FRIDAY - AT HOME IN SMALLVILLE
- C.A.R. Releases 2016 California Housing Market Forecast
- Getting a mortgage may take longer under new rules
- Advice on Lending to Adult Children
- Sound Off: When is an offer date a bad idea?
- Construction Workers ‘Left the Business and They Didn’t Come Back’
- 13 Storage Solutions to Banish the Clutter
Enjoy!
C.A.R. Releases 2016 California Housing Market Forecast - California’s housing market will continue to improve into 2016, but a shortage of homes on the market and a crimp in housing affordability also will persist, according to C.A.R.’s “2016 California Housing Market Forecast,” released late last week at CALIFORNIA REALTOR® EXPO in San Jose.
Getting a mortgage may take longer under new rules - Borrowers are being advised to prepare for delays, have all paperwork ready before even starting the mortgage process, and possibly consider spending the extra money upfront for a longer lock term due to new rules for lenders that went into effect this past Saturday. The goal of the new “Know Before You Owe” process is to make the mortgage process much easier for consumers to understand. This has resulted in all-new paperwork and disclosure rules for lenders. The rules are designed to hold lenders accountable and protect consumers against what happened during the last housing boom.
Advice on Lending to Adult Children - Parents often come to the rescue when their adult children need help putting together enough cash for a down payment. Whether they offer financial assistance as a gift or with the expectation of repayment, parents acting from the heart might want to consider a more businesslike approach.
Sound Off: When is an offer date a bad idea? - Every case comes down to price and market conditions. Offer dates are best used when a listing is priced correctly in a seller’s market. It wouldn’t be wise to attach an offer date to an overpriced home in a buyer’s market.
Construction Workers ‘Left the Business and They Didn’t Come Back - Delays and rising costs in the home building industry stem from a lack of construction workers, and the missing workers, for example, include industry veterans, immigrants, and young would-be construction workers who came of age when the industry just wasn’t hiring. This represents a lost opportunity for the labor force since construction offers good pay for those without a college degree. This is bad news for builders, who can’t grow as fast as they would like amid increasing delays and rising costs. It’s also bad news for buyers, who face tight supply and higher prices.
13 Storage Solutions to Banish the Clutter - Take the pain out of cleaning up by creating places to quickly and easily stash your stuff. Some of my favorites:
