Mortgage rates were in a holding pattern this week, even after the Federal Reserve voted Wednesday to hike its benchmark interest rate.“As widely expected, the Fed increased the federal funds target rate this week for the third time in 2017,” says Len Kiefer, Freddie Mac’s deputy chief economist. “The market had already priced in the rate hike, so long-term interest rates—including mortgage rates—hardly moved. Mortgage rates held rel
The rental market's decade-long boom may soon reach its finale, as fewer new renter households are forming, rental vacancies are rising, and rent increases are slowing, according to the 2017 America’s Rental Housing report, released by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. Still, rents remain high and continue to take a significant chunk out of households’ monthly incomes—more than what most experts consider “affo
Matt Capritto’s 87-year-old father, Tony, lost his home in Ventura, Calif., to the wildfires that are ravaging the southern half of the state, and now he no longer has a place to play his piano every afternoon. As difficult an experience as that was, Capritto, president-elect of the Ventura County Coastal Association of REALTORS®, didn’t feel the magnitude of the situation until he took his father to the post office to change his mailing add
Home buyers are putting more money down on a home, as the median down payment for a single-family home or condo in the third quarter was $20,000—a new record high, according to ATTOM Data Solutions’ Q3 2017 U.S. Residential Property Loan Origination Report. The average down payment equaled 7.6 percent of the median home sales price of $263,000, according to the report.“Buying a home has become a full-contact sport in many markets across the
There’s nothing worse than a dry, complicated PowerPoint presentation that can’t hold your audience’s attention. Tim Pollard, CEO of communications consulting firm Oratium, has tips for making your message stick, whether you’re speaking at a conference, doing an in-office training, or presenting in front of your team.First, ditch the text-filled, complex slides. If you use PowerPoint or another presentation software, the slides should com
More than 1,000 structures and 260,000 acres across Southern California have been charred since massive wildfires broke out earlier this month. With the blazes still threatening 25,000 more homes, is there anything homeowners can do to protect their houses from a fire? You may not be able to fireproof a home completely, but building experts say there are several measures homeowners can take to lower the risks of sustaining damage. Realtor.com® o
The California Department of Business Oversight issued a warning to consumers to beware of email scams purporting to be from representatives of Impac Mortgage Co.The emails originate from a fake email address, impacmortgagecorp@gmail.com, and appear legit, using Impac Mortgage’s logo and invoking the name of CEO Joseph Tomkinson. The scammers are sending unsolicited emails to recipients, offering them loans and requesting that the recipient pa
Executives who talk too much aren’t as successful at customer pitches, networking events, board presentations, or job hunts, according to The Wall Street Journal. “Talkaholics,” as they’re called, tend to project poor preparation, an overblown ego, and low confidence, rather than impress with their verboseness, top executives told the Journal.“Executives must make their point quickly,” says John Hartmann, CEO of True Value Co. A few
iPro currently deals throughout the states of California, Texas, Florida and New York. We continue to strive and broaden opportunities for real estate professionals and consumers. Visit www.iprore.com for the latest information and links.Click here for information on becoming a salesperson
iPro currently deals throughout the states of California, Texas, Florida and New York. We continue to strive and broaden opportunities for real estate professionals and consumers. Visit www.iprore.com for the latest information and links.Click here for information on becoming a salesperson
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