Bobby Burch
Fannie Mae: Despite Added Headaches, Mortgages Can Be Issued Amid Gov Shutdown
It might be more of a pain, but Fannie Mae says that lenders can continue to originate mortgages during a government shutdown that has no end in sight. The Federal National Mortgage Association — commonly known as Fannie Mae — issued guidance to lenders on how to verify employment, Social ...
People are Fleeing NYC and LA for These Locales Instead
More people are moving away from urban meccas like New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago and instead opting for smaller, less expensive cities. In an analysis of recently released U.S. Census Bureau population data from 2012 to 2016, Realtor Magazine calculated the net migration for most major metropolitan areas. The ...
Homebuying Millennials are Avoiding the Coasts for These Cities
While behind previous generations’ homeownership rates at their age, Millennials are starting to buy homes by the droves. And rather than flocking to urban meccas like New York City, Los Angeles or Chicago, they’re opting for homes in a variety of cities closer to the center of the U.S., according ...
Report Reveals the Fastest Growing Cities in the Next 16 years
New York City might still have the largest economy of cities in the U.S., but two dozen other cities will grow at a faster rate in the next 16 years, according to a recent nationwide study. Oxford Economics annual “Global Cities” report explores key economic trends across the world from ...
The 2019 Pantone Color of the Year Celebrates Vibrancy, Warmth
Take a deep breath. Because the 2019 Pantone Color of the Year is taking you underwater to the lively, eye-catching color of coral. To be more specific, the Pantone’s 2019 selection is dubbed “Living Coral.” Its “vibrant yet mellow” hues sophisticatedly celebrate “warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy ...
The next proptech success? Juniper Square raises $25M
Proptech startup Juniper Square announced Thursday that it has raised $25 million to fuel its software platform for commercial real estate investment firms. Over the last four years, the San Francisco-based startup has added more than 150 market-leading investment firms as customers, including Gaw Capital, PCCP, LLC, Rockpoint Group, Rockwood ...
Most Americans Moving Out of State Are Picking This Region
As home prices hit high all-time highs in 2018, many buyers found themselves looking for new — and apparently warmer — places to live, according to a new analysis by LendingTree. In its nationwide study that analyzed more than 2 million new purchase mortgage loan requests, LendingTree found that of ...
New Program Aims to Cultivate More Women in Real Estate
Direct portfolio lender Velocity Mortgage Capital recently announced an initiative to engage more women in real estate by incentivizing their participation. Based in Westlake, California, Velocity launched the WIRE initiative to “qualify self-employed real estate investors and small business owners who don’t fit the criteria for a traditional bank loan,” ...
Peek into the Crystal Ball: Five New Year Real Estate Predictions for 2019
As sure as lights and stockings will be hung each December, news outlets will prognosticate on what the coming year holds in store for its readers. And at Think Realty, it’s no different. In between sips of hot chocolate and caroling from office to office, we’ve been researching real estate ...
Trash the Tile: Paint on Backsplash Cuts Cost, Saves Time
If you’ve ever remodeled a kitchen, you know the pain — and steep cost — of replacing a backsplash. One St. Louis company, however, hopes to make a new backsplash as simple as painting it onto your wall, simplifying the process to a few hours. Established in 2006, Giani was ...
Five Proptech Data Platforms to Help Real Estate Investors Make Smart Decisions
Continuing our series on innovation in real estate to help investors, we now look at the proptech data tools within this booming industry. As a refresher, proptech — otherwise known as property technology that aims to improve the real estate market — is rapidly expanding throughout the U.S. In fact, ...
Study: Home Flipping Hit a Summer Slump in 2018
It may have been one of the hottest summers on record, but not for real estate investors flipping homes. U.S. home flipping was down about 12 percent in the third quarter of 2018 when compared to the same period in 2017, according to an analysis by ATTOM Data Solutions, a ...
The Housing Slowdown is Starting to Hit this U.S. Region Hardest
After nearly a decade of surging growth, the U.S. housing market is finally starting to slow down. New home sales have declined for 11 consecutive months, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Despite the median price for new homes dropping, the data also show that sales of newly ...
