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☆ Buying a home? Here are some key steps to consider from top-ranked advisors
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-15 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Therefore, if you are looking to buy a home, there are certain steps you should take to prepare for the purchase, according to several advisors ranked in CNBC's 2024 Financial Advisor 100 List. 23 on the 2024 CNBC FA 100 list. 61 on the 2024 CNBC FA 100 list. 7 on the 2024 CNBC FA 100 list. 38 on the 2024 CNBC FA 100 list.

Persons: you'll, It's, Brian Brady, Stephen Cohn, Ron Brock, Shaun Williams, Ryan D, Dennehy, Bankrate, Realtor.com, Steven LaRosa, Williams, Angi, Brady, it's, Cohn Organizations: Obermeyer, Investment, CNBC, Sage Financial Group, Brock Investment, Paragon Capital Management, California Financial Advisors, Edgemoor Investment Locations: Aspen , Colorado, West Conshohocken , Pennsylvania, Indianapolis , Indiana, Denver , Colorado, California, San Ramon , California, Bethesda , Maryland, Florida

☆ Here's how natural disasters are shaping the buy-versus-rent decision in vulnerable states like Florida
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-13 | by ( Kelly Cloonan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Owning a home in high-climate risk states like Florida is becoming tougher amid rising costs. Experts say the next few years will be crucial for housing policy in the wake of severe climate disasters. On the one hand, buyers are facing rising costs as insurance premiums skyrocket. Still, a big advantage to owning a home is the ability to lock in housing costs. That's especially true after climate disasters, according to one study that looked at rent prices following hurricanes in US coastal states.

Persons: Hurricane Milton, homebuyers, Chen Zhao, Jung Hyun Choi, Choi, Katrina, Zhao Organizations: Service, Institute's, Finance Policy Center Locations: Florida, Hurricane, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, it's

☆ Homebuyers Have Hope With Lower Mortgage Rates, More Houses Available
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Wild swings in mortgage rates discouraged almost everyone from venturing out into the market. As I wrote earlier this year, a gummed-up housing market — the Ice Age I was talking about — is good for nobody. When mortgage rates hit multidecade lows during the pandemic, millions of people were able to snag or refinance their way into cheaper monthly costs. That'd be within spitting distance of what the experts at John Burns Research and Consulting, a housing-research firm, call the "magic mortgage rate." In other words, trying to predict mortgage rates — and buying or selling a home accordingly — is a fool's errand.

Persons: Green, that's, Skylar Olsen, everyone's, it's, there's, Fannie Mae, John Burns, they'd, Ralph McLaughlin, Olsen, Lawrence Yun, Altos, Mike Simonsen, Chen Zhao, Zhao, We're, Mark Palim, Palim Organizations: Federal Housing Finance Agency, Federal Reserve, John, John Burns Research, Consulting, National Association of Realtors, Altos Research, Builders, Sun Locations: Sun Belt, Midwest

☆ Falling home prices and fed-up residents show the Texas housing boom is slowing
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-05 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The Texas housing market has cooled after a frenzy of activity during the pandemic. The shift in attitudes is an indicator for the state's housing market, which boomed during the pandemic. Median home prices in Texas have fallen around 7% from their highs in mid-2022, according to data from Redfin. The decline is an outlier compared to the broader US housing market, which is still prices hovering around record highs. But those issues are minor relative to things like economic growth and housing affordability, Fairweather says, which she described as two of the biggest factors that could determine if the Texas housing market picks back up.

Persons: Austin, —, Peter Hoholick, Roe, Wade, Hoholick, it's, James Willoughby, Willoughby, he's, Redfin, William Wheeler, Price, Daryl Fairweather, " Fairweather, Fairweather, they're, Samuel Cobb, couldn't, Cobb, hasn't, We're Organizations: Lone Star, Service, Texas —, Lone Star State, realtors, Texas, Census Bureau, . Texas realtors, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BI Locations: Texas, Austin, California, Dallas, Amarillo, Florida , Texas, LendingTree, Fort Worth, Arlington, East Texas

☆ Redfin CEO: Inventory will be the gating factor for home sales in 2025
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailRedfin CEO: Inventory will be the gating factor for home sales in 2025Glenn Kelman, Redfin CEO, joins 'Money Movers' to discuss Kelman's view of the housing market in September, the magic rate number that could get homebuyers back into the market, and what it'll take for more inventory to hit the market.

