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Fed’s Beige Book shows recent moderation in mortgage rates propped up demand for homes

Housing Wire

Should mortgage rates fall, demand for residential real estate would increase, encouraging buyers who had been waiting on the sideline to move forward with home purchases,” according to the Beige Book. Boston: Residential Realtors expressed growing optimism as both property listings and pending home sales increased.

Mortgage 346
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Lenders: Looking to simplify closings? Work with an insurance agency

Housing Wire

HousingWire recently spoke to Tom Kriby, vice president of client development and partnerships at Westwood Insurance Agency, about how working with an insurance agency can simplify the closing process for their customers, even in times of interest rate uncertainty. While some elements of PITI are set, others offer buyers opportunity.

Insurance 353
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With low inventory, house hunters are in full safari mode

Housing Wire

The Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity, or LIRA, a measure developed by Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University , seems to support Mohan’s assessment, showing that year over year “expenditures for home improvements and maintenance will post a modest decline of 2.8% through the first quarter of 2024.”

Inventory 447
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4 Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Got an FHA Loan

Realtor

My husband and I had decent credit scores and low debt, but we certainly didn’t have 20% to put down on a home. An FHA loan—which allows the buyer to put down as little as 3.5%—sounded We found an FHA-approved lender, and in no time, we were on our way to buying our first home with a government-backed loan.

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Nearly 40 housing tech firms make the 2023 Inc. 5000 list

Housing Wire

487 LiveEasy 1,204% 2013 Real estate software company changing the way people manage their move and their homes. 497 BOSSCAT 1,175% 2018 Digitizing home inspection data to create instant repair estimates for homeowners and real estate professionals. Other established names to make the Inc. 4,105 FirstCloseFirstclose.

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Selling a Smart-Enabled Home: Best Steps Forward

Will Springer Realtor

It’s what people want: A survey asked consumers which new technologies they were most excited about and the top choice was smart-home devices (58%). Homes equipped with this new tech spend 13% less time on the open market compared to their non-smart counterparts. Smart tech in the home comes with costs and considerations.

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Does Adding an In-Law Suite Pay Off?

Empire Appraisal Group

cities either do not allow ADUs or have strict regulations that inhibit their development, says Kol Peterson, an ADU consultant and the author of “Backdoor Revolution: The Definitive Guide to ADU Development.” And converting an existing attic, basement or garage might deter buyers who would rather have those spaces untouched.

Law 78