According to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) for this week, mortgage rates have continued to drop for the third week in a row. The organization polls approximately 125 banks and lenders nationwide regarding fees, rates and closing discount points for different mortgage products like the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM), 15-year FRM and the 5-year treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM).

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NAWRB wishes all our readers a very Happy 2016.

According to the the Smart Home Marketplace Survey from Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, 2016 could be the year when smart homes become a mainstream commodity. If you have been shying away from upgrading to smart gadgets, this is the year to act.

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With 2015 winding down, prospective homebuyers and sellers are eagerly looking forward to the New Year. Nationwide Economics’ Health of Housing Markets (HoHM) Report brings good tidings with its Leading Index of Healthy Housing Markets (LIHHM). Calculated based on factors like employment, demographics, mortgage market and home prices, the study covers the national housing market and 400 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).

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The 37^th Emerging Trends in Real Estate® published by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) provides an in depth analysis of trends in real estate investments, development, finance, and issues across U.S.A. and Canada. Participants of the survey include private property owners or developers, real estate firms, investment managers, banks, and brokerages to provide information from different realms of the housing continuum. We focus on two aspects, the rising popularity of the suburbs and agriculture in the big cities.

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According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) 2015 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers the average homebuyer is 44 years old and has a median household income of $86,100; the survey also revealed that debt, increased rents and difficulty obtaining mortgages are prominent factors burdening potential homebuyers. HSH.com recently compiled a list of the salary you must earn to buy a home in 27 metros across the country. The list is built on NAR 2015 third-quarter data for median-home prices and third-quarter average interest rates for 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages offered by HSH.com. This useful data shows the costs associated with owning a home, including the principal, interest, tax and insurance. Continue reading →

The thriving real estate market in California takes up more than 50 percent of the spots on the October 2015 list of 20 Hottest U.S. Real Estate Markets from Realtor.com®. With cities like San Francisco, Santa Rosa, San Jose, San Diego and Los Angeles on the list, this may be the right time to buy or sell a home in the Golden State. The latest 2016 California Economic & Market Forecast published by the California Association of Realtors® reports that there has been an increase in home sales in 2015. In 2014, sales were down by 7.6 percent but in August 2015 431,800 units sold compared to 395,080 in the same month last year. Continue reading →