’t

Wanda Klor — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:05:06 +0000

I am consistently asked my opinion on how accurate the websites are that create home-value estimates. Read this rundown and let me know your thoughts or questions.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204224604577028161126902988.html?

The Importance of Home Equity Loans for Remodeling

Wanda Klor — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:26:02 +0000

This analysis is helpful in explaining the strong correlation between home equity loans and remodeling over time. Take a look at the graphs and charts to get the full picture.

http://eyeonhousing.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/the-importance-of-home-equity-loans-for-remodeling/

How to Figure the Fuzzy Math of Internet Home Values

Wanda Klor — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:00:46 +0000

“Zillow says my house is worth….” is one of the most frequent comments I hear when it comes to real estate. This Wall Street Journal article gives a solid analysis of where Zillow and similar sites are both strong and weak.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204554204577026131448329006.html?