Home buyers with mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration will soon see a rise in fees, the agency announced Monday.
The agency is raising its fees in an effort to try to recoup some of its depleted reserves*, which suffered from the rising number of home owners who defaulted on their mortgages. The agency also says it’s raising fees to try to encourage the return of more private capital to the market.
The agency is raising its fees in an effort to try to recoup some of its depleted reserves*, which suffered from the rising number of home owners who defaulted on their mortgages. The agency also says it’s raising fees to try to encourage the return of more private capital to the market.
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Nearly one in four working families spend more than half their income on housing costs, which includes utility costs, according to a new study by the Center for Housing Policy.
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Rents nationwide continue to be on the rise, increasing 2.4 percent in January compared to a year earlier, according to new data released by the Labor Department. Demand for rentals remains strong. The apartment vacancy rate fell to 5.2 percent, marking its lowest level in more than a decade.
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California’s attorney general has requested that the Federal Housing Finance Agency suspend foreclosure sales in the state for home owners with government-backed mortgages.
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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is alleging that Bank of America discriminated against home buyers with disabilities by imposing “unnecessary and burdensome requirements” on borrowers who relied on disability income to qualify for mortgages.
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REALTORS® work hard to help people buy and sell homes, while also dedicating their time and efforts to improve the quality of life in communities across the country. The National Association of REALTORS® recognizes these REALTORS® who devote themselves to volunteer service through REALTOR® Magazine’s Good Neighbor Awards, which is currently accepting applications.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its new and improved digital Plant Hardiness Zone Map in January. The digital map, the first update since 1990, lets users pinpoint the climate zone they live in and select plants for their landscaping most likely to survive the lowest temperature in their yard.
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Available through the REALTOR Benefits® Program, Lowe’s Program for REALTORS® is now even easier to use. The new site provides step-by-step instructions for setting-up and managing the free marketing program, and now offers a wider variety of customizable e-mail options.
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