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☆ Home flipping and BRRRR are back: Interest rate cuts are set to fuel a resurgence in the real-estate investing strategies, says BiggerPockets' housing-market guru
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-04 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewHome flipping and the BRRRR method have been in the doghouse among much of the real-estate investing community over the last couple of years. As the Federal Reserve jacked up interest rates and home prices cooled off, warnings about the viability of these strategies abounded. But now, the popular strategies are due for a resurgence, according to Dave Meyer, BiggerPockets' housing market expert. Related storiesOne piece of evidence for this is that home flipping profits have generally been on the rise since the start of 2023 and jumped significantly in Q1 2024, according to real-estate data firm ATTOM. Further, he argues, the housing market is not as volatile as the stock market, and it's rare to see forced selling on a grand scale, he said.

Persons: —, Dave Meyer, BiggerPockets, Meyer, he's bullish, there's, it's, Skylar Olsen, she's Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Business, ATTOM, Labor

Last week, 30-year mortgage rates averaged 6.28%, and they're even lower today, according to Zillow data. What does this mean for mortgage rates? See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. As inflation slows and the Federal Reserve is able to start cutting the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to trend down as well.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, ARM Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates are down in response to the labor market slowing. Average 30-year mortgage rates are now hovering in the low 6% range, according to Zillow data, the lowest they've been since January 2024. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. This is a significant slowdown compared when it peaked at 9.1% in 2022, which means mortgage rates should start trending down soon. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: U.S, Chevron

As the Fed lowers rates, mortgage rates are expected to go down. "Mortgage rates declined to their lowest level since early February," Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's chief economist, said in a press release. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Barely Tick Down (-0.05%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 5.55%, five basis points lower than last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Jerome Powell, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, It's, refinance, they've Organizations: Reserve, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates are often indirectly impacted by changes to the federal funds rate, and as the Fed starts lowering its benchmark rate, mortgage rates are expected to go down as well. This means that as long as inflation continues to ease, mortgage rates should drop further this year. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates fell to 6.07% last week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates increased dramatically over the last two years, but they're expected to go down at some point this year.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Zillow, Federal Reserve Locations: Chevron

See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThe average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.78% last week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 6.07%, a two-basis-point increase from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates started ticking up from historic lows in the second half of 2021 and increased over three percentage points in 2022. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: they've, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors, Zillow Locations: Chevron

☆ Housing affordability is 'moving in the right direction,' economist says. Here's what to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-30 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A slight decrease in mortgage rates in the month of June definitely helped buyers, said Yun. Housing affordability is improving ever so modestly, but it is moving in the right direction. While there's still an affordability challenge broadly, conditions are "moving towards a more neutral market," Orphe Divounguy, a senior economist at Zillow. Total housing inventory registered at the end of June was 1.32 million units, up 3.1% from May and 23.4% from a year ago, according to NAR. Competition is easing fastest in the South, where all major southern markets except Dallas and Raleigh are either neutral or buyer-friendly, according to the June 2024 Zillow Housing Market Report.

Persons: Yun, Freddie Mac, Lawrence Yun, Chen Zhao, there's, Selma Hepp Organizations: Sdi, CNBC, Investors, National Association of Realtors, Zillow Locations: Redfin, Dallas, Raleigh

Mortgage rates are down from where they've been in recent months, with 30-year mortgage rates hovering just below 6.5%, according to Zillow data. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThe average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.78% this week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.07% this week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a two-basis-point increase from the previous week. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit.

Persons: they've, Freddie Mac Organizations: Federal Reserve, Mortgage Bankers Association, Zillow, Fed Locations: Chevron

☆ More than half of American renters who want to buy a home fear they’ll never afford one
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Matthew Egan | Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Among those same renters who can’t afford to buy a home right now, 54% think it’s unlikely they’ll ever be able to, the poll found. The CNN poll found that 90% of renters younger than 45 say they’d like to buy but can’t afford it, compared with 79% of those age 45 and above. Most adults (53%) younger than 45 who want to buy but can’t afford it believe it’s at least somewhat likely they’ll eventually be able to buy a home. Among renters who want to buy but can’t afford it, 40% say the biggest barrier is saving for a down payment, according to the CNN poll. Seventy percent of Americans call owning a home essential to achieving the American dream, the CNN poll found.

