11 Apr 2019
By Aadil Nathoo

FOMC Minutes Reveal Fed Policymakers U-Turn

Real Estate, ,
Members of the Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee voted to hold the target range of the federal funds rate to its current range of 2.25 to 2.50 percent. The minutes of the most recent Committee meeting cited softening domestic and global economic conditions as reason for not raising the target federal funds range. While labor markets remained strong, the minutes noted that household spending and business investment slowed in the first quarter of 2019. FOMC members expected Gross Domestic Product growth to slow as compared to its 2018 pace. While current inflation and the national unemployment rate fell in…
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28 Mar 2019
By Aadil Nathoo

Case-Shiller Home Price Growth Slower in January

Real Estate, ,
Home price indices issued by S&P Case-Shiller showed further slowing in home price growth in January. The national home price index showed 4.30 percent home price growth for the three months ended in January. Analysts expected home prices to grow 4.20 percent for the same period in cities surveyed by Case-Shiller. More cities reported declines in home prices than those that posted gains in home prices. The top cities posting year-over-year home price gains in the 20-City Home Price Index were Las Vegas, Nevada with 10.50 percent growth; Phoenix, Arizona posted a year-over-year home price gain of 7.50 percent. Three…
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27 Mar 2019
By Aadil Nathoo

Are Multi-Unit Properties the Right Move for You?

Real Estate, ,
Real estate isn't a one-size-fits-all pursuit. Buying and renting multi-unit properties is one of the ways investors build residual income while increasing their property portfolios. However, multi-unit rentals come with some unique challenges. Are you ready to manage a multi-unit rental property? Ask yourself these questions to help you decide which path best fits your resources, goals, and interests. Do You Plan To Live On The Property? Living in one of your rental units offers a myriad of benefits. First, you get to keep a close eye on building conditions and the actions of your renters. Next, you'll be able…
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26 Mar 2019
By Aadil Nathoo

What Causes Mortgage Interest Rates To Fluctuate?

Mortgage, ,
The mortgage interest rate represents the cost of borrowing money to purchase a property. Mortgage interest rates are not fixed; that is, they fluctuate from one period of time to the next. Many different factors play into what your mortgage interest rate will finally turn out to be. Some of these factors have to deal with the economy and government decisions. Other factors have to do with your personal financial situation. Finally, mortgage interest rates can differ between lending institutions, which is why you may get different mortgage interest rate quotes from different places. Economic Factors That Cause Mortgage Interest…
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20 Mar 2019
By Aadil Nathoo

NAHB: Housing Market Index Flat in March

Real Estate, ,
Builder sentiment held steady in March as headwinds in housing markets affected homebuilder confidence, but National Association of Home Builders Chairman Greg Ugalde said that builders were looking forward to a "solid spring home-buying season." Builder sentiment mirrored February's index reading of 62; analysts expected an uptick to 63. Any Housing Market Index reading over 50 indicates that more builders than fewer have a positive outlook on housing market conditions. The average reading for 2018 was 67, which indicated that builders were less confident current market conditions for new homes than in 2018. HMI Component Readings Mixed in March Three…
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