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Top markets for affordable renovated housing inventory

Housing Wire

home prices are quickly shifting the affordability calculus for prospective homebuyers in 2021 — even though mortgage rates have remained near record lows. Despite average 30-year mortgage rates that have remained below 3% for most of 2021, the rapid home price increases are eroding affordability for average wage earners.

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Renovation loans get pandemic boost as homeowners want home offices

Housing Wire

There’s a mainstay in mortgage finance poised to help in working from home. The Federal Housing Administration’s 203(k) rehabilitation mortgage insurance program is designed for borrowers to renovate when they purchase or refinance. In turn, the program opens access to much-needed renovation capital for borrowers.

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Regions Bank places $1B bet on home renovation market

Housing Wire

EnerBank funds most of its loans on its balance sheet through FDIC -insured brokered CDs; it also charges fees to the contractors. It mostly originated cash-out refis and purchase mortgages in 2020, according to HMDA statistics in Polygon’s database. in 2021 to $433 billion. The space remains dominated by depository banks.

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What Impact Do Renovations Have on Appraisal Value?

Birmingham Appraisal

Home Renovations and Appraisal Value As an appraiser, I get asked about how much value will be added for different types of home projects or renovations. The best way to look at home renovations is by considering the overall impact they will have on your home. Updates or Renovations?

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Busting VA mortgage loan myths

Housing Wire

Unfortunately, too many misconceptions persist among real estate and even mortgage industry professionals about the VA home loan, and those misconceptions have big (and negative) impacts. VA mortgage loans generally provide veterans and active-duty service members with more favorable terms than other loans on the market.

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ALTA on new Fannie policy: title insurance “will always be essential”

Housing Wire

Fannie Mae generated some buzz last week when it announced it would be accepting written attorney opinion letters in lieu of a title insurance policy “in limited circumstances.”. Title insurance came to be because attorney title opinions were not adequate for the marketplace.

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Rhode Island historian uses a reverse mortgage as an estate planning tool

Housing Wire

A proprietary reverse mortgage from Finance of America Companies (FOA) now secures the home of Rhode Island ’s honorary historian laureate after the property was returned to the owner after attempts to bequeath it to a nonprofit historical society he founded. This is according to reporting from The Providence Journal.

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