It’s that time of year – a plethora of college kids are graduating, and are trading in their caps and gowns for jobs and rent. While the thought of having to find a job might sound intimidating, new grads can rest easy knowing that they’re entering an improved job market. In fact, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 11% more grads from the class of 2016 will be hired compared to last year.
Depending on where you live, you might find it tough to land a great rental unit that fits within your budget and meets all your needs. But even when you find a place that’s located in an awesome location and seems like an affordable deal, it can be a total nightmare if you wind up stuck with a terrible landlord. Sure, many landlords are awesome, but some are not. In fact, some are downright shady, and even break the law when it comes to screening renters and dealing with them on a regular basis.
Can’t come up with 20% for a down payment? Be prepared to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI). Borrowers who are applying for a conventional mortgage and aren’t able to come up with a sizeable down payment towards a home purchase will have this additional fee tacked onto their mortgage payments. This is in addition to others like interest, escrow and taxes.
Still got massive student loan debt on the books? Join the 43 million other borrowers who do too. And among all the millennials who are still chipping away at their student loan debt, over one-third of them plan on buying a home within the next five years. But with all that debt still to be paid off, is getting a mortgage and purchasing a property a futile endeavor?
When you buy a condo, townhouse, or any other type of property in a planned development, you’re bound to the rules of the Homeowners’ Association (HOA). While you might have already known that rules existed when you bought, you likely never gave them a second thought, until there’s a problem.
Vacant foreclosure properties – dubbed ‘zombie foreclosures’ – are on the decline. According to the second quarter 2016 US Residential Property Vacancy and Zombie Foreclosure Report, there are just over 19,000 properties that are in the zombie foreclosure process, a drop of 3.1% from April and a 30.1% plummet from the same time last year. These properties represent 4.7% of all foreclosures.
Savvy scammers are always on the lookout for a way to swindle money from unsuspecting victims, and the real estate industry is by no means off limits. Of course, the overwhelming majority of buyers, sellers, agents, landlords, and others involved in real estate transactions are honest, but there are a few bad apples out there who spoil the bushel.
The housing market continues to sizzle in many cities across the US, but it’s not just domestic buyers that are fueling the fire. Foreign real estate investment continues to be a major player in US real estate, and is expected to pick up the pace throughout the remainder of 2016. Chinese investors, in particular, have their sights set on the US. Many wealthy Chinese investors have been dealing with obstacles stemming from the economic crisis in China, and have been looking outside of their borders to plant their capital.
A steady, predictable, and adequate income stream throughout retirement is a must for anyone in their Golden Years who wants to live comfortably long after they’ve said goodbye to their careers. But without a decent pension, considerable savings, or sizeable dividends from investment vehicles, having the pool of income needed to keep up a certain lifestyle after retirement can be downright difficult.
The first thing that prospective homebuyers see when they visit your home is the exterior. From the lawn, to the bushes, to the walkways, and finally to the front door, all these components make up the ‘curb appeal’ of your home, which you want to be certain is nothing short of impressive. Some buyers can be so turned off by the front lawn of a home that they don’t even bother checking out what’s behind the front door.