Persons: Glenn Kelman, Redfin

☆ Red hot refinance demand retreats after tiny bump higher in mortgage rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-02 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Mortgage rates moved ever so slightly higher last week, but it was enough to take a little heat out of what had been a briefly red hot refinance market. That caused total mortgage application volume to fall 1.3% for the week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's seasonally adjusted index. The rate was 139 basis points higher the same week one year ago. As a result, mortgage rates were up modestly," said Mike Fratantoni, MBA's SVP and chief economist in a release. Mortgage rates moved very slightly lower again to start this week, as bond yields dipped following escalations in the bombing in the Middle East conflict.

Persons: Mike Fratantoni, Fratantoni Organizations: Mortgage, MBA's

☆ Real estate fees settlement created 'a new competitive ballgame,’ expert says. Here's what buyers, sellers need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-01 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

New rules on buying and selling homes are in play, now that a settlement from a class-action lawsuit has taken effect. At the time of listing a property, the home seller negotiated with the listing agent what the compensation would be for a buyer's agent, which appeared on the MLS. "Now, the buyer chooses how much the buyer's agent makes, the sellers choose how much the seller's agents make," Glenn Kelman, CEO of online real estate brokerage firm Redfin, told CNBC. Any confusion around the new practices among agents and consumers will likely be temporary, said Kerry Melcher, head of real estate at Opendoor. "Real estate agents are good at moving the market," she said.

Persons: brokerages, TikTok It's, Glenn Kelman, Kerry Melcher Organizations: National Association of Realtors, MLS, Finance, CNBC Locations: U.S, Opendoor

☆ US homes are turning over at the lowest rate in 30 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

That's the lowest turnover rate the market has seen in at least three decades, the firm estimated. Elevated mortgage rates and home prices have been keeping some buyers on the sidelines. That's the lowest turnover rate for any first-eight-month period in at least 30 years, the firm said, comparing the current housing environment to the early- to mid-90s. In that era, home sales were at similar levels, though the total supply of homes was larger, which drove a higher turnover rate, the report added. Homes sales, meanwhile, could notch 4.3 million by the end of the year, a 5% boost from last year's levels, it added.

Persons: —, Elijah de la, Freddie Mac Organizations: Service, San Locations: Redfin, Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco

☆ A new report from Redfin shows how stuck the housing market really is
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

A rate cut by the Federal Reserve this month has fueled hopes that the interest rate-sensitive housing market will soon experience a fresh jolt. “What this data tells us is that the housing market in 2024 has been really frozen,” said Chen Zhao, Redfin’s economic research lead. Zhao said a market where 30 to 40 of every 1,000 homes changed hands would signify a healthier housing landscape. “That very low inventory on the market was one of the primary drivers of there being so little turnover.”A shortage of new home construction also contributed to America’s sluggish housing market. “Getting to a healthy housing market is very hard from this point,” Zhao said.

Persons: ”, Chen Zhao, “, Zhao, Redfin, —, Jeremiah Vancans, Vancans, ’, Patrick Chamberlin, Chamberlin, Freddie Mac, it’s, ” Zhao, we’ve Organizations: CNN, Federal Reserve, California ., “, Boston, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, National Association of Realtors Locations: —, Redfin, California, California . Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Austin , Texas, The Texas, Sun Belt, New York City, Phoenix

☆ When a millennial moved to Detroit from SF, he bought a home and opened a coffee shop. He said that would have been impossible on the West Coast.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-28 | by ( John Towfighi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

David Valdez, 35, moved to Detroit from San Francisco in 2018. Valdez moved to Detroit for better job opportunities and to be with his partner, Juna Durrant, who is from Michigan. In San Francisco, Valdez said he worked two jobs and lived with roommates just to get by. At the time, Valdez worked at various cafés in Detroit, including Astro, a coffee shop in the historic Corktown neighborhood. "If I stayed in San Francisco, I wouldn't even begin to try to open a coffee shop," Valdez said.

Persons: David Valdez, he's, Valdez, —, I've, Juna Durrant, Durrant, Detroit Valdez, San, California Valdez, refinanced Organizations: Service, Census Bureau, Starbucks, Astro, Business, David Locations: Detroit, San Francisco, Michigan, California, Mexico City, Alba, Mexican, David Valdez, ProsperUs, Corktown

☆ A record number of apartments are getting built this year. That's great news for real estate affordability.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-28 | by ( Kelly Cloonan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US will see construction completed on a record number of apartments this year. The Sun Belt region in particular is seeing this dynamic play out. The US will see construction on a record number of apartments completed this year. They're now seeing rent prices fall, or at least remain stagnant as the rest of the nation lags behind. That means the market will eventually balance itself in the next few years, which will lead rent prices to once again rise, she said.

