How to give first-time buyers the low-down on down payments

There’s a wealth of low down payment options for millennials and first-time homebuyers if you know your clients and where to look. Here’s how to guide them through the plethora of options available to them. Continue reading

6 tips to help credit-challenged clients improve scores

If you have clients who are struggling to get their finances in line while preparing to buy a home, here is some advice you can give them to help get their credit scores in good shape and keep them healthy moving forward. Continue reading

7 facts about FHA loans you should know

Knowing more about how FHA works — and how to work with FHA — helps agents identify opportunities for their first-time buyer clients, who make up one in three buyers today. FHA is not for everyone, but for millions of young families, it is the piece th… Continue reading

Are low down payment loans really riskier?

Higher down payments, coupled with poor savings habits, are making it very hard for millions of first-time buyers to save enough to buy a home. But new research shows that lenders and others might want to rethink the parameters around down payments mad… Continue reading

How the single-family rental investment landscape has evolved in the past decade

Here’s a decade-long overview of how the single-family rental business has evolved and the role of institutional investors within the market. Continue reading

Will millennials rent forever? Study shows they believe so

A new Apartment List study provides the first hard evidence that large numbers of millennials who would like to become homeowners are so frustrated with soaring home prices and meager supplies that they have changed their minds, at least for now. Continue reading

When is the best time to buy a house?

Even when looking at hard data, you’ll realize there are a million different rationales you can use to convince clients on timing, but it really depends on their circumstances. Continue reading

Competition for starter homes will only heat up. Here’s why

Market trends and emerging businesses and tools are hampering the dream of buying a home for the 19 million millennials who want to and have the income to do so but are still renting. Continue reading

Is there a ‘Clever’ solution to the confrontation over commissions?

The Moehrl class action lawsuit focuses on a complaint that states the 6 percent commission is too high and that clients should have a say in the commission split — and agents aren’t too happy about it. Flat-fee discount brokerage Clever Real Estate is… Continue reading

Rising taxes drive up closing costs: What’s a buyer to do?

Closing costs are on the rise (thanks mostly to taxes), so how can first-time buyers on a tight budget make sure they will have enough cash on hand before they sign a contract? Find out here what programs and data are available to help. Continue reading