Best-Kept Secret in Rural Housing
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Service's Section 502 direct 
loan program is a longstanding loan product that's intended to help relatively low-income households get safe and affordable financing. The
agency has the flexibility to make loans to lower-income households
because it makes the loans directly rather than through a lender as a
guaranteed loan. The agency's director, Cathy Glower, came to the
National Association of REALTORS®' offices in Washington, D.C., last
week to talk about the opportunities that many rural home buyers might
be missing out on because of the program's low profile, read more.
Home Prices are Rising at a Rapid Pace
Existing-home
sales surged 9 percent year-over-year in March and home prices
were up 8
percent over last year, according to the National Association of
REALTORS®. Home prices are rising at a more rapid pace than they
were just a few months ago, as demand outpaces supply. What’s more, with tight inventories plaguing many markets, the median list price in March climbed 11 percent over last year, reaching $220,000, reports. With home prices heating up again, could the housing market be heading for another bubble? 'This Is No Housing Bubble,' read more.
Cost-Effective Renovations, Keep it Simple
When it comes to remodeling, it's best to keep it simple. Small cost-effective 
home
renovations will likely get the best return on investment, according to
surveys, appraisers, and real estate professionals. According to the 2015 Cost vs. Value Report, large-scale home remodeling projects are often a gamble, and aren't likely to return their full cost. Small home improvements like upgrading to a steel door, updating the garage door, replacing wood windows, and making small updates to the kitchen will recoup nearly 100 percent of their cost. Bottom line? Simple replacements cost a lot less and provide a bigger payback, read more.
Cost-Effective Renovations, Keep it Simple
When it comes to remodeling, it's best to keep it simple. Small cost-effective home
renovations will likely get the best return on investment, according to
surveys, appraisers, and real estate professionals. According to the 2015 Cost vs. Value Report, large-scale home remodeling projects are often a gamble, and aren't likely to return their full cost. Small home improvements like upgrading to a steel door, updating the garage door, replacing wood windows, and making small updates to the kitchen will recoup nearly 100 percent of their cost. Bottom line? Simple replacements cost a lot less and provide a bigger payback, read more.
What are Stale Listing?
Stale' Listings Are Finding Buyers: "A home that’s been sitting for 30 days is 
more likely to be overpriced, in need of renovation, or have other problems that prevent it from selling." A limited number of homes for-sale has been plaguing housing markets for months.
And despite recent gains, for-sale inventories remain a big concern,
particularly when you "take the quality of the inventory into account," according to a new report by the real estate brokerages. The number of both fresh and dated listings remains low, painting a bleak picture for buyers in many cities. When new buyers find out they're going to have to beat other offers on the newer stuff, they adjust and start looking for things on the market, read more.
New-Home Sales Tumble
Temporary Setback? Sales of newly built single-family homes plunged 11.4 
percent in March, led by large dips in the Midwest and South, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. It was the largest drop in new home sales since July 2013 and follows three consecutive months of large gains. "After two robust months of new home sales, some readjustment is inevitable," says David Crowe, chief economist of the National Association of Home Builders.Still, "this is the best first quarter since 2008, and attractive mortgage rates and pent-up demand should keep the market moving in the right direction." Read more.
How to Finance Nontraditional Home
Earthship, Yurt, or Other Weird (i.e., Nontraditional) Home: (or, depending on 
your POV, downright weird) homes you can buy right now.
That is, if you have cash If not, you’ll need to get the right kind of financing to
step through your atypical front door. We looked at types of
unusual properties to see what kind of financing challenges to expect if
you’re looking to go the route of log cabins, Earthships, and
extremely remote locations. That’s why seller financing can be the way to go, Richter said. Just don’t expect to get market rates or
choose your loan type. Seller financers can (and will) charge higher
rates, set specific terms, and require a substantial down payment to make sure you have enough skin in the game.See how Students Build $500 House