Persons: —, Laurie Goodman, Goodman, Austin, Chen Zhao, Zhao Organizations: Service, Housing Finance, Center, Urban Institute, Sun, metros, Dallas, Harvard Locations: Dallas, New York, Austin

☆ The housing market is seeing its biggest logjam since before the pandemic
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The housing market is in the midst of its biggest slowdown since the pandemic, according to Redfin. Homes stayed on the market for the longest in West Palm Beach, Florida, with listings taking a median 79 days before being sold. That was followed by Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Jacksonville, Florida, where homes stayed on the market for a median 75 and 65 days respectively. Seattle was the hottest housing market in the nation last month, with homes staying on the market for a median of 12 days, per Redfin's report. "Anyone who has been paying attention to the housing market over the past few years knows that desirable homes sell right away," Fairweather said.

Persons: It's, Darryl Fairweather, Redfin's, " Fairweather, Redfin Organizations: Business, . Homes, Federal Reserve, Buyers Locations: Towns, Florida, Texas, Palm Beach , Florida, Fort Lauderdale , Florida, Jacksonville , Florida, Seattle, Indianapolis , Indiana, Warren , Michigan

☆ It's not a great fall housing market, but this is 'as good as it gets,' economist says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

While housing affordability remains a challenge for many buyers in the U.S., conditions are somewhat improving due to lower mortgage rates. Buyers need to earn $115,000 to afford the typical home in the U.S., according to a new report by Redfin, an online real estate brokerage firm. Both declines stem from lower mortgage rates, said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin. "The only reason mortgage payments are down is because of the rate effect," Fairweather said. While housing overall continues to be unaffordable for most buyers, "this is as good as it gets," said Orphe Divounguy, senior economist at Zillow, as the market is generally seeing lower mortgage rates, more inventory and low buyer competition.

Persons: Redfin, Daryl Fairweather, Freddie Mac, Fairweather, Orphe Divounguy Organizations: Finance, Federal Reserve, Vanguard Locations: U.S

☆ Buying a home just got more affordable for the first time in 4 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Kelly Cloonan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The income homebuyers need to afford the typical home just saw its first annual decline since 2020. That decline comes as mortgage rates have steadily dipped, a Redfin report says. Homebuyers now need an annual income of $115,454 to afford the median priced home of $433,101. That follows years of declining affordability as mortgage rates soared after hitting historic lows in 2020. The 30-year mortgage rate saw its first annual decline in three years last month, falling to 6.5% from 7.07% the year prior.

Persons: —, Homebuyers Organizations: Service, Business

☆ Why housing affordability could be a key issue for swing state voters in November, according to Redfin
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-22 | by ( Kelly Cloonan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The report says median asking rents in swing states have shot up almost 24% since 2020, with especially big increases in key states like Michigan. As rent prices have climbed, housing affordability remains stretched. AdvertisementThat's a $10,365 difference, meaning renters in swing states earn 17% less than they need to afford the typical apartment. "America's swing state voters will decide the outcome of the next presidential election based on the candidates' plans for tackling key issues including the housing affordability crisis," Fairweather said. In July, Redfin found the median monthly housing payment in swing states has nearly doubled in the last four years, rising by 92% to reach a record high of $2,161.

Persons: —, Redfin, Daryl Fairweather, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Harris, Trump, Fairweather Organizations: Service, Business, Midwest Locations: Michigan, Arizona , Nevada , Wisconsin , Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona

☆ From mortgages to auto loans, experts weigh in on when — or if — to refinance as interest rates fall
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

So, home loan rates may continue to fluctuate. Don't wait to reassess credit card debtWhen it comes to credit card debt, the math is a little more cut-and-dried. In the wake of the rate hike cycle, the average credit card rate rose from 16.34% in March 2022 to more than 20% today — nearing an all-time high. watch nowAlternatively, borrowers can call their card issuer and ask for a lower interest rate on their current card. Auto loan refinancing options depend on equityAlthough auto loans are fixed, the rates on new-car loans will come down with the Fed's moves.

