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Regulators ease flood-insurance rules for mortgage holders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A new regulation allows more Pensacola homeowners with a mortgage to use private flood insurance coverage rather than only the national flood program.

On Jan. 25, federal banking regulators released a final regulation clarifying lender acceptance of private flood insurance; an unofficial copy of the rule is posted online. The regulation will soon appear in the Federal Register, and it goes into effect on July 1, 2019.

The new regulation generally …

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First Comes Love… Then Comes Mortgage? Couples Lead the Way

First Comes Love… Then Comes Mortgage? Couples Lead the Way

According to the National Association of REALTORS most recent Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, married couples once again dominated the first-time homebuyer statistics in 2018 at 54% of all buyers. It is no surprise that buying a home is more attainable with two incomes to save for down payments and contribute to monthly housing costs.

However, many couples are also deciding to buy a home before spending what would be a down payment on a wedding. Last year,

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Why Homeownership Matters Now More Than Ever

Why Homeownership Matters Now More Than Ever | MyKCM

Study after study shows that no matter what generation Americans belong to, the vast majority believe that homeownership is an important part of their American Dream. The benefits of homeownership can be broken into two main categories: financial and non-financial (often referred to as emotional or social reasons.)

For Americans approaching retirement age, one of the greatest benefits to homeownership is the added net worth they have been able to achieve simply by paying their mortgage!

The Joint Center for

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How To List Your Home for the Best Price

If your plan for 2019 includes selling your home, you will want to pay attention to where experts believe home values are headed. According to the latest Home Price Index fromCoreLogic, home prices increased by 4.7% over the course of 2018.

The map below shows the results of the latest index by state.

How To List Your Home for the Best Price

Real estate is local. Each state appreciates at different levels. The majority of the country saw at least a 2.0% gain in home values, while

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How To List Your Home for the Best Price

If your plan for 2019 includes selling your home, you will want to pay attention to where experts believe home values are headed. According to the latest Home Price Index fromCoreLogic, home prices increased by 4.7% over the course of 2018.

The map below shows the results of the latest index by state.

How To List Your Home for the Best Price

Real estate is local. Each state appreciates at different levels. The majority of the country saw at least a 2.0% gain in home values, while

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Thinking of Selling Your House? This is a Perfect Time!

It is common knowledge that a great number of homes sell during the spring buying season. For that reason, many homeowners hold off putting their homes on the market until then. The question is whether or not that is a good strategy this year.

The other listings that come out in the spring will represent increased competition to any seller. Do a greater number of homes actually come to the market during this season in comparison to the rest

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5 Reasons to Love Hiring A Real Estate Pro [INFOGRAPHIC]

5 Reasons to Love Hiring A Real Estate Pro [INFOGRAPHIC]

Highlights:

  • Hiring a real estate professional to guide you through the process of buying a home or selling your house can be one of the best decisions you make!
  • They are there for you to help with contracts, explaining the process, negotiations, and pricing (both when making an offer or setting the right price for your home).
  • One of the top reasons to hire a real estate professional is their understanding of your local market and how the conditions in
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How to Get a Better Perspective on Affordability

How to Get a Better Perspective on Affordability

Headlines spotlight the fact that buying a home is less affordable today than it was at any other time in more than a decade. Those headlines are accurate.

Understandably, buying a home is more expensive now than immediately following one of the worst housing crashes in American history. Over the past decade, the market was flooded with distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales) selling at 10-50% discounts. There were so many that this lowered the prices of non-distressed homes in

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