On The Road
Sixty years after Jack Kerouac’s legendary novel “On the Road” was published, his distant cousin –real estate agent AJ Kerouac – is also on the road, knocking on doors and trying to get elected as selectman in his hometown of Brooklyn.
Ridgefield Realtor Arrested, Charged With Larceny
Wilton police arrested Ridgefield Realtor Barbara Morris on June 15 for attempting to commit first degree larceny, a felony, according to court records.
Time Is Ripe For GSE Reform
Federal Housing Finance Administration (FHFA) Director Melvin L. Watts told the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs last month that “Congress urgently needs to act on housing finance reform” and bring Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac out of conservatorship after almost nine years.
Nationwide, Homeowners Gain Equity While Connecticut Lags Behind
U.S. homeowners with mortgages (roughly 63 percent of all homeowners) have seen their equity increase by a total of $766.4 billion in the year since the first quarter of 2016, an increase of 11.2 percent. Additionally, the average American homeowner gained about $13,400 in equity between Q1 2016 and Q1 2017.
Survey Says It’s A Sellers’ Market
The share of Americans who think now is a good time to buy fell 8 percent to a record low 27 percent last month, according to the Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index for May. The percentage of those who say now is a good time to sell increased 6 percent to 32 percent, a record high.
Mortgage Rates Hit New 2017 Low Last Week
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate inched lower for the third consecutive week and setting a new low for 2017, according to Freddie Mac.
Trading City Lights For Country Life
Jeffrey Phillips and his partner, Mark Madonna, started out working in finance together in New York City.
Griswold Museum A Home For Art And History
It would be hard to find any place in Connecticut where art and real estate are more intertwined than the Florence Griswold House in Old Lyme. The walls are covered with scenes painted of the landscape just outside them and every room is filled with history.
First-Time Buyers Made Bigger Down Payments In March
The number of first-time homebuyers making small down payments dropped in March, according to the latest edition of the Down Payment Report.
Realtors Gather At Capitol To Lobby For Growth
Nearly 2,000 Realtors from across Connecticut attended a rally in Hartford Tuesday designed to send a message to legislators. Calling for lower taxes and a business-friendly environment, they want “a Connecticut to sell” – and say they’ll only be supporting like-minded candidates in future elections.
Real Estate’s Renaissance Man
Daniel D. Thomas was named one of Realtor.com’s 30 under 30 in 2016 and it’s easy to see why.
Former RE Agent Charged With 18 Counts Of Larceny
A former Boston-based real estate agent has been charged with stealing more than $166,000 from 19 individuals, including his co-workers and acquaintances.
Buyers Look Askance At High-Tech Homes
Computer home automation has been around for nearly a decade and the number of home features that can be automated and remotely controlled is growing annually. But Realtors say there’s low demand for high-tech homes in the Nutmeg State.
After Short Sales And Dark Days, Renewal In Danbury
Patty McManus’ real estate career was off to a slow start when the crash came.
Activist Group Endorses Bill To Address Homelessness
The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) commended U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) yesterday for introducing the Ending Homelessness Act of 2017 last month. In a statement the group called the bill “a comprehensive plan to ensure the lowest income people and families America have safe, decent and affordable homes.
More Staff Changes Announced At PHH
There’s a lot going on over at PHH these days. In addition to mounting an expensive – and so far successful – challenge to the constitutionality of the CFPB in federal court, laying off staff, and downsizing and refocusing its business as the result of heavy financial losses, the company announced a major leadership shakeup last week, with hints of more to come.
OCC: Mortgage Performance Continues To Improve
The overall performance of first-lien mortgages continues to improve and the number of loans in delinquency continues to decline, according to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s (OCC) most recent quarterly report on mortgages.
CFPB Fines Experian $3M For Credit Score Deception
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) fined Experian and its subsidiaries $3 million yesterday for deceiving consumers about the use of credit scores it sold to consumers.
Cultivating Client-Centered Culture
Candace Adams started out in real estate sales, but soon got into management and never looked back.
Housing Coalition Supports Bill To Increase Affordable Housing Credits
Reps. Pat Tiberi (R-OH) and Richard Neal (D-MA) have introduced the “Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2017,” designed to strengthen the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program to serve the country’s most vulnerable families.
