Last week's economic reports included readings from the National Association of Home Builders on housing market conditions, housing starts and building permits issued. Consumer sentiment was reported along with weekly readings on mortgage rates and new jobless claims. NAHB: Builder Confidence Rises in May, Housing Starts Increase in April The National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index posted its highest reading in seven months in May as headwinds facing home construction waned. Lower mortgage rates were a positive sign. May's reading rose three points to 66; component … [Read More...]
Are you the type of real estate investor that has an interest in a treasure hunt? A real estate investment strategy based on hard money is, at its core, a treasure hunt. There must be an underlying value, the "treasure," for a hard money opportunity to exist. Collateral For A Hard Money Loan Is Only The Property Hard money loans rely only on the value of the real estate property for collateral. The credit history of the borrower is not important. Usually, the limit for a hard money loan is a 60% loan-to-value. The hard money loan must be in the first position, as a first mortgage lien on the … [Read More...]
The National Association of Home Builders reported the highest builder confidence reading in seven months for May. May's reading exceeded expectations for an index reading of 64 and rose three points to 67. Component readings for the main NAHB reading were also higher. Builder confidence in current housing market conditions rose three points to 72; confidence in housing market conditions for the next six months rose one point to 72 and the reading for buyer traffic in single-family housing developments rose two points to 49. Any reading over 50 indicates most builders are positive about … [Read More...]
For those who have not taken a look at the innovative technology that is now used to make artificial grass, they will be surprised at how realistic some of the newest products look when compared to living grass. Installing artificial grass, which is high quality, does not come cheap. Prices range from $8 to $14 per square foot. However, this investment may pay off well because of improved resale value, low monthly water bills, and other benefits. The best artificial grass can last up to 25 years with little to no maintenance. Here is a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the most … [Read More...]
Last week's economic news included readings on job openings and inflation. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released. April Inflation Falls Short of Expectations The Consumer Price Index for April fell by 0.10 percent to 0.30 percent. Analysts expected a reading of 0.40 percent, which hatched the March reading. The Core Consumer Price Index excludes volatile food and fuel sectors; core inflation grew by 0.10 percent in April, which matched the March reading and fell short of the expected growth rate of 0.20 percent. The Federal Reserve has set an annual … [Read More...]
Real estate agents, who are successful, know that getting listings is the life energy of their business. It is boring to sit around waiting for a new client to call. It is expensive to spend extraordinary amounts of money on general advertising to get listings. Clever real estate people learn how to find properties for sale before they are listed. Value Of Unlisted Properties Real estate agents and investors have a competitive advantage when they find properties for sale that are not listed. These off-market properties may be available at a better price. There may have little or no other … [Read More...]