Persons: SSRS, Brent Bjornsen, ” Bjornsen, Hurricane Harvey, We’re, ”, Baby, ’ Jeremy Andersson, Millennials, ” Andersson, “, Andersson, I’m, “ I’m, Zillow, they’ll, they’d, “ I’ve, “ It’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, Baby Boomers, Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors, Covid Locations: New York, United States, America, Phoenix , Arizona, Houston, Atlanta , Georgia

This could cause mortgage rates to move up or down slightly. If Fed officials signal that they could start lowering the federal funds rate soon, mortgage rates could ease. This would remove a lot of the upward pressure off of mortgage rates and allow them to trend down. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments.

Persons: Fannie Mae Organizations: Zillow, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, ARM Locations: Chevron

☆ These homeowners are ‘hacking’ their pools and lawns to earn extra cash
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Now, newer offerings allow homeowners to rent out portions of their homes on an even shorter-term basis, often by the hour. One of these platforms is Swimply, an online marketplace for private pool rentals that launched in 2020, just as the pandemic halted travel and more people looked to get their kicks locally. Peer-to-peer rental marketplaces of all kinds have popped up: RentMyCourt (private tennis and pickleball court rentals), SniffSpot (backyard rentals for dogs), CurbFlip (driveway and parking space rentals) and Vanly (driveway and shower rentals for people traveling in camper vans or RVs). Younger homebuyers are keenly aware of the opportunity to offset their expenses with extra cash. While the extra income is a focus for many homeowners, some participating in this budding industry say they’ve found something unexpected: community.

Persons: Alexis Hammond, ” Hammond, Hammond, she’s, it’s, Kellie Finch, Michael Kukuk, Kukuk, “, ” Swimply, ” Derek Callow, homebuyers, Peerspace, Rony Chammas, they’ve, Leslie Garabedian's, Stevie, Eddie, Leslie Garabedian Leslie Garabedian, West, ”, Garabedian, ” Garabedian Organizations: CNN, Baltimore, Baltimore Ravens, SniffSpot Locations: Peerspace, Houston, West Caldwell , New Jersey

Mortgage rates have been prohibitively high this year for many would-be homebuyers. But as mortgage affordability improves throughout the next few months, more buyers should be able to find a home and mortgage payment that fits their budget. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. This is a significant slowdown compared when it peaked at 9.1% in 2022, which means mortgage rates should start trending down soon. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Climate change is gentrifying neighborhoods. In Miami, residents fear high prices — and a lost soul
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-27 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +16 min

Part of the building site of the Magic City development in Little Haiti. Among the properties is Sixty Uptown Magic City, billed as a collection of luxury residential units. Plaza Equity Partners, a real estate developer and one of the Magic City partners, did not respond to CNBC's requests for comment. Magic City development site in Little Haiti. Magic City investors also invested $31 million in the Little Haiti Revitalization Trust, created and administered by the City of Miami to support community revitalization in Little Haiti.

Persons: Greg Iacurci, Greg Iacurci MIAMI — Nicole Crooks, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis, Overtown, Crooks, Nicole Crooks, Carl Gershenson, Gershenson, Moody's, Robert Zangrillo, Princeton's Gershenson, Andrew Rumbach, Chris Rogers, Rumbach, Brown, Fredericka Brown, Carolyn Donaldson, Greg Iacurci Carolyn Donaldson, Donaldson, David Arditi, Greg Iacurci Flood, Arditi, homebuyers, Han Li, Richard J, Grant, Todd Crowl, Urban Institute Paulette Richards, Richards, who's, Carl Juste, Greg Iacurci Carl Juste's, — Viter, Maria Juste, Little, Little Haiti —, " Juste, Juste, Neil Fairman Organizations: Lyric, Greg Iacurci MIAMI, Catalyst Miami, Princeton University Eviction, Magic City, Liberty City —, Dade, Harvard University, Florida International University, Magic City Innovation, Dragon, Miami ZIP, Liberty City, Miami, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Urban Institute, Marshall Fire, Photodisc, Georgia Institute of Technology, Brookings Institution, Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, Macedonia Missionary Baptist, Grove Rights, Community Equity, Development, Developers, City, Aria Development, Federal Emergency Management Agency, University of Miami, Florida International University Institute of Environment, Women, Leadership Miami, Little Haiti, Magic City Innovation District, Dragon Global, Magic, Plaza Equity Partners, Lune, Lambert, Little Haiti Revitalization Trust Locations: Miami's Overtown, Miami, Overtown , Miami, Magic, Little Haiti, U.S, Zillow, Overtown, Allapattah, Liberty, Dade County, Kendall, West Palm, Delray, Honolulu, Louisville , Colorado, Colorado, Coconut Grove, Macedonia, West, West Grove, Bahamas, Grove, City of Miami, Brickell, Caribbean, Liberty City, Haitian Diaspora, Magic City, Lune Rouge

