http://www.paragonfg.com Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:40:17 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Average mortgage rates dipped below 5 percent last week, driving mortgage application volume up 11.3 percent to 723.4 from 649.7 the previous week on an adjusted basis, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association weekly survey. On an unadjusted basis, the index increased 11.6 percent compared with the previous week and ... http://www.paragonfg.com/loan-apps-rise-as-rates-dip-below-5-percent.html Homebuyers and the real estate professionals they choose to sell their homes don't always agree over what the property is worth, and many buyers think both of them are setting prices too high, according to a survey by HomeGain.com Inc. The survey found that 63 percent of homeowners believe the ... http://www.paragonfg.com/pricing-disagreement-what-is-a-home-worth.html Real estate experts agree that the best hope for avoiding a commercial real estate crisis similar to the residential one is another bailout from the federal government. Last week, Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke suggested at least $1 trillion in credit would be forthcoming in order to avoid a “looming ... http://www.paragonfg.com/fed-prepares-for-commercial-market-bailout.html The weak housing market has prompted some home sellers to offer rent-to-buy agreements to prospective buyers. These buyers pay an up-front fee of approximately 1 percent of the sales price for the option to buy, and all the payments they make during the rental period go toward the principal. Most ... http://www.paragonfg.com/experts-weigh-rent-to-buy-pros-and-cons.html Industry experts say consider investing in a duplex, triplex or small apartment building. "Smaller units are typically older ... and during a downturn people prefer lower-quality properties with fewer amenities," says Hessam Nadji, managing director of research at real estate brokerage Marcus & Millichap. Nadji also pointed out that young ... http://www.paragonfg.com/is-now-the-best-time-to-invest-in-apartments.html Home owners who decide to rent out their properties have to stop thinking of themselves as home owners and instead consider themselves as running a small business, experts say. Thinking like a businessperson means focusing on the monthly cost of maintenance, mortgage and taxes, as well as being aware of ... http://www.paragonfg.com/6-tips-for-home-owners-who-turn-into-landlords.html Energy-efficient home manufacturing could be one of the few industries to grow and thrive in the present economy, according to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Consumers are looking for dwellings that are both affordable and sustainable, while manufacturers are eager to reduce production costs as well as reliance on ... http://www.paragonfg.com/green-building-housings-few-bright-spots.html Time will tell if the newly passed economic stimulus package and the components related to the real estate industry will have a positive impact on the housing market in the country, says Wendy Forsythe, vice president of broker services at the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate franchise network. She ... http://www.paragonfg.com/how-the-stimulus-can-help-your-business.html What’s to become of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which are bleeding red ink as home owner defaults continue to increase? The rising losses will force the government to decide whether to keep putting money into the firms to keep them operating or divide them into smaller businesses and remove ... http://www.paragonfg.com/whats-next-for-fannie-freddie.html Freddie Mac reports an increase in the 30-year fixed mortgage rate to 5.07 percent for the week ended Feb. 26. Rates rose slightly, from 5.04 percent the prior week. "Mortgage rates were little changed this week amid mixed data reports of a slowing economy," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac ... http://www.paragonfg.com/30-year-rates-inch-up-this-week.html