2020 Air Conditioning Freon Ban
2-10 Home Warranty explains the freon ban now in place… On January 1, 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ban on Freon® went into full effect. This ban forbids the production or import of Freon (also called R-22) throughout the United States. Since many air conditioning units manufactured before 2010 use Freon, your Buyers and Sellers might wonder what the ban means for them. Here are some common questions you can help your Buyers and Sellers answer about the Freon ban....
Read MoreCOVID-19 & The Return to Real Estate
Governor Whitmer Eliminates Remaining Real Estate Limitations and Reopens Much of the State. Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-110, rescinding her “Safer at Home” Order, and moving the entire state to phase four of the MI Safe Start Plan. This action removes most of the restrictions that real estate brokerages and clients have been operating under. As we reported last week, Michigan Realtors® was working with the Governor’s Office to remove the previously imposed...
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Selling? Skip Remodelling
5 Nonlazy Reasons to Skip Remodeling Before You Sell Home sellers often hear that if they ever hope to find a buyer, they must whip their house into perfect shape—fix this, paint that, overhaul your horribly outdated kitchen. But just looking at the list of renovations is exhausting! This leads many to wonder: Do I really need to do all that just to sell my home? If that’s how you feel, here’s some good news: There actually are some good reasons—meaning reasons other than sheer...
Read More6 Things That Turn Buyers Off
…and What Sellers Can Do To Prevent It! We’ve talked about surprising home features buyers LOVE, and about why buyers aren’t biting on today’s market, despite it being highly affordable. But we haven’t talked much about the characteristics of sellers, listings and homes that turn buyers all the way off. Well, not until now! Here are 6 big-time homebuyer turn-offs that make buyers cringe at the thought of your home, and action steps you can take to prevent your...
Read MoreWhat Affects Mortgage Rates?
Your mortgage rate depends on your own financial portfolio and the home you plan to buy. But that’s not all. Mortgage rates also reflect movements in the U.S. housing market and the global economy — which is why they’re in constant flux. Economy – The global financial picture drives all interest rates, including mortgage rates Lender pipeline – The amount of business a lender is currently processing can impact their rates Property location – State laws can drive up lender costs or keep them...
Read MoreHUD FHA Condo Financing
HUD Announces New FHA Condo Financing Rules! The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is expected to release updated guidance tomorrow on FHA-insured condominium financing. The new rules should benefit your real estate clients and customers by allowing more buyers to obtain low down-payment mortgages on affordable housing options. Specifically, the new rules will: Extend FHA certifications on condo developments from two years to three years, reducing the compliance burden on condo...
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