It's also looking increasingly likely that mortgage rates will drop even further in the coming months. As inflation continues to slow and the Fed is able to start lowering the federal funds rate, mortgage rates should trend down. This will remove some of the upward pressure off of mortgage rates and allow them to fall a bit. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. Mortgage Rates for Buying a Home30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Inch Up (+0.08%)The current average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.38%, up eight basis points from where it was this time last week, according to Zillow data.

Persons: It's, you'll, refinance, they've Organizations: Commerce Department, Federal, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

☆ Defining a buyer's market 'is always a bit tricky,' real estate expert says: 4 signs to monitor
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Despite those headwinds, some indicators show the housing market is shifting away from a seller's market. That doesn't mean it's a buyer's market — yet: "The term buyer's market is always a bit tricky to work with," said Chen Zhao, the economic research lead at Redfin, an online real estate brokerage firm. There are "rules of thumb" to define a buyer's market, like having more than four months of supply, she said. "We're still nationwide somewhat in a seller's market, not a buyer's market yet," he said. Here are four signs that can help you recognize if the housing market in your area is more in buyers' favor: 1.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Chen Zhao, Zhao, they're, We're, Daryl Fairweather, Redfin, Julie Zubiate, Selma Hepp, Sellers Organizations: National Association of Realtors, NAR, Federal, Zillow, CNBC, Finance, Sdi, San Francisco Bay Area Locations: U.S, Redfin, San Francisco Bay

☆ Starter homes cost more than $1 million in a record 237 cities
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Typical starter homes are worth at least $1 million in a record 237 US cities, Zillow reported. Nearly half of these cities are in California, with New York and New Jersey also heavily represented. AdvertisementA record number of US cities now have typical starter homes worth at least $1 million, Zillow reported. On average, homebuyers can find seven-figure starter properties in 237 metros, the firm said, a considerable jump from where values stood five years ago. Zillow defined typical starter homes as properties in the lower third of values.

Persons: —, Zillow Organizations: Service, metros, Business Locations: California, New York, New Jersey

☆ A $1 million starter home is now the norm in more than 200 US cities
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

A Thursday report from Zillow indicates that a typical starter home is now worth $1 million or more in 237 cities, up from 84 cities in 2019, underscoring America’s ongoing home affordability crisis. “We see the largest number of million-dollar starter homes in expensive coastal markets. To further complicate things for first-time buyers, the value of starter homes has grown at a faster pace than the average home. According to Zillow, starter home values have grown 54.1% over the past five years, while the average US home has increased by 49.1%. The nationwide average price tag for a starter home is $196,611, according to Zillow.

Persons: underscoring, ” Orphe, “, It’s, homebuyer, Zillow, Jeffrey Jenkins, Divounguy, “ That’s, ”, Lawrence Yun Organizations: CNN, Gallup, National Association of Realtors, University of Southern Locations: Zillow, California , New York, New Jersey, University of Southern California, United States

The summer is usually a peak time for the housing market, but rising prices and still-high mortgage rates have kept demand relatively low. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week's average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.78%, according to Freddie Mac. Mortgage rates increased dramatically over the last two years, but they're expected to go down at some point this year.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors, Zillow Locations: Chevron

Average 30-year mortgage rates continue to hover in the mid-6% range after dropping earlier this month, according to Zillow data. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThe average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.77% last week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 6.05%, a 12-basis-point decrease from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: homebuyers, myFICO, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates haven't moved much in recent days, with average 30-year mortgage rates sticking around 6.51% so far this week, according to Zillow data. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.05% this week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a 12-basis-point decrease from the previous week. As inflation comes down and the Federal Reserve is able to start cutting the federal funds rate, mortgage rates should fall further as well. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit.

