Tagged: First Time Home Buyers

Mortgage Rate Spread Offers Good News for Buyers Nationwide. Mortgage rates have been able to decline further than treasury yields because the mortgage spread, or difference between 10-year treasury yields and mortgage rates, has decreased to its lowest point in more than three years— according to a recent report from Redfin.  As of August 22, the margin was two point twenty six percentage points, down from two point sixty eight a year earlier and roughly two point five at the beginning of the summer. Putting Fed policy aside means mortgage lenders are lowering rates, which is good news for homebuyers […]

Happy Halloween! MABA MassachusettsRealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers MaBuyerAgent Halloween is a popular holiday known for costumes, trick-or-treating, haunted houses, and spooky decorations. Its origins trace back over 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. The Celts believed that on this night, the boundary between the living and the dead was blurred, allowing spirits to roam the earth. To ward off these spirits, people lit bonfires and wore costumes. As Christianity spread across Europe, many pagan traditions were adapted into Christian holidays. Samhain eventually evolved into All Hallows’ Eve, […]

Breaking Down Recession Chances by State MABA MassachusettsRealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers MaBuyerAgent According to Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s Analytics, many states are more vulnerable to or have already entered an economic downturn. “Based on my assessment of various data, states making up nearly a third of U.S. GDP are either in or at high risk of recession,” Zandi posted to X on Sunday. “Another third are just holding steady, and the remaining third are growing.” One of the most prominent economists to warn about the present situation and future direction of the American economy is Zandi. He said earlier this […]

Are Homebuyers Gaining an Edge in the Market? Redfin showed that the median home-sale price dropped in fourteen of the fifty most populated U.S. metro regions. Oakland, California experienced the largest fall, down six point eight percent year-over-year, followed by two Florida metros and two Texas metros: Houston (negative two point eight percent), Austin (negative two point nine percent), West Palm Beach (negative point nine percent), and Jacksonville (negative three point one percent). Due to the slow housing market caused by high housing expenses and economic uncertainty, prices are declining in a number of metro areas. In every major metro, […]

Where Have Boomers Amassed the Most Home Equity?  A new analysis from Realtor.com highlights the U.S. metro areas where baby boomers, defined as those born between 1946 and 1964, hold the greatest amount of housing wealth. Florida dominates the list, with five of the top ten metros, but other areas, from coastal California to New England, also rank high.  The rankings reflect a mix of factors: the number of homeowners aged 65 and older, the overall value of homes in each metro, and the share of that value held by retirees. The result is a snapshot of where older Americans […]

Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! MABA MassachusettsRealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers MaBuyerAgent Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a holiday that honors and celebrates the history, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples across the Americas. It is observed on the second Monday of October in many parts of the United States, as an alternative to Columbus Day. The day aims to recognize the resilience and rich traditions of Native communities, while also acknowledging the injustices they have faced throughout history. The movement to establish Indigenous Peoples’ Day began in the late 20th century as a response to the celebration of Christopher Columbus, whose arrival in the […]

Massachusetts cities where homes fly off the market. Homes in certain Massachusetts cities spend less time on the market than almost anywhere else in the nation, according to a new study from WalletHub. The finance company used data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics and other sources to rank 300 American cities based on real estate metrics like home value and vacancy rate. For lowest median days spent on the market, three Massachusetts cities placed in the top five.  Lynn took second place, behind Manchester, New Hampshire. Homes in the Boston suburb typically entered pending just ten […]

FHFA Proposes Repeal of Fair Lending, Fair Housing Rule. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is looking to withdraw a 2024 final rule, 12 CFR Part 1293, a rule that established requirements for fair lending oversight of regulated entities, equitable housing finance planning by the Federal Home Loan Banks, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, and certain data collection and reporting by the regulated entities.  According to the proposed rule, the FHFA reviewed existing regulations with the goal of improving prudence and economic responsibility in the expenditure of funds, from both public and private sources, alleviating unnecessary regulatory burdens, avoiding confusion in […]

Happy Rosh Hashanah! MABA MassachusettsRealEstate FirstTimeHomeBuyers MaBuyerAgent Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, a deeply meaningful holiday that marks the beginning of the High Holy Days in Judaism. It typically falls in September or early October and lasts for two days. The name “Rosh Hashanah” means “Head of the Year” in Hebrew, symbolizing both a spiritual renewal and the beginning of the Jewish calendar year. Unlike secular New Year’s celebrations, Rosh Hashanah is a solemn and reflective time focused on introspection, prayer, and the hope for a good year ahead. The holiday has deep roots in the Torah, where […]

Senate Committee Approves Bipartisan Housing Bill to Aid Veteran Homebuyers. As part of the ROAD to Housing Act, a bipartisan legislative package aimed at increasing the nation’s housing supply, improving housing affordability, and reducing homelessness, among other priorities, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, announced that the Committee had approved two of his bills to assist more veterans in becoming homeowners. The bipartisan VA Home Loan Awareness Act, which he proposed with Senator Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and the Veterans Affairs Loan Informed Disclosure (VALID) Act, which he introduced […]