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Tough market: Rising mortgage rates making home buying harder

Tough market: Rising mortgage rates making home buying harder

Source: Housing Wire --- The Rio Grande Valley was already struggling with housing affordability, and now higher mortgage interest rates are making it worse. That’s according to a new study from the Texas Real Estate Research Center of Texas A&M University, which...

US real estate market may be cooling, depending on who you ask

US real estate market may be cooling, depending on who you ask

Source: ABC News --- Just a few months ago, the real estate market was favorable to people selling homes. The amount of buyers was increasing, the number of listings were down and interest rates were dropping, it seemed, across the country. Now, brokers are saying the...

Average mortgage debt rose 14% over the past 5 years

Average mortgage debt rose 14% over the past 5 years

Source: Rome News Tribune --- The average mortgage debt held by American homeowners has risen 14%, according to Experian data. At the end of 2021, the average mortgage balance was $223,952 in the U.S., up from an average of $196,403 for the same time period in 2017. ...

Half of America has no idea what a mortgage actually is

Half of America has no idea what a mortgage actually is

Source: SWNS Digital --- Half of America has no idea what a mortgage actually is, new research suggests. That’s according to a recent survey that asked 2,000 Americans, 73% of them homeowners, to test their knowledge of both the housing market and financial lending...

Hidden costs of buying a home

Hidden costs of buying a home

Source: Bankrate --- If you’re planning to buy a new home soon, you’ve likely given some thought to the maximum price you can pay and the down payment you can offer. And if you plan to finance the purchase, the monthly mortgage payment could also be on the list of...

Can you refinance a seller-financed mortgage?

Can you refinance a seller-financed mortgage?

Source: The Mortgage Reports --- Some home buyers get their mortgage loans from the home’s seller — not from a mortgage lender. This kind of financing, known as “owner financing” or “seller financing,” can help buyers who don’t meet standard mortgage guidelines at the...