Persons: Lawrence Yun, Freddie Mac Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Fed Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates are up slightly today but they remain below their early-July highs. Mortgage rates are expected to trend down throughout the remainder of 2024 as long as inflation continues to slow. As mortgage rates drop, borrowers with rates in the 7% or 8% range should be able to save money by refinancing. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. As inflation slows and the Federal Reserve is able to start cutting the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to trend down as well.

Persons: Fannie Mae Organizations: Zillow, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, ARM Locations: Chevron

☆ A New Hampshire couple who wants to retire by age 35 shares the 'house-hacking' strategy that's grown their net worth to over $800,000
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewIn 2019, at the age of 23, Lauren Simpson and her husband Ian decided to pursue an ambitious goal: retire by age 35. The rest is from the equity they've built in four properties they've purchased over the last three years: one primary residence and three rental properties. These properties also provide the couple with rental income that they put toward their savings. When someone buys a second home or investment property, mortgage lenders often require a downpayment of at least 10%. In addition to buying investment properties, Simpson said she and Ian have done whatever they can to grow their savings.

Persons: —, Lauren Simpson, Ian, Simpson, Roth, they've, New Hampshire — Simpson, we've Organizations: Service, Business, FIRE, Roth IRA, baseball Locations: New Hampshire, Florida, —

☆ The worst may be over for homebuyers
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-23 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But there are now signs that maybe, just maybe, the worst could be over for homebuyers. “June, in particular, has started to show the housing market slowing down in favor of buyers,” said Skylar Olsen, Zillow’s chief economist. While the Fed doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, its actions do influence borrowing costs throughout the economy. For the past two years, potential homebuyers have faced a double whammy of high prices and high mortgage rates. “We’re sitting today at probably, if not the worst affordability ever, really close to the worst affordability ever — so we almost have nowhere to go but up,” Sharga said.

Persons: ”, Skylar Olsen, Green, Rick Sharga, CJ Patrick Company, “ We’re, ” Sharga, “, ” Olsen, “ That’s, Sharga, Leslie Heindel, ” Heindel Organizations: CNN, homebuyers, Federal Reserve, Fed, Reserve, CJ, Homes, Wall Street Locations: New Orleans

You can find foreclosed properties for sale on online listing sites or in your local newspaper. Often, you can browse foreclosed properties in your area using the same methods you would to buy a regular home, such as online listing sites like Zillow. Foreclosed properties owned by the government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can also be found online. Fannie Mae's program for Fannie-owned foreclosed properties is called HomePath, while Freddie Mac's is called HomeSteps. Just be prepared for repair costs, as many foreclosed properties need significant updates before they're habitable.

Persons: they're, they'd, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae's, Freddie Mac's, you'd, Kofi Nartey, it's Organizations: Fannie, HUD, REO Locations: Chevron

☆ A millennial couple overcame 3 challenges turning a ruined chapel into a $250-a-night Airbnb. Take a look.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-22 | by ( Maria Noyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

"We were like, 'Oh, look at that cute little church," O'Mara, a 39-year-old real-estate agent, told Business Insider. AdvertisementThey didn't think of the chapel again until O'Mara stumbled upon it when scanning real-estate listings for work. The Dunnigans turned the chapel into an event space and an Airbnb that they said brings in $40,000 in revenue a year. The chapel was built by volunteers in the early 1900s to be a place of worship for Norwegian-speaking Lutherans. Paulette Hagen Simple Website CreationsThey then found a local contractor whose father had built church altars.

Persons: —, O'Mara, Adam Dunnigan, " O'Mara, Adam, Dunnigans, Paulette Hagen, wouldn't, Adam's, they've, — O'Mara Organizations: Service, Detroit, Business Locations: Detroit Lakes , Minnesota, Minnesota, Fargo , North Dakota, Minneapolis, Audubon, Detroit Lakes, Portugal

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