Even if you don't have children attending college, you know that college is a lot of money. But if you have children who are about to attend college or who are already in college, you become hyper-aware of just how much it actually costs. For those who aren't there yet, when you hear how much tuition costs, it often doesn't include room and board, meaning that in addition to the yearly tuition, you also need to include housing costs, which can be significant. According to a recent article published by the Education Data Initiative, the average cost of room and…
Author: Private Lending Agent
On July 8, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will issue a final rule in the Federal Register officially designating perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) as “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). This is a major shift in environmental regulation that will have a significant impact on the real estate industry, especially commercial transactions. This move is likely to create uncertainty for the commercial real estate industry and could have far-reaching implications for current property owners and those involved in buying, selling, financing, and developing affected properties. Understanding PFAS and CERCLA…
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations. What many had hoped would be a rosy spring home-buying season ended as a thorny challenge for many prospective home buyers already demoralized by a frustrating market. Yet, even as sales stalled amid elevated mortgage rates and home prices, one silver lining emerged—more resale inventory entered the market, which has begun to put some downward pressure on the pace of home price growth. Other good news for home shoppers is the decline in the median price for a new…
The real estate market crash is creating opportunities for long-term investors, according to UBS. Real estate was the only one of the 11 major S&P 500 groups to fall in 2024, dropping 4.7%. UBS analyst Jonathan Woloshin noted in a note last week that significant uncertainty remains in the commercial real estate (CRE) market, including interest rate trends and questions about refinancing $2 trillion in debt maturing between 2024 and 2026. But capital is still available, he said, and the declining supply of new retail, multifamily and industrial properties points to a strengthening business base from 2025 to 2030. There…
The national average for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to 6.95% from 6.86% the previous week, Freddie Mac said Wednesday. The increase ended a four-week streak of declines, bringing rates back to mid-June levels.The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate loan was 6.81% a year ago, according to Freddie Mac, while the average interest rate for a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also rose to 6.25% from 6.16%, compared with 6.24% a year ago.With interest rates stuck at or near 7% for the past year, homeowners with low-rate mortgages taken out during or before the COVID-19 pandemic are hesitant to put…
Last season was something of a comeback tour for Rickie Fowler. He had seven top 10s and won the Rocket Mortgage Classic. This season he's regressed. His best finish was a tie for 18th at the RBC Heritage in April. He just finished defending his title at the Rocket Mortgage Classic this weekend. He finished the tournament tied for 31st place, his best round being a six-under-par first round 66, a disappointing result for one of the most popular players on tour. His putting average is currently 1.772, ranking him 116th on tour. Fowler commented on his putting struggles prior…
Financial markets typically don't start pricing in the outcome of an election until a month or two before Election Day, and investors have been getting in early this year.Since June 27, interest rates on 10-year Treasury notes have risen by about 10 basis points, or 0.1 percentage points. While this may not seem like much, it reversed a downward trend that had taken hold in recent weeks as very mild inflation measures raised expectations of interest rate cuts.Something appears to have changed investors' interest rate outlook around June 27th. Hmm, what was it? Ah, that's right! June 27th was the…
For some homeowners, now may be a good time to refinance. Getty Images When inflation hit its highest level in decades in June 2022, interest rates quickly followed suit. Following multiple rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, the federal funds rate hit its highest level in decades last July and has remained steady since then. Against this backdrop, interest rates on borrowing products also skyrocketed, with mortgage rates rising to their highest since 2000. Home buyers looking for their dream home or homeowners looking to refinance were left with few options.However, the interest rate landscape is slowly changing again. A…
The U.S. housing market is undergoing a seasonal shift. The spring boom marked by rapid home price increases has passed, replaced by a traditional period of weakness. Historically, housing markets in areas on the brink of a correction tend to stagnate during the spring boom and then experience price declines later in the year. A recent report from real estate data and analytics company Parcl Labs identified 15 housing markets that are most susceptible to price corrections over the coming fall and winter. While a price correction is not guaranteed, these markets are showing signs of softening and could have…
Find out what’s happening with mortgage rates today and calculate monthly repayments across a range of different rates and deals. 3 July: Figures Out Tomorrow To Increase Competition Santander has cut selected fixed rates for first-time buyers and home purchase by up to 0.16 percentage points, writes Jo Thornhill. The new rates and deals will be unveiled and available from tomorrow (4 July). But Santander has been consistently among the best buys in recent months, and brokers are hopeful its reduced rates will be a boost for home buyers. The Spanish-owned bank currently offers a five-year fixed rate for purchase…