‘Severe’ housing shortage hits US home sales, lifts prices
Sales of previously owned homes falls for third month while prices hit new peak.Original Article
How homeowners are using equity loans
Home equity lines of credit have hit a nine-year high. Real estate analytics firm Attom Data Solutions found that 347,875 new home equity lines of credit were taken out in the first quarter of 2018. That's an 18 percent increase from the final quarter of 2017, and 14 percent increase from the same time last year, The Chicago Tribune reports. Since the recession, home equity loans have taken on a new purpose. “Putting home equity to work is the name of the game in the 2018 housing market –…Original Article
Tampa’s new condos are mostly in the million-dollar range. Where does that leave millennials who are ready to buy — but want to stay downtown?
As Tampa developers venture back into condo projects — after a drought that lasted more than a decade — all of the proposals are at the very high end of the market. That takes downtown home ownership off the table for the majority of a demographic that's been key to the city's urban revitalization efforts: Educated millennials like Ashley Daniel, who commutes to her job as a web developer in New Tampa.Original Article
Tampa ranked second best for first-time homebuyers
Tampa has been ranked the second-best city for first-time homeowners, according to a new survey from WalletHub. The recent report comes after 300 cities were compared based on market attractiveness, affordability and quality of life. Tampa had high scores in the categories of quality of life, which encompasses factors such as recreation, weather, job market and crime rate. Here's how Tampa ranked in individual categories: Affordability: 139 Real Estate Market: 4 Quality of life: 15 The only…Original Article
It begins: Tampa’s condo construction boom is finally under way
The return of condo construction is a bellwether for the overall real estate market, signaling confidence from lenders — on both the retail and commercial sides — as well as buyers.Original Article
Beach access law turning into confusing turf battles
Legislators passed HB 631 during the last session and now many are finding it difficult to interpret the law.Original Article
Developers of 35-story condo tower in downtown Tampa’s Channel district aim for early 2019 groundbreaking (Rendering)
The developers known for pioneering projects in downtown Tampa's Channel district are moving forward with the neighborhood's first new condominiums in more than a decade: 35 stories of luxury units on Channelside Drive. Mercury Advisors has secured a $45 million development loan for Eleve 61, which will be built at 858 Channelside Drive on a .65-acre parcel that the developer has owned since 2006. The tower, once proposed as Del Villar, includes 61 units and has been designed for "urban professionals…Original Article
Meet the 2018 Fast 50 honorees: Nationwide Title Clearing
Company: Nationwide Title Clearing Inc. Location: Palm Harbor Industry: Document services for the mortgage industry How would you describe what your company does to a friend or family member who may not know? Nationwide Title Clearing Inc. is a research and document service provider in the residential mortgage industry for over 25 years. We provide services to most of the nation’s largest mortgage lenders, servicers and investors and our documents are recorded in over 3,600 county jurisdictions…Original Article
U.S. mortgage rates reverse course
U.S. mortgage rates rose this week after dropping in most of the recent weeks, according to Freddie Mac. The 30-year fixed mortgage averaged 4.53 percent for the week ending July 12, up from 4.52 percent the previous week. A year ago, mortgage rates stood at 4.03 percent. Favorable mortgage rates have helped drive U.S. home sales and the refinance market. Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said mortgage rates were mostly unchanged, but did tick up for the first time since early June. “The…Original Article
Millennials discuss why they cannot afford to buy homes
Survey respondents share how they spend and what concerns them financially.Original Article