Beginning on April 15th, the new Fannie Mae property valuation initiative launched throughout the United States. Essentially, this revolutionary system encompasses technology, data, and analytics. As a result, it enhances the lending process for every stakeholder, including lenders, Realtors, title agencies, attorneys, homeowners, and homebuyers. Overall, Fannie Mae’s goal is to improve the efficiency and […]
Homeownership
Falling Mortgage Rates: Impact on New Home Buyers
Despite a seemingly endless upward trajectory, recent data finally points to falling mortgage rates. Mortgage rates, on a consistent rise over the past year, fell to 6.61%. Thus, mortgage rates decreased nearly half a percentage point since last week. Furthermore, 15-year mortgage rates dropped to 5.98%, nearly half a point drop but still way higher […]
Inflation Reduction Act: U.S. House Passes Landmark Bill This Year
On July 27th, 2022, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that the House reached an agreement pertaining to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. After months of contentious debates between Democrats and Republicans, the latest Act intends to lower inflationary pressures throughout the country. Furthermore, President Joe Biden signed the Act into law mid-August 2022. […]
Buyers’ Market in 2022: A Changing of the Tide?
As inflation soars and loan applications plummet, real estate analysts are starting to see evidence of a buyers’ market in 2022. For the past several years, many real estate analysts considered the housing market to be a ‘seller’s market’. In the real estate world, home prices rose, interest rates fell, and demand reached one of […]
Owner’s Title Insurance: An Essential Aspect of the Home Buying Process
Owner’s title insurance contains a fascinating history, dating back over 150 years to 1868. In the case of Watson v. Muirhead, the transaction conveyancer discovered that the property in question was under lien. Although an attorney advised the conveyancer that the lien was invalid, a court ruled that it was in fact valid, after all. […]
Owner’s Title Insurance: Why You Should Get a Policy Now
An owner’s title insurance policy is critical for protecting you from all types of issues you might have with the title of your home. It is essential and should never be overlooked by homeowners who want to make sure they are fully protected from title issues that could arise. Here, we will go over some […]
The Difference Between Owner’s and Lender’s Title Insurance
Most people understand the necessity behind purchasing title insurance, but few know that there are two distinct kinds of title insurance, and even fewer know the differences between them. Owner’s and Lender’s title insurance are similar in nature but cover two different sides of a real estate transaction. The Types of Title Insurance There are […]
Should I Refinance My Home When Interest Rates Are Low?
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fed lowered the already historically low prime interest rate to 0%. Interest rates for 30-year mortgages are currently at historic lows as well, staying around the 3% mark for the past few months since the outbreak of the virus. This is a tempting time for homebuyers, as it […]