Last week's economic reports included readings from Case-Shiller Housing Price Indices and Commerce Department reports on housing starts and building permits issued. Readings on pending home sales and consumer confidence were released along with weekly reports on mortgage rates and initial jobless claims. Case-Shiller Home Price Growth Slows to Lowest Rate in Four Years Home prices continued to grow in December but reached their slowest pace since November2014. Seasonally-adjusted annual home price growth reached 4.70 percent in December as compared to growth of 5.10percent year-over-year in … [Read More...]
The success of your real estate ventures depend on your ability to navigate the financial world. Learn these terms to make it easier to understand what's going on with your real estate investments. Cash Flow Contrary to popular belief, cash flow isn't just the amount of liquid assets you have available. Your cash and unused lines of credit are an essential indicator of your ability to complete projects and pay the cost of ongoing operations. However, these factors don't tell the whole financial story. Your actual cash flow is the difference between your gross income and your financial … [Read More...]
If you find it difficult to make ends meet, these tips will help you save money in ways that are easy to do and create substantial savings over time. Declutter Get rid of stuff you do use or need by having a garage or yard sale or by putting things for sale on eBay or Craigslist. Make Your Own Coffee Do you really want to make that billionaire richer by buying coffee for $5+ a cup? Make your own gourmet coffee that costs around 50 cents per cup for the same thing. Bring Your Own Lunch Making your lunch the night before to take to work the next day will give you more time to enjoy lunch. You … [Read More...]
Case-Shiller Home Price Indices reported the slowest rate of U.S. home price growth since November 2014. According to the 20-City Home Price Index, Home prices grew by 4.20 percent year-over-year and were 0.20 percent higher in December as compared to November. The 20-City Home Price Index fell short of analysts' expected gain of 4.80 percent year-over-year. Case-Shiller's National Home Price Index reported home prices increased 4.70 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018. While home price growth is sluggish, home prices continued to rise faster than wages. This creates obstacles to … [Read More...]
The real estate market and all the things involved in selling a home can seem complicated, and it can be very hard to know which tips to trust. While there's plenty of great advice to go around from many knowledgeable sources, here are some of the best tips from home sellers who have made a successful sale. Research Your Local Agents When considering an agent that will meet your home-selling needs, it can be tempting to go with someone familiar or recommended through a friend who seems like a safe bet. However, it's important to do some of your own research. Create a list of agents you're … [Read More...]
Last week's economic news included readings on homebuilder confidence in housing market conditions, minutes of January's Federal Open Market Committee meeting, and existing home sales reported by the National Association of Realtors®. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released. NAHB: Home Builder Confidence Rises to 4-Month High Homebuilder confidence rose for the second consecutive month in February and four points higher to an index reading of 62, which exceeded analyst expectations of a one-point increase in builder confidence. Components of the NAHB … [Read More...]