New Home Sales Best Estimates; Rates Up Again; Should we Care About Oil Prices?

New home sales continued on a winning streak in March , increasing for the third straight month. The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development said sales of newly constructed homes were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 692,000 units during the month. This is a 4.5 percent increase over the revised (from 667,000) rate of 662,000 in February and 3.0 percent higher than the March 2018 estimate of 672,000 new homes. Analysts polled by Econoday expected a pullback in March after the strong numbers earlier in the year. They had forecast sales in the range of 630,000 to 660,000. Their consensus was 645,000 units. On a non-adjusted basis there were 68,000 new homes sold in March compared to 56,000 in February and 66,000 a year earlier. For the year-to-date, sales

from
http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/reports/newsletter/2019/4/23/3890

Inventory Growth Fueled by Softening Demand, Not More Sellers

While for-sale home inventory rose in March, fewer new listings have come onto the market in each of the past four months

from
http://zillow.mediaroom.com/2019-04-23-Inventory-Growth-Fueled-by-Softening-Demand-Not-More-Sellers

March Home Sales Couldn't Repeat February's Win, but 2019 Should be Better; Construction Buoyed by West

The question this morning was whether March's existing home sales could build on the strong numbers posted in February, an 11.8 percent increase from the prior month with a seasonally adjusted pace of 5.51 million. It was the largest gain in more than three years. The consensus was that they would not. The forecasters were spot on. The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) reports that sales of existing single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and cooperative apartments retreated from their February gains, with each of the four major U.S. regions falling back. The Midwest saw the largest decline although the West wasn't far behind. Total existing-home sales fell 4.9 percent from February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.21 million. Sales as a whole are down 5.4 percent from a

from
http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/reports/newsletter/2019/4/22/3888

Zillow Launches AI-Powered 3D Home Tours Across United States and Canada

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http://zillow.mediaroom.com/2019-04-22-Zillow-Launches-AI-Powered-3D-Home-Tours-Across-United-States-and-Canada

How to Prep a Yard for Spring Buying: 5 Tips

Photo Courtesy: OPEI

By Kris Kiser, President & CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI)

As the spring selling season kicks into high gear, real estate and staging professionals can help their clients enhance their listings by creating an outdoor space that is attractive to buyers. The family yard not only can expand living space, it also reconnects families and pets with nature and provides a natural setting to reduce stress, improve memory, boost mood, among many other benefits.

Here are five points to consider:

1. Understand potential buyers’ lifestyle needs.
Determine how a potential buyer might use the yard, then plant accordingly. Does the yard need more shade for hot summer days? Is it lacking a grassy area for kids and pets to play?

2. Know the climate zone.
Help your clients select climate-appropriate plants that will thrive with minimal input. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map indicates which grasses, shrubs, and trees are most likely to succeed in a specific location.

3. Plant for pets.
More families are including pets in their lives so consider animal’s needs when planting. Hardy grass withstands pet traffic. Soft, yet sturdy, foliage is a good choice for heavily-trafficked areas. See which plants are dangerous to pets by downloading the ASPCA’s list of poisonous plants.

Photo Courtesy: OPEI

4. Attract pollinators & wildlife.
The home habitat is also vital for pollinators (bees, butterflies, and birds) and other wildlife that rely on backyard plants for food and shelter. Planting climate-appropriate, pollen-rich flowers will help nourish pollinators, while creating a vibrant outdoor scene buyers will appreciate.

5. Stage the outdoors.

Showcase how the space will be used, including setting outdoor tables, having a barbecue grill set up, and other touches that show people can “live” in the space.

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kris Kiser is the president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) and the OPEI Education and Research Foundation. OPEI is an international trade association representing 100 small engine, utility vehicle and outdoor power equipment manufacturers, and suppliers. OPEI is managing partner of GIE+EXPO, the industry’s annual international trade show and exposition. Prior to joining OPEI, Kiser, also an attorney, served for 14 years in senior management at two major, Washington, D.C. trade associations representing the automobile manufacturing and forest products industries. He was vice president of state and international affairs for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and vice president of governmental affairs for the American Forest & Paper Association. Learn more about OPEI: OPEI.org

 

from
http://styledstagedsold.blogs.realtor.org/2019/04/22/how-to-prep-a-yard-for-spring-buying-5-tips/

The Closing - Show 532

Real Estate Today Radio - SHOW 532

On this week's Real Estate Today, it's our special show "The Closing."

This Week's Show Includes:
- Top News Of The Week
- Ten Things to Bring to the Settlement
- Five Things you Must Do After the House is Sold
- Smart Home Technology
- Get REALTOR(R)

Become a part of the community at http://retradio.com!

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http://retradio.com

Lenders Manage Tiny Profits in 2018 Despite Rate Hikes, Inventories; Europe Helping Bonds; Don't Count Chickens

Despite their fourth quarter loss reported last month, independent mortgage banks and bank mortgage subsidiaries still managed, albeit barely, to stay in the black last year. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said that banks responding to its survey made an average profit of $367 on each loan they originated last year, down from $711 per loan in 2017. They lost an average of $200 per loan in the last quarter of the year, only the third quarterly loss since MBA began collecting the data in 2008. "Despite a healthy economy in 2018, the mortgage market suffered, as rate hikes hurt refinancing volume and low housing inventories priced some potential homebuyers out of the purchase market," said Marina Walsh, MBA's Vice President of Industry Analysis. "For mortgage companies, there was the perfect

from
http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/reports/newsletter/2019/4/18/3886