Persons: Jacob Channel, Matt Schulz, Schulz, you've, Ivan Drury, Edmunds Organizations: Treasury, LendingTree, Auto

☆ 9 cities where lower mortgage rates are actually pushing home prices more than 10% higher
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Christine Ji | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewHomebuyers may have breathed a premature sigh of relief last month when mortgage rates dropped. In the last six weeks, mortgage rates have fallen over half a percentage point to 6.2%, according to Freddie Mac. AdvertisementAccording to Redfin Senior Economist Sheharyar Bokhari, prices are increasing because the drop in mortgage rates has spurred demand for houses while supply remains low. Year-over-year, prices rose in almost every one of the top 50 metro areas. Below are the 9 cities where home prices have risen the most in the last year, increasing at double-digit rates.

Persons: —, Freddie Mac, it's, Sheharyar, Bokhari, Skylar Olsen, homebuyers, Olsen, Austin — Organizations: Service, Fed, Business, Redfin Locations: San Antonio

☆ The Fed is poised for its first rate cut in years, but it may be too soon to refinance your mortgage
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Federal Reserve is poised to make its first interest rate cut in years on Wednesday. While mortgage rates are partly influenced by the Fed's policy, they are also tied to Treasury yields and the economy. Home loan rates have already started to come down in recent weeks, slightly induced in part by favorable economic data and indications the Fed could cut rates. As of Thursday, Sept. 12, the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage in the U.S. was 6.20%, according to Freddie Mac data via the Fed. "It's almost impossible to figure out what mortgage rates are going to do from week to week or month to month," Ostrowski said.

Persons: Chen Zhao, Freddie Mac, Jeff Ostrowski, Ostrowski Organizations: Federal, CNBC, Treasury, Finance Locations: Redfin, U.S

☆ The Fed’s rate cuts could have unintended consequences for the housing market
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The market had become all but impenetrable after mortgage rates went from historic lows in 2020 to their highest levels in a generation last year. “And I think if we even go down to 5.9%, that would be really psychologically impactful to the housing market. The current 6.2% mortgage rate average is, of course, preferable to last year’s peak of 7.8% — a difference that could translate to hundreds of dollars in monthly payments. As my colleague Samantha Delouya wrote this week, a drop in mortgage rates could be a double-edged sword. “A further drop in mortgage rates could bring a surge of demand that makes it tougher to actually buy a house.”

Persons: ” Daniel Alpert, Alpert, “, ” Daryl Fairweather, Samantha Delouya, ”, Greg McBride Organizations: New, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Westwood Capital, Fed, Bankrate Locations: New York

Read previewOn Monday, Amazon mandated corporate workers return to the office five days a week beginning January 2nd. AdvertisementHere's a list, in alphabetical order, of major companies requiring employees to return to offices. BlackRockLast year, BlackRock mandated employees return to the office four days a week. MetaMeta updated its remote work policies in September 2023, requiring employees to head into the office three days a week. AdvertisementWalmartAlong with slashing hundreds of jobs, Walmart also asked previously remote employees in the US to move to offices.

Persons: —, Goldman Sachs, Andy Jassy, We've, Jassy, Insider's Ashley Stewart, It's, Apple's, Tim Cook, Rob Goldstein, Caroline Heller, Chipotle, Bob Iger, Iger, signees, David Solomon, Fortune, Fiona Cicconi, Arvind Krishna, Jamie Dimon, Redfin, Glenn Kelman, Salesforce Salesforce, Marc Benioff, Howard Schultz, Schultz, Tesla, Elon Musk, nodded, Musk, X, Yao Yue, Yue, Dara Khosrowshahi Organizations: Service, JPMorgan, Business, Amazon, Apple, BlackRock, Hudson, Bloomberg, Citigroup Citigroup, HSBC Holding Plc, Barclays, Citigroup, Reuters, Disney, The Washington Post, CNBC, Google, San Francisco Bay Area, IBM IBM, IBM, Meta Meta, Frisco, San Francisco Standard, Engineers, Starbucks, Elon, Twitter, National Labor Relations, Walmart, Street Journal Locations: Seattle, New York City, San Francisco Bay, San Francisco, Dallas , Atlanta, Toronto, Arkansas, New Jersey

☆ Home buyers are holding their breath for rate cuts as existing home sales plunge to lowest since the pandemic
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-18 | by ( Kelly Cloonan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Existing home sales in August reached their lowest level since May 2020, according to Redfin. Redfin says buyers are waiting to see if mortgage rates fall further as the Fed cuts interest rates. Go to newsletter preferences Thanks for signing up! AdvertisementBuyers are back on the sidelines as they wait to see if mortgage rates fall further after , a Redfin report shows. That's the lowest level since the pandemic stalled home sales in May 2020, and discounting that month, it's the lowest level on record since 2012.

