Big Rent Increases Convince More People to Buy More renters are wondering: “What happens next year if my rent went up $200 this year? And what do I have to show for this lost money anyway? NEW YORK – More renters are making moves toward homeownership quickly, pressured by rising mortgage rates on the buying

Fed Says It May Raise Interest Rates in March By Christopher Rugaber In the face of persistent inflation, the Fed announced Wed. it would soon raise interest rates. That’s likely to push all types of credit rates – including mortgages – higher. WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve signaled Wednesday that it plans to begin

By Matt Ott Buyers worried about rising interest rates and home prices pushed new-home sales to a 10-month high in Dec. SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) – Sales of new single family homes in December rose to their highest level in 10 months as buyers took advantage of lower prices in anticipation of higher interest rates.

By Matt Ott For all of 2021, home starts were up 15.6% compared to 2020. Builders are slowly ramping up construction in spite of rising costs for raw materials. SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) – Construction of new homes in the U.S. rose for the third consecutive month in December, and data released Wednesday suggests that

By Bloomberg As rents soar, investors buy more homes – but a Moody’s Analytics economist says that’s a potential precursor to price declines if they decide it’s time to sell. NEW YORK – Single-family landlords eager to profit from soaring rents in the U.S. have stepped up their purchases of houses. Deals by investors –

By Kerry Smith As interest rates rise, fewer homeowners refinance. As a result, lenders are sitting on more cash and willing to ease lending criteria, notably for jumbo loans. WASHINGTON – The availability of mortgage credit increased in December, according to the Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI), a report from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

Mortgage bankers say buyers borrowed $1.6T last year for home purchases, topping the 2005 housing bubble’s $1.5T. They expect another new record this year. LOS ANGELES (AP) – The fierce competition, low mortgage rates and soaring prices that helped raise mortgage borrowing to record heights last year is expected to drive lending even higher this

An analysis of “competitive” markets in 2021 projects that Tampa will be the hottest in the U.S. this year, with Jacksonville and Orlando close behind. ORLANDO, Fla. – An analysis of the 50 largest U.S. metro areas to determine “the hottest” (most competitive) for 2022 determined that Tampa was No. 1 in the U.S. To

Fla. tourism officials don’t think so, though a panel of state economists slightly lowered their six-month expectations for Canadian and overseas tourists. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A top Florida tourism official called the future of travel to the state “bright” and said there are no plans to slow marketing efforts, even with the rapid spread of

“Aspirational pricing” doesn’t work well in any real estate market. Buyers will risk a bidding war only if they first see some level of value. CHICAGO – The housing market is hot, but some homeowners overestimate how hot it is when they go to sell. Real estate professionals shared a few unrealistic expectations with realtor.com