Industry Observer Blog

Like much of the economy, new home construction has slowed significantly as the U.S. battles the coronavirus pandemic.  New home sales fell more than 15% in March from the month before, and were down nearly 10% from the same month the year prior, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. New home star...

Spring may be upon us, but with many Americans still cooped up in their homes due to coronavirus-related stay-at-home orders, it can feel like an exceptionally long and brutal winter. And for some retirees, it may just give them the push they need to make next year the year they officially become...

2020 was supposed to be the year of low, stable mortgage rates, increasing new home construction and the tail end of the refinance boom. Oh, how quickly things change.  America’s efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak have brought the U.S. economy to a screeching halt, throwing mi...

Spring typically means an uptick in the housing market, but the coronavirus pandemic that is continuing to spread across the United States has thrown the industry a curveball. According to data from National Association of Realtors® (NAR), almost a third of members saw a decline in the number of ...

Selling a home and moving out of state is already a stressful time. The logistics of packing, finding a job, enrolling children in school and starting a new life can be overwhelming.But for people selling a home in New Jersey, there’s an added wrinkle: a tax law sometimes known as the “exit tax.”...

Most couples assume their marriage will last forever, but data shows that divorce is an inevitable reality for many. The most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that in 2018, there were 782,038 divorces in the U.S., compared to 2.1 million marriages that sa...

Buying a home is one of the most exciting purchases many people make in their lifetime — but it’s also one of the most expensive.  Beyond the list price of a home there are other significant ongoing expenses that add to the cost. For example, home insurance (also known as homeowners insurance) is...

 When you’re planning to buy a house, there is more to consider than just the sales price. The home buying transaction itself costs money, as lenders, title companies, appraisers, home inspectors and realtors also have to get paid. Many of these fees are rolled into closing costs, which typically...

When you apply for a mortgage, one of the first things a lender will look at is your credit score. To qualify for a conventional loan, you’ll need a score of at least 620. For an FHA loan, commonly used to help first-time homebuyers and people with credit issues, you must have a minimum score of ...

If you're considering renovating your home, you’re in good company. Americans typically spend over $400 billion a year on home renovation projects and repairs. But not all home improvement projects translate into an increase in home value. In fact, making the wrong moves during renovations could ...