FRIDAY - SUMMER-WORTHY
- Rising Mortgage Rates to Test Housing Market’s Strength
- MBA's Stevens: We are in the middle of a housing crisis
- The housing market's new pain: Rising inequality
- Silicon Valley Needs Three World Trade Centers Worth Of New Office Space This Year
- My Home Passed Inspection, So It’s Perfect, Right?
- 15 Refreshing Ideas for a Bathroom Makeover
Enjoy!
Rising Mortgage Rates to Test Housing Market’s Strength - Mortgage rates have hovered around 50-year lows for the past five years, leaving many home buyers and sellers wondering how long the good times can last. While the housing market continues to recover, momentum may not last if interest rates increase. For instance, higher mortgage rates could put more homes in pricey West Coast markets out of buyers’ reach. Some economists note that the economy overall is in better shape to handle increases. But that may not be true everywhere, and homeowners in California may need to brace for a gradual end to the boom times.
MBA's Stevens: We are in the middle of a housing crisis - The word “crisis” can sound alarmist, but Mortgage Bankers Association President and CEO David Stevens has used that term to describe the current state of housing, or better put, the lack of focus on housing as an opportunity by Washington policy makers. He places the blame at the top of the ladder, opining that President Barack Obama has not built enough confidence in consumers' views about homeownership. Due to the lack of focus, Stevens notes that “Today's environment is not encouraging credit expansion. It's forcing lenders to be overly conservative - ultimately failing entry-level homeowners on every front.”
The housing market's new pain: Rising inequality - Rich and middle-class areas have seen sizable gains with the recovery of the housing market, while many poor – and often minority – neighborhoods continue to suffer from depressed prices. As a result, about 15 percent of homes under $200,000 were worth less than their mortgages as of March. It appears the housing market has actually become a tale of two types of cities. Many low-income neighborhoods and towns that have failed to see wage growth or lower unemployment are also suffering.
Silicon Valley Needs Three World Trade Centers Worth Of New Office Space This Year - Silicon Valley startups need space. A lot of space. As they rapidly hire workers, fueled by a flood of venture capital, startups in California’s Bay Area will need about 8.6 million square feet of office space in the next six months, according to a projection by the research firm Mattermark.
My Home Passed Inspection, So It’s Perfect, Right? - Home inspectors are skilled at sniffing out wood rot and locating cracks in foundations. But even the most experienced inspectors can’t tell you about problems that lurk behind walls, between floor joists or inside sewer lines.A home inspection can help ensure your new home is both a good investment and a safe place to live, but it’s important to be aware of some key defects that can go undetected.
15 Refreshing Ideas for a Bathroom Makeover - These days there are more ways than ever to give your bath a splash of style. Some of my favorites:
