Washington, DC, February 23, 2011 The uptrend in existing-home sales continues, with January sales rising for the third consecutive month with a pace that is now above year-ago levels, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Existing-home sales1, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, increased 2.7 percent to a seasonally [...]

By: Barbara Eisner Bayer Published: February 24, 2011 Follow these seven tips to make sure your contractor agreement works in your favor—not your builder’s. Step 1: Hire a lawyer Contractors use their own forms, which are drafted for their benefit, not yours. You’ll benefit from hiring an attorney to review your contractor agreement or draft one that’s [...]

Monday, January 24th, 2011, 11:02 am It is cheaper to buy a two-bedroom home than rent one in 72% of major metropolitan areas around the U.S., according to the Trulia rent vs. buy index released Monday. The real estate data firm said increased demand for rental properties is driving the cost of homeownership down nationwide. “Since the [...]

Washington, DC, December 30, 2010 Pending home sales rose again in November, with the broad trend over the past five months indicating a gradual recovery into 2011, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator, rose 3.5 percent to 92.2 based on contracts signed in November from a downwardly [...]

MIAMI – Dec. 16, 2010 – Foreign tourists are snapping up bargain-priced apartments and houses in Florida, taking advantage of such deals as $70,000 to $100,000 apartments in popular South Beach. Most buyers hail from Latin America, Europe and Canada. “The buying opportunities are maybe the best ever. Who knows if we’ll see prices again [...]

Consumer confidence and business spending are key to whether the U.S. housing market will move into a virtuous or a vicious cycle in 2011, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun told a packed audience at the Residential Economic Outlook Forum Friday in New Orleans. After the downturn, the housing market has clawed its way back to [...]

ZipRealty says in its third quarter report that homes in key markets all over the country are selling above the asking price. The report shows that the spread between the sales-to-list price ratio lessened significantly in most markets, but high-end housing markets in many areas continued to offer great bargains for buyers. The 10 hottest [...]

If you could live in any state, except the one you live in now, what state would you choose to live in? The Harris Poll has asked this question every year since 1997. While California tops the list of most popular states to live in among Echo Boomers (now ages 18 to 33) and Gen [...]

Even with their retirement nest eggs diminished by the tough economy, some retirees aren’t giving up on their dreams of living in beautiful spots. Instead, they are searching for similar but cheaper alternatives. SmartMoney calls these locales “doppelgangers” — more affordable twins with similar climate, culture, and amenities than their better-known other half. Here are [...]

Nearly eight out of 10 respondents believe buying a home is a good financial decision, despite ongoing challenges with the economy and housing market. That’s according to the 2010 National Housing Pulse Survey, an annual report released today by the National Association of Realtors®. The survey, which measures how affordable housing issues affect consumers, also found [...]