Pending home sales dropped in December, despite interest rates being at the
lowest
levels in more than a year, the National Association of REALTOR®
reports. All regions across the country posted declines in December. In December, pending home sales nationally fell 3.7 percent month-over-month. Still, NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator
based on contract signings, remained about 6 percent above
year-over-year levels for the fourth consecutive month. Lawrence
Yun, NAR’s chief economist, says that inventory problems mixed with
slightly higher home prices attributed to December’s decline in contract
signings, read more.
homes
available for sale dropped last month, according to the National
Association of REALTORS®. While the decline was slight – less than 1
percent month-over-month – the drop does represent “a reversal to the
general growth of listings that had been occurring throughout 2014,”
writes Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, at the Economists’ Outlook
blog. “More inventories are needed, not less. Or else, home prices could
re-accelerate,” 
as more lenders require less money up-front on a home purchase.Recently,
more borrowers are able to pay 3 percent or even less of a home’s
purchase price to get a mortgage – a big change from when at least 20
percent down payments were practically the norm post-recession.Additionally, some
lenders are luring more home buyers back by waiving mortgage-related
fees and even showing more acceptance of allowing down payments to be
made by others, such as the borrower’s family members, The Wall Street Journal reports.Still, borrowers must have good credit scores and a steady income to often qualify for these smaller down payment loans,
Loans: Government-sponsored enterprise 
What exactly does a best-performing city have that others don’t? Simply
put, these are the most dynamic and successful cities based on job
creation, education and overall economic vitality. Most of the cities
cracking the top 10 are hubs for either technology or oil—industries
that show no signs of an imminent slowdown.
new year’s resolutions to quit vices, get in better shape or take a dream vacation. However,
if you’ve been stuck at home with the folks—or in an apartment with too
many roommates—you may have a different priority in the new year.
You’re finally ready to rent your own space!
demand, particularly among lower-income home buyers, according to a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. But low mortgage rates don't influence buyers to make a move as much as mortgage qualification requirements do, the study finds. 
October but remained elevated compared to pre-crisis levels, according to data released Wednesday. In estimated that cash transactions accounted for 35.5 percent of total home sales in October
2014, down from 38.7 percent the year prior. The decline continued a
downward trend started in January 2013, making October the 22nd straight
month to see cash sales decline on an annual basis. Cash
sales peaked in January 2011, 
homeowner
associations are increasingly going after owners who have fallen behind
on paying their HOA fees by triggering foreclosures against late
owners. But some mortgage experts worry the move could have a ripple
effect on other owners too in the form of higher interest rates and fees
on their mortgage.
the process may also seem very intimidating.
looking
for ways to get top dollar for their listing. Cleaning and staging make
a big difference. But for some sellers -- such as investors seeking to
bring a property up to neighborhood standards before the sale --
remodeling work may be the ticket. As the 2015 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report makes clear, large-scale jobs 
investors looking for rental properties or young professionals looking to make their first home purchase. “The
key is to buy in cities with strong job growth that people are moving
to, so that the stock of potential tenants for would-be landlords is
abundant,” the Forbes.com article notes. The cities in its top 20 list
all have strong job markets and population growth, relatively low home
prices, and many are still considered undervalued. 
economy and job growth leads to a healthier market, according to the National Association of REALTORS®' 2015 housing forecast.
averaging 3.73 percent, its lowest average since May 2013. “Meanwhile, the Fed minutes indicated ongoing discussion regarding the timing of the first rate hike.” Many housing economists have predicted that mortgage rates will rise sometime this year, with the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage likely reaching the upper 4 percent or 5 percent range by the end of the year.
insurance premiums by 0.5 percentage points in a move "to expand responsible lending to creditworthy borrowers." FHA also said it would take added steps over the next few months to "cut red tape and clarify lending standards" in reducing mortgage costs for hundreds of thousands of creditworthy borrowers. 
year's biggest leaps in rental costs were in small to midsized cities. Nationwide,
apartment rents increased 3.6 percent, on average, in 2014, pushing the
average monthly lease rate to $1,124.38, according to Inc., a real
estate research firm. That marks the largest increase since began
tracking the market in 1980. Most
of the drive in rental costs has been due to a short supply of
vacancies at a time when demand has been high. The vacancy rate in 2014
was 4.2 percent, the lowest point since 2000, reports. 
The
rise in single-family inventory levels over the last few months bring
them back only to 2012 levels. What's more, the supply of condos
continues to be at record lows, with fewer new high-rise developments
and condo conversions occurring now than in the mid-2000s. From
1984 to 2014, there was an average of 9,900 units on the market. The
current inventory is 72 percent below the average of the last 30 years
and 79 percent below the average since 1971. Why are new-home inventory levels so low, and why will supply not likely reach the previous highs? See 
as possible about your mortgage before you rush toward closing day. When you meet with a mortgage lender, here are 10 questions you should ask to ensure you’re clear on what your options are when buying a home.
economists
have high hopes for 2015. The real estate market is expected to build
momentum across the board nest year, mostly because of a strengthening
economy. 
declining,
due in part to rising home prices pulling homeowners into positive
equity. While two data points do not make a trend, this negative
trajectory appears to have picked up pace in 2014 with short sales
dropping 0.6 percentage points from 5.2 percent of total sales in
December 2013 to 4.6 percent in January 2014. The
preliminary February data, keeping in mind that it is preliminary and
subject to revisions, shows a potentially dramatic drop to 2.2 percent. Meanwhile, the REO-sales share has not declined in the same way, moving instead in accordance with the normal seasonal pattern. This implies that while home price appreciation and other factors have
contributed to the decline in short sales, the expiration of the
Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act could be having an impact, 
beginning of 2006. So far, demand has been keeping up, but some executives and brokers say the highs in the multifamily sector can't last forever. "Sure, the market has been
resilient, and most of the new construction has leased quickly up to
this point.