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Finance of America now offers renovation loans

Housing Wire

announced today the launch of Finance of America Home Improvement , a new business division offering non-mortgage financing options, including renovation loans. Per a study from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, renovation financing is expected to increase 3.3% in 2021 to $433 billion.

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What renovations will add value to my home?

Housing Wire

We all love the feeling of a refreshed, renovated home, and being able to enjoy it instills a sense of pride in its owner. That’s partly why people are spending significant time, energy and money on home renovation projects these days. Despite this, there are some renovations that are worth their price tags.

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Desktop appraisal option to start in March

Housing Wire

Desktop appraisals will become an option for some agency-backed loans submitted after March 19. To be eligible for a desktop appraisal, according to Fannie Mae , the loan must be a purchase transaction, secured by a one-unit principal residence and have a loan-to-value ratio of no more than 90%.

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VA now accepting desktop and exterior-only appraisals

Housing Wire

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs announced last week that it would allow desktop and exterior-only appraisals for some transactions. In a department memo, the VA explained that the move was a response to “high demand for appraisal services and limited availability of appraisers in certain local market areas.”.

Appraisal 360
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ATTOM: 2023 Not a Good Year for Home Flipping

Appraisal Buzz

In yet another sign of down times for the home-flipping industry, profits and profit margins also sank on quick buy-renovate-and-resell projects. in 2021, hitting the worst level since 2007. “In The post ATTOM: 2023 Not a Good Year for Home Flipping appeared first on Appraisal Buzz. That’s down from 28.1% in 2022 and 35.7%

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Like it or not, desktop appraisals are here to stay

Housing Wire

Desktop appraisals arrived in March of 2020, allowing the housing market to keep humming while many stayed indoors to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Allowing appraisals without a walk-through was one of several flexibilities the Federal Housing Finance Agency allowed in light of the pandemic.

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Relocation Trends for Buyers in 2022

Appraisal Buzz

It’s increasingly difficult for home appraisers to predict what will happen next, between seller booms and fluctuating mortgage rates. Mortgage rates dipped to record lows in 2021, then skyrocketed in early 2022. 2021 to Jan. Millennials Still Prefer Renovating. More Second Home Purchases.

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