Persons: Redfin, — Organizations: Service, Business

One out of 4 of the 31,000 homeowners in the coastal parish live there without homeowners insurance — one of the highest percentages in the United States. Across the country, 13.4% of homeowners — about 1 in 8 — are unprotected by homeowners insurance, according to an NBC News analysis of new Census Bureau data. It’s a double-edged sword.”The Census Bureau data shows how many homeowners pay less than $100 — or nothing at all — for homeowners insurance. According to the Census Bureau survey, which was taken in 2023, 20.8% of homeowners without mortgages also lack meaningful homeowners insurance. Among mortgage-holders, 8.5% don’t have meaningful homeowners insurance — and while banks require owners with mortgages to have homeowners insurance, gaps in coverage do happen.

Persons: Hurricane Francine, “, ”, Shannon Martin, you’re, Martin, ” Martin, Mark Friedlander, ” Friedlander, There’s, Daryl Fairweather, Redfin’s, ” Fairweather Organizations: NBC, Bankrate, Insurance Information Institute, “ Insurance Locations: Louisiana’s Terrebonne Parish, United States

The median house price in the U.S. is now 5.8 times more than the median annual income of $80,000. That was, after all, the median price for a house in the area at the time. Jonathan OchartThe median price of a home in Los Angeles county is just under $960,000, according to Zillow listings data. It's just not a level playing field," says Ochart about the income now needed to afford a home. In Grand Rapids, median home prices were on the rise before the pandemic and then soared 54% from 2020 to $285,000 in June 2024, according to Zillow sales data.

Persons: Kelcie Lesko, Tim Khalil, Lesko, Khalil, they'll, Gen Xers, What's, — there's, they're, Daryl Fairweather, Kelly Diehr, homebuyers, you'd, Diehr, Jonathan Ochart, Ochart, It's, Timothy Ham, Timothy Ham couldn't, Ham, you've, That's, boomer, it's, Lawrence Yun, Millennials, Ramit Sethi, Rich, Brad Klontz, homebuying Organizations: CNBC, Homes, LA, National Association of Realtors, NAR Locations: New Jersey, Monmouth County, North Brunswick, Lesko, homeownership, U.S, Denver, Brazil, Los Angeles and New York, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Antonio, Texas, LA, Boise , Idaho, Tacoma , Washington, Grand Rapids , Michigan, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo

☆ Here’s what you should know about buying a home ahead of a likely interest rate cut
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

While the Fed doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, its actions affect borrowing costs throughout the economy. The most apparent effect: An interest rate cut could help ease the upward pressure on mortgage rates, making one piece of the homebuying equation more affordable. Most investors are betting that the Fed will cut its benchmark interest rate by just a quarter-point on Wednesday. Some financial advisers counsel to wait until you can get a mortgage rate that is a full percentage point below the rate you’re already paying, said Fairweather. “If you got a 7.5% mortgage rate, you may already be in the money to refinance,” she said.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Daryl Fairweather, Redfin’s, “, it’s, Fairweather, We’re, Greg McBride, “ It’s, Leo Pareja Organizations: CNN, Federal Reserve, homebuyers, National Association of Realtors, Bankrate, eXp Realty Locations: Wells, ”

☆ The states where rent is going up the fastest — and the slowest
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

States such as Maine, New Mexico, and Utah have seen the largest percent increases in median gross rent — which includes rent and utility costs — between 2022 and 2023. The median housing cost for renters increased from $1,354 to $1,406 during this period. The census data covers increases between 2022 and 2023, and more recent data shows that cost growth has continued this year. According to national Redfin data, rents increased slightly nationwide in September 2024 compared to the year prior, at 0.9%, and are now $1,645 for all rental sizes. The ACS reveals some racial inequities among cost-burdened households.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Survey, Business, DC Locations: Maine, New Mexico, Utah, Hawaii, Washington, Florida, Mississippi, Alaska, New York, Raleigh, Fort Worth, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Florida , Nebraska, Vermont, Alaska , Delaware, Georgia, Pennsylvania

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