Residential Real Estate
Freddie Mac Launches Down Payment Aid Navigator for Lenders
By James Sanna | October 17, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock Link
Just as the salary needed to afford the median-priced home in Connecticut’s two biggiest markets jumped over 30 percent, mortgage-buyer Freddie Mac announced a new tool Monday that can help lenders match borrowers to down payment assistance programs.
Coldwell Banker Agent Is Realtor of the Year
October 16, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkCarl Lantz is a second-generation Realtor in West Hartford.
Real Estate, Banking Groups Urge Fed to Help Curb Mortgage Rates
By Alex Veiga | The Associated Press | October 13, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkHome loan borrowing costs rose for the fifth straight week, keeping the average long-term U.S. mortgage rate at its highest level in more than two decades and taking another bite out of prospective homebuyers’ purchasing power.
Ease of Entry, Big Money Draws Newbies to Real Estate
By Lew Sichelman | October 13, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkAccording to a new report from the Consumer Federation of America, the ease with which people can become licensed in the realty field is shocking.
Berkshire Bank Launches Down Payment Assistance Program
October 10, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkBerkshire Bank announced last week it had started a down payment assistance program for first-time homebuyers struggling to overcome the region’s high home prices and high interest rates that look set to continue for some time.
Anywhere, RE/MAX to Let Agents Leave NAR
By James Sanna | October 10, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkTwo of the biggest brokerages in the country will no longer require their agents to be members of the National Association of Realtors following settlements they signed in a pair of lawsuits challenging broker commission and MLS access rules.
GHAR Issues Acknowledgement of Past Discriminatory Practices
October 6, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkThe Greater Hartford Association of Realtors is committed to moving forward with equity objectives top of mind, the association said.
Rising Long-Term Interest Rates Pose Latest Threat to Economic ‘Soft Landing’
By The Associated Press | October 5, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkSurging interest rates are intensifying the challenges for the U.S. economy and threatening to derail the Federal Reserve’s drive to tame inflation without causing a deep recession.
Mickiewicz Joins William Pitt in Westport
October 5, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkToni Mickiewicz has moved on after 18 years with William Raveis and joined the Westport office of William Pitt Sotheby’s International.
A Mechanic’s Lien Could Stop a Future Sale
By Lew Sichelman | October 4, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkEvery homeowner who is considering hiring a contractor to do some work in or around their house should become familiar with the mechanic’s lien laws in their home state.
Glaring Need for Housing Construction Underlined by Century 21 CEO
By Ken Sweet | The Associated Press | October 2, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkThe highest mortgage rates in more than two decades are keeping many prospective homebuyers out of the market and discouraging homeowners who locked in ultra-low rates from listing their home for sale.
Redfin Says It Will Leave NAR
By James Sanna | October 2, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkAmid fallout from a sexual harassment scandal at the very top of the National Association of Realtors and court cases that look set to force changes in buyer-broker compensation, one of the nation’s largest brokerages says it will require “many” of its agents to leave the group.
Homeowners Face Rising Insurance Rates as Climate Change Makes Disasters More Common
By Ken Sweet | The Associated Press | September 26, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkA growing number of Americans are finding it difficult to afford insurance on their homes, a problem only expected to worsen because insurers and lawmakers have underestimated the impact of climate change, a new report says.
Ways Agents Can Stop Paying for Leads
By Bernice Ross | Special To Commercial Record | September 21, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkBefore forking over 40 percent of your commission, try working with a few of these ideas to obtain high-quality leads at a fraction of the price you’re currently paying for leads.
Report: Vacation Home Demand Nears Seven-Year Low
By James Sanna | September 19, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkAn analysis of mortgage rate-lock data by economists at brokerage and listings portal Redfin says that demand for vacation homes ticked down again in August, and are lower than they’ve been since mid-2017.
New William Pitt Sotheby’s Team Launches
September 13, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkWilliam Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty announced one of its most prominent agents has launched a new team.
Survey: 1 in 5 Millennials Don’t Think They Can Be Homeowners
By James Sanna | September 11, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkA new poll suggests a huge swath of the biggest generation in America right now see huge barriers to achieving homeownership for themselves.
IRS Plans Back-Taxes Crackdown on 1.6K Millionaires
By Fatima Hussein | The Associated Press | September 8, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkThe IRS announced Friday it is launching an effort to aggressively pursue 1,600 millionaires and 75 large business partnerships that owe hundreds of millions of dollars in past due taxes.
Analysis: Hartford Still Among Nation’s Most Affordable Cities
By James Sanna | September 7, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkDespite a big jump in mortgage rates and very low inventory that’s pushing home prices higher, Greater Hartford remains one of the nation’s most affordable housing markets, a new report says.
Statewide Home Price Up as Fairfield County Prices Cool
By James Sanna | August 31, 2023 | Reprints | Unlock LinkStatewide median home sale prices are up again even as the total number of homes sold remains significantly below last year’s tallies.
