November 2013 Legal Update from Marty Stanton, Esq. I know all of you have been waiting with baited breath for the sequel to the September Legal Update on "What is Title Insurance?" As promised, this article will discuss the two types of title insurance policies a buyer can choose, Standard or Enhanced. In order to […]
Haunting Numbers – What if Ghosts of the Past Return?
October 31, 2013 by
The following is a guest post from Nick Pakulla, a loan officer with Talmer Bancorp, Inc. at First Place Bank: With mortgage rates still near all-time lows and predictions that rates will continue edging up in 2014 and beyond, there are significant long-term interest savings for anyone in the market now! There are no tricks hidden in the […]
12 Trick-Or-Treating Safety Tips
October 31, 2013 by
Gone are the days where parents sit at home while their costumed children run around the neighborhood alone. These days, most small children are walked door to door by family. While there is relatively little mischief they can get into under their parents’ watchful gaze, below are even more trick-or-treating safety tips for an untroubled, fun and haunted evening.
Beware Of Zombie Titles
October 30, 2013 by
With the economic downturn, anyone dealing in real estate quickly became familiar with previously little-known terms such as foreclosure and short sale. Now that the housing market is picking back up and people are moving on, a new term is coming to light â zombie titles.
What You Should Know About Pending Home Sales This Month
October 29, 2013 by
Pending home sales fell in September by -5.60 percent, and were 1.20 percent lower year-over-year. This is the first time in more than two years that pending home sales have fallen below year-earlier readings. September’s reading was below August’s reading of -1.60 percent.
The National Association of REALTORS®, which released the report, expects lower home sales for the fourth quarter of 2013 and flat sales into 2014. NAR provided good news in its forecast of 10 percent growth in existing home sales in 2013 as compared to 2012.
What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – October 28, 2013
October 28, 2013 by
Federal government agencies issued reports that were delayed by the government shutdown; and Freddie Mac reported that average mortgage rates fell for all types of loans it reports. The National Association of REALTORS issued its Existing Home Sales report on Monday. While 5.30 million home sales were expected an annual basis, September’s reading fell short at 5.29 million sales.
August’s reading was adjusted from an original reading of 5.48 million, which equaled July’s reading. Higher mortgage rates and home prices were cited as contributing to the slip in September’s sales.
3 Easy Tips To Protect Your Deck This Winter
October 25, 2013 by
Barbecue season is all but over, and you won’t be spending as much time out on the deck. Don’t let it get you down, though. Spring will be here before you know it. There are a lot of things that can wear down and damage your deck, so protect your deck and make sure it stays in tip top shape over the winter.
Your Home List Price, Should You Lower It?
October 24, 2013 by
Are you trying to sell your home and finding that it is not selling very well? This might be due to a number of reasons that you can’t control, such as its location or the fact that the home layout is somewhat unusual. If you are struggling to sell your home, there is one factor that you can alter that might change things â the price.
Many homeowners are reluctant to lower the price of their home, because it feels somewhat like a defeat. However, while you want to make as much money from your house sale as possible â it is better to sell your home at a slightly cheaper price than to let it sit on the market for a long time.
How To Manage Those Fallen Leaves
October 23, 2013 by
The kids are back in school, the weather is getting cooler and your yard is covered in a layer of fallen leaves. Yep, it’s that time of the year again, but don’t think of fall leaves as a chore. They can be a useful resource for fertilizing your lawn or even decorating your home for autumn.
The Government Shutdown And Its Effect On Existing Home Sales
October 22, 2013 by
Existing home sales for September fell by 1.90 percent from August’s revised reading of 5.39 million sales to 5.29 million sales. Economists had expected 5.30 million sales for September, so a slow-down in existing home sales had been anticipated.
The National Association of REALTORS cited higher home prices and mortgage rates as factors contributing to fewer sales of previously owned homes.
