The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indices for July showed a sharp slowing in home price growth from June to July. National home price growth slowed from June’s reading of 18.7 percent year-over-year growth to 16.10 percent home price growth in July. This reading translated to an 0.20 percent loss in month-to-month home price growth.
The S&P Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index fell 0.40 percent in July after increasing by 0.40 percent in June. This was the first time since March 2012 that the 20-City Home Price Index posted a decreasing pace of home price growth; all 20 cities … [Read More...]
The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indices for July showed a sharp slowing in home price growth from June to July. National home price growth slowed from June’s reading of 18.7 percent year-over-year growth to 16.10 percent home price growth in July. This reading translated to an 0.20 percent loss in month-to-month home price growth. The S&P Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index fell 0.40 percent in July after increasing by 0.40 percent in June. This was the first time since March 2012 that the 20-City Home Price Index posted a decreasing pace of home price growth; all 20 cities … [Read More...]
Do you have a baby on the way? If so, you are likely already wondering how you are supposed to make your home safe from harm. The good news is that with a little work, you'll be able to make your house or apartment that much safer. Let's take a look at how you can child-proof your home in under a few hours. Start With The Baby's Bedroom For the first few months, your baby will be spending a lot of time either sleeping or resting in their crib. You'll want to keep the crib away from any cords, blinds, drapes or other items the baby might get their hands on. The crib itself should meet … [Read More...]
If you have been in your home for a while, you might be able to refinance. If your credit score has increased, your income has gone up, or the average home loan interest rate has gone down, you might be able to conduct a cash-out refinance. During this process, you can keep your mortgage payments the same, secure a lower interest rate, and withdraw the difference as cash. What can you do with this extra cash? You Can Make Improvements To Your Home One of the most popular ways people use a cash-out refinance is to increase the value of their homes. For example, you may want to use the … [Read More...]
Last week’s economic reporting included readings on housing markets, building permits issued, housing starts, and sales of previously-owned homes. The Federal Reserve released its scheduled monetary policy statement and gave a press conference with Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also published. NAHB: Home Builder Confidence In Housing Markets Lags for 9th Consecutive Month The National Association of Home Builders reported lower builder confidence in housing markets in September; this was the ninth straight month that builder … [Read More...]
When you apply for a mortgage, your lender will do some quick math to figure out how much of a loan you can afford. Your lender will consider many factors, and one of the most important ones is your debt-to-income ratio. It is usually shortened to DTI, and understanding this formula can help you better understand how big of a house you can afford. An Overview Of A DTI Your DTI represents the amount of money you spend compared to the amount you make. Your lender is going to have very strict DTI requirements when deciding whether you can be approved for a mortgage. The lender wants to make … [Read More...]