Christina Hughes Babb

Oct 11, 2024 | themortgagepoint.com | Christina Hughes Babb

Do rising mortgage rates necessarily trigger an economic recession or vice versa? With six of 10 distinct housing recessions since the 1970s preceding an economic recession (as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research Business), it is tempting to answer, “yes.”But real estate economists say it’s not so simple.

Oct 7, 2024 | themortgagepoint.com | Christina Hughes Babb

With some of the highest growth in active listings since before the pandemic, Florida dominates Realtor.com’s latest list of “10 easiest housing markets for homebuyers.”Price corrections after pandemic overheating contributed to cities such as Punta Gorda, Florida’s placement at number two, according to Hannah Jones, Economist for the real estate website. “Many of these markets saw prices and competition climb significantly during the early days of the [COVID-19] pandemic,” Jones said.

Oct 4, 2024 | themortgagepoint.com | Christina Hughes Babb

It might go without saying that a junk-cluttered yard does a home seller no favors—in fact, six in 10 real estate agents estimate that an unkempt front yard decreases a property’s value by 20% or more. But what constitutes junk? Trash or discarded building materials? Sure. What about a boat, RV, or children’s toys? What if a neighbor is the clutter-collecting culprit—could the adjacent property take a home-value hit?

Sep 30, 2024 | themortgagepoint.com | Christina Hughes Babb

As America continues to grapple with a housing shortage, Republican and Democrat lawmakers together have introduced a bill to establish a nationwide home repairs pilot program. If passed, the Whole-Home Repairs Act of 2024 would represent an important step in addressing the problem of housing deterioration by supporting low-income homeowners and potential homebuyers, especially Black and Latino households, according to advocates.

Sep 27, 2024 | themortgagepoint.com | Christina Hughes Babb

For some American families, a house in a tiny bucolic burgh might prove a less expensive option than putting down roots in a large city. But this widespread concept of idyllic and inexpensive “town and country” life is, in general, a myth, say experts, who published a new study to back that up. Researchers for LendingTree found home values in the country’s priciest micropolitan areas (“towns” for the purposes of their report) rival those in the nation’s largest metros.