Renters Warehouse Acquires OwnAmerica, Creating ‘Total Solution’ for Real Estate Investors
One of the fastest-growing residential property management companies in America has acquired the second largest single-family rental investment marketplace in the nation. Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, Renters Warehouse on Tuesday announced its purchase of OwnAmerica, creating a new platform through which renters can find homes to lease, and investors can ...
Crime and Your Investment Strategy: Study Reveals Safest U.S. Cities in America
Regardless of familial status, the safety of an area is always high on prospective homebuyers’ priority list. That’s why a recent nationwide study by WalletHub should be on real estate investors’ minds before buying property in a market with which they’re unfamiliar. From cybercrime and home burglaries to the presence ...
Big Flip Potential? Here are the 25 Richest Counties in America
Real estate investors looking for top-dollar homes to flip can hone their prospects thanks to a recently released list of the richest counties in the U.S. There are many usual suspects on the list, however, a few areas might surprise you as areas with the highest wages doesn’t necessarily correspond ...
Wildfires Becoming a Serious Danger to More Homeowners
Weeks after wildfires in California decimated entire cities, killed 88 people and wreaked billions of dollars in losses, an investigation has revealed that an increasing number of Americans are living in and moving to areas facing serious fire risks. Even with the growing risks, millions of more Americans have ...
Study: 386,000 Homes Are at Risk of Coastal Flooding by 2050
If environmental and emissions trends hold steady, rising sea levels and typical annual flooding will put more than 386,000 homes at risk by 2050. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that by 2050, up to $106 billion worth of coastal property will likely be below sea level. That projection ...
With ‘Backyard’ Initiative, Airbnb Will Enter Homebuilding Space in 2019
After years of surging growth in the short-term rental space, Airbnb is looking ahead to diversify its offerings with the addition of home design and building services. Valued at roughly $38 billion, the Silicon Valley tech giant announced Thursday its new home building initiative titled “Backyard.” The company said it’s ...
Report Reveals a New Haven for the Youngest U.S. Homeowners
While Florida is still the top locale for the oldest U.S. homeowners, a new state is attracting the nation’s youngest homeowners, according to a recent study by Lending Tree. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau on the 100 largest metro areas in the United States, Lending Tree found that ...
Metal, Shades of Gray and Boomers: Master Bathroom Remodel Trends
Modernizing your master bathroom remains one of the most cost-effective room renovations to add value to your home. And thanks to a recent survey of 1,144 U.S. homeowners on Houzz, a variety of trends have emerged that might maximize the return on your bathroom redo. Here are six of those ...
Rehab Regrets: Four Common Rookie Mistakes to Avoid
Newbie real estate investors and homebuyers often are attracted to affordable homes that need repairs with the intention of revamping it to become their dream home. Rehab projects, however, can quickly grow nasty — and expensive — if you’re not realistic and prepared before you buy. Here are four things to consider before ...
How to Get Your Real Estate Website to Actually Rank on Google
Let’s go ahead and burst a bubble for those wanting a quick, easy avenue to a top ranking on Google: There isn’t one. Improving your site’s ranking and SEO, or search engine optimization, entails hard work and time. Furthermore, your website is but one approach — albeit an important one ...
Investors Eyeing Amazon HQ2 Opportunities Could Benefit from New Tax Provision
Real estate investors eyeing opportunities in the two cities Amazon selected for its massive HQ2 project might have an added incentive. Thanks to a provision in the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017, investors evaluating deals near Crystal City, Va., and Long Island City, N.Y. could avoid taxes on ...
The Amazon Effect: Interest in Crystal City, Long Island Properties Skyrockets
Only five days after reports that Amazon would split its highly-publicized HQ2 project into two cities, interest in Crystal City, Va., and Long Island City, N.Y. properties has surged. The online retail giant — which confirmed Tuesday that it actually will be building offices in the two locations — plans to ...
