Call your mortgage servicer if you've been hit, agency saysKey Takeaways Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the FHA are offering housing relief to Hurricane Harvey disaster victims, including a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures.Hurricane Harvey has caused thousands in and around the Houston area to flee from the rising waters engulfing their homes and killed at least 14 people to date.In this time of crisis, federal mortgage agencies Fannie Mae, Freddie
It's one month before the NFIP is set to expire and a few days before new weather-related claims rules start in TexasKey Takeaways The federal flood insurance program is set to expire at the end of September; if it does, homeowners with federally insured loans in high-risk flood areas will be affected first. Houston homeowners should get their insurance claims filed before Friday, if possible.Harvey’s timing couldn’t be more interesting from
With a big truck and her fiance in tow, Nicole Lopez is a Hurricane Harvey hero“There is no real estate business happening in Houston right now,” said Nicole Lopez, a Realtor and team leader at Houston’s Intero Real Estate Services. But you won’t find her on high ground watching Netflix.Lopez spent Monday in the trenches with her fiance, Heath Cummins, helping the Houston Police Department save families, children and pets in Hurricane Har
The number of mortgage applications for home purchases continues to underwhelm, despite rates being at their lowest levels since November. Mortgage applications for purchasing a home dropped 3 percent last week on a seasonally adjusted basis.The annual gain in purchase applications remains positive (4 percent higher than a year ago), but they're narrowing as the supply of homes for sale falls and makes it tougher for buyers to find and afford a
Proximity to highly regarded colleges comes at a price, according to a new study released by HomeUnion, an online residential real estate investment management firm.Students living within a two-mile radius of the University of California, Los Angeles, and Stanford University face the highest rents in the nation, according to the analysis. Median rents near Stanford were $6,066 per month; UCLA topped $5,158.HomeUnion researchers also compared the
As Hurricane Harvey moves off the coastline of Texas, it's leaving massive flooding in its wake that has destroyed homes and businesses.Until the floodwaters recede, cleanup efforts are mostly on hold. But remediation companies say they’re ready to jump into action as soon as they’re able. In preparation for the undertaking, here are a few important items to share about repairing a flooded home, compiled by realtor.com®.Time is of the essen
Real estate professionals across the mid-Atlantic are finding home buyers are placing a higher value on outdoor spaces and their potential for entertainment, according to The Washington Post. Here are the specific amenities that are proving most beneficial to sellers in marketing their properties:The outdoor kitchenThese spaces are becoming more than just a simple dining set and grill. They are now being outfitted with an outdoor refrigerator, s
Home prices continue to rise and more homeowners are tapping into their home equity, making home equity lines of credit and cash-out mortgage refinances popular again.Home equity line originations jumped 8 percent to nearly $46 billion in the second quarter. That is the highest level since 2008, according to data from Equifax, a credit reporting firm. Cash-out mortgage refinances reached $15 billion, a 6 percent increase from a year ago, accor
Sellers that are looking for easy ways to increase a home’s value and get buyers’ attention before their home hits the market, here are three quick fixes for kitchens and bathrooms from Matt Karlin, president and CEO of Nemo Tile + Stone.Photo courtesy of Nemo Tile + Stone1. Refresh with color. As a 20-year industry veteran, Karlin has seen a lot of color trends come and go. When it comes to selecting a palette that looks fresh and has bro
A Texas National Guardsman carries a Houston resident from her flooded home. (Getty Images)As the rains slowly subside in Texas and the full scale of Hurricane Harvey’s destruction comes into focus, the National Association of REALTORS® is calling on members nationwide to donate funds to the REALTOR® Relief Foundation to support storm victims. The RRF, whose goal is to help families who have endured catastrophic loss, will use the money for
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