FRIDAY - lucky 13
- Hit the Mark With Creative House Numbers
- Here's How You Can Help Those Affected By Fires In Northern California
- Santa Rosa housing scarce before the fire — what now?
- S.F. mayor wants to speed up approvals for housing construction
- Homebuyers rush to riskier mortgages as home prices heat up
- Mortgage Fraud Is Back on the Rise
- Tile Trends: Styles You Need to Know
Enjoy!
Here's How You Can Help Those Affected By Fires In Northern California - As wildfires continue to rage across the North Bay, many Bay Area residents are seeking out ways to help with aid and recovery efforts. Here are a few ways that you can do your part.
Santa Rosa housing scarce before the fire — what now? - "We have an awful lot of people who don’t have a place to live, and they may not have a place to work,” Santa Rosa City Councilwoman Julie Combs said. “We cannot rebuild fast enough, even if everyone has adequate insurance, which I’m doubting. Access to builders, construction workers and construction materials will be limited. We are talking about a year of recovery.”
S.F. mayor wants to speed up approvals for housing construction - San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee on Thursday called on city departments to cut by nearly half the time it takes to issue building permits to developers constructing housing projects. Lee said speeding up the production of housing would help add more stock to the market and help ease rising housing prices. He said people who work in the city are commuting too far because of the housing crisis.
Homebuyers rush to riskier mortgages as home prices heat up - Home prices are heating up yet again, and that is sending more potential buyers looking for ways to afford a monthly mortgage payment.
The number of adjustable-rate mortgage originations jumped just over 40 percent from the first quarter of this year to the second, according to analysis by Inside Mortgage Finance. ARMs offer lower interest rates than fixed-rate loans, and today's ARMs usually have a fixed period of at least five years. That means the rate can change after five years. Still ARMs are considered riskier than the classic 30-year fixed mortgage.
Mortgage Fraud Is Back on the Rise - Mortgage fraud risk is up by nearly 17 percent in the most recent 12-month period, according to CoreLogic. “Occupancy” fraud is rising the fastest, in which applicants deliberately misrepresent their intended use of the property. For example, a client may tell a lender that they plan to live in the house when they really intend to rent it out. Applicants who live in the house usually qualify for lower interest rates and down payments than those who intend to rent out a home.
Tile Trends: Styles You Need to Know - Industry experts reveal the latest tile patterns, shapes and textures making waves in kitchens and bathrooms. Some of my faves:
