It’s been mostly a “buyer’s market” in the majority of housing markets for the past few years, but more Americans are seeing home buyers’ power in home sales and negotiations soon slipping away.

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Low Appraisals Continue to Thwart Deals

Home appraisals coming in for lower than the agreed upon selling price of a home is making it difficult for some home buyers to take advantage of the market.
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Foreclosure sales are making up a bigger bulk of sales. In the first quarter of this year, sales of homes in some stage of foreclosure accounted for 26 percent of all residential sales, which is up from 22 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, according to RealtyTrac’s latest foreclosure report.
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The National Association of REALTORS® has rolled out a new series of television and radio ads spotlighting the value home ownership from a child’s point of view.
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More borrowers are shortening their mortgage terms, and are considering paying off their mortgage a possible feat. Record low interest rates has allowed more borrowers to refinance their loans from 30 years to 15- or 20-year terms.
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Home owners can expect to pay 15 percent to 20 percent more for vacation home insurance than they’re paying for their regular home, according to an article on HouseLogic. That’s if their insurer doesn’t get spooked by extended vacancies.
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A new study by the Brookings Institution found that the walkability of urban areas has a direct impact on real estate values and rents.
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