Overly restrictive local land-use regulations limit the supply and increase the cost of housing. But, until recently, there were limited sources of comprehensive data on these regulations over time. Fannie Mae collaborated with the Urban Institute to launch a new public data source on land-use practices from data collected through the National Longitudinal Land UseRead more
Existing home sales rose in October, gaining 1.9% to an annualized pace of 5.46 million following a 2.5% decline in September to an annual rate of 5.36 million. With the gain, existing home sales continue to trend higher and are now up 4.6% from October 2018. Regionally, sales were mixed with gains of 1.6% andRead more
Construction on new houses jumped 12% in August to the fastest pace in years as the multi-family market stabilized and mortgage rates dropped, despite an otherwise volatile month. Housing starts increased to an annual rate of 1.36M in August, up from a revised 1.22M in July, according to the monthly report from the Commerce Department.Read more
We want to wish all of our friends, family, and clients a Happy Halloween and a successful November. As the holidays are now upon us, we hope you will find this calendar useful and might check out some of the events taking place in Orange County this month. If you’d like to have a copyRead more
The benefits of a 1031 Exchange, fire safety, the importance of home inspections, and the real estate closing process are covered in this edition of Consumer Focus … check out the articles listed below for more details. Benefits of a 1031 Exchange A very powerful investment technique is the Tax Deferred Exchange, which allows propertyRead more
We’ve come to the end of September and October starts tomorrow. Check out Ticor’s 2-page Calendar of Events for great things taking place all over Orange County this month… Find your favorite pumpkin patch or choose your favorite festival … there are many to choose from. Wishing all of our friends and family a greatRead more
Whether you’ve purchased a fixer-upper or are thinking about selling your home in the near future, it’s important to determine which renovations or upgrades can add value to your property. Not all home projects are equal when it comes to earning you a return on investment (ROI), noted Frank Zaccherio, a Broker/Realtor at Keller WilliamsRead more
How often do homeowners actually put 20% down? The National Association of Realtors reports that in 2018, the median down payment was 13% for all buyers and 7% for first-time buyers. Despite the data, many people still have a false perception of how much they need for a down payment – or they’re dissuaded onceRead more
Ticor Title is happy to share our September Calendar of Events for Orange County. Lots of great things happening in our community this month! Please contact your Ticor Title Sales Executive if you’d like a copy of the calendar! As always, please let us know how we can be of service! Check it out, below:
Freddie Mac has released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey* (PMMS*), showing that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) rate averaged 3.55%, the lowest it has been since November 2016. Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, says, “The drop in mortgage rates continues to stimulate the real estate market and the economy. Home purchaseRead more