CFPB Investigating Quicken’s Real Estate Affiliate
In a little-known civil action, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is investigating the real estate affiliate of Quicken Loans for allegedly illegal kickbacks.
Lew Sichelman
Special to Banker & Tradesman
We’re Getting More Neighborly
More than two-thirds of those surveyed have gotten to know their neighbors better during the pandemic. Almost that many have made an effort to be more friendly than usual.
Could Less Parking Mean Cheaper Homes?
When the conversation turns to the nation’s affordable housing crisis, the talk is usually about ever-higher house prices and the cost of regulations.
Townhomes Have Evolved into an Effective Alternative
People shopping for new, more spacious single-family houses in this heated market may be overlooking places that meet most, if not all, of their needs: townhouses and condominiums.
Test Your Knowledge of Credit Scores
When it comes to credit scores, low-income folks have far less knowledge, according to the results of a recent quiz developed by the Consumer Federation of America and VantageScore. But even high-income respondents didn’t have all the answers.
Loans for Exurban Buyers Are a Growth Business
According to the latest figures from the USDA’s Rural Development agency, the number of loans under its single-family guaranteed loan program at the midyear mark is up 38 percent from the same point a year ago.
Many Still Not Aware of Forbearance Options
Despite lifelines thrown their way by Congress, the Urban Institute counts roughly 400,000 homeowners who are delinquent on their mortgages, but who have failed to take advantage of any payment forbearance programs.
Two Housing Subsectors Set to Strengthen
Two relatively small housing submarkets are starting to show signs of strengthening. One of those markets: renters looking for more space, both inside and out. The other: people looking to get away from it all, if only for a few weeks.
High Prices Offset Gains from Low Rates
Housing prices are rising so fast around the country – “too fast,” as the chief economist at the National Association of Realtors said recently – that they are all but obliterating any gains buyers are seeing from record-low interest rates.
Sellers Should Go Easy on the Holiday Decor
There’s nothing wrong with trying to sell a house during the holidays. It’s as good a time as any – maybe even better. Just remember that less is always more.
Would You Live in a Haunted House?
Surprisingly, 60 percent of Americans are open to sharing a house with specters and spooks. So what are the disclosure laws around ghosts?
Why Some Agents Carry Guns
Is your colleague packing? Not filling boxes to help clients move, but “packing heat” – as in carrying a gun? Many agents are doing just that these days to protect themselves, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Mortgage Market Opens Back Up for Iffy Borrowers
There’s good news for mortgage applicants who don’t fit into the precise mold demanded by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: After pulling back at the start of the pandemic in March, other lenders are returning to the market.
Hidden Referral Fees Could Cost You
Most professions restrict the payment of referral fees. But they run rampant, and are somewhat controversial, in real estate.
Some Agents Will Pay Sellers’ Repair Costs
Sellers who need to bring their kitchens up to date, repair foundation cracks or make other fixes before putting their places on the market might not have to reach into their own pockets to do so.
A&E Real Estate Personalities Face Legal Scrutiny
Add a former get-rich-quick-with-real-estate pitchman on the A&E cable network to the laundry list of realty gurus who have found themselves in the crosshairs of the country’s top consumer watchdog agency.
Home, Not-So-Sweet Home on Military Bases
Private contractors operate 202,000 units on 80 bases across the country, often with little or no oversight and not-infrequently unhealthy housing.
Odd Lots: Forbearance Drop Hides Key Developments
The number of homeowners seeking mortgage forbearance fell for at least eight straight weeks this summer. But that decline masks a couple of other important trends.
Buying Sight Unseen? Don’t Wear Blinders
Buying sight-unseen doesn’t mean you have to go into the transaction blindfolded. There are several ways you can protect yourself against the possibility the house you’re after isn’t what you thought it was.
Compete to Win in Bidding Wars
With mortgage rates falling below 3 percent for the first time in five decades, would-be homebuyers are chomping at the bit to get out there and find new places. But when they finally do jump off the sidelines, they’re likely to find slim pickings.
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