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Real Estate Wisdom and Information From CENTURY 21 Advantage Gold -The Only CENTURY 21 Firm With Offices in Pennsylvania AND New Jersey!

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Entries from July 2011

Pending Home Sales Rise For 3rd Straight Month

July 29th, 2011 · Comments Off on Pending Home Sales Rise For 3rd Straight Month

Buyers are writing contracts at a furious pace nationwide. On a seasonally-adjusted basis, the Pending Home Sales Index rose 2 percent last month to reach its highest level since March.

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Tags: Housing Analysis

16 of 20 Case-Shiller Cities Show Improvement In May

July 28th, 2011 · Comments Off on 16 of 20 Case-Shiller Cities Show Improvement In May

May’s Case-Shiller Index showed a 1 percent increase from April 2011. Home values rose in 16 of the Case-Shiller Index’s 20 tracked markets. Only Detroit, Las Vegas and Tampa fell. Phoenix was flat.

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Tags: Housing Analysis

New Home Supplies Keep Shrinking; Prices Pressured Higher

July 27th, 2011 · Comments Off on New Home Supplies Keep Shrinking; Prices Pressured Higher

According to Census Bureau data, the number of new homes slid 1 percent from May. On a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis, home buyers bought 312,000 newly-built homes last month.

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Tags: Housing Analysis

Is An FHA Mortgage Better Than A Conforming One?

July 26th, 2011 · Comments Off on Is An FHA Mortgage Better Than A Conforming One?

The FHA is insuring a greater percentage of loans than during any time in recent history. In 2006, it insured roughly 5 percent of the purchase mortgage market. Today, it insures one-quarter. “Going FHA” is more common than ever before — but is it better?

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Tags: Mortgage Guidelines

How To Clean A Smelly Front-Loading Washing Machine

July 25th, 2011 · Comments Off on How To Clean A Smelly Front-Loading Washing Machine

Because of the way most front-loading washers are built, they tend to pool water in their drums, which can be a breeding ground bacteria and mildew. Whether your front-loading washer smells “dirty” or not, you’ll want to follow proper procedures to keep it clean.

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Tags: Around The Home

Home Prices Rise For The 2nd Straight Month

July 22nd, 2011 · Comments Off on Home Prices Rise For The 2nd Straight Month

A strong spring season helped home values recover, says the government. According to the Federal Home Finance Agency’s Home Price Index, home prices rose a seasonally-adjusted 0.4 percent from April to May.

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Tags: Housing Analysis

Existing Home Sales Fall To 8-Month Low

July 21st, 2011 · Comments Off on Existing Home Sales Fall To 8-Month Low

Home resales slipped for the 3rd straight month, according to data from the National Association of REALTORS®. Sales volume is at an eight-month low.

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Tags: Housing Analysis

Housing Starts Surge 9 Percent; Signal A Strong Fall Season

July 20th, 2011 · Comments Off on Housing Starts Surge 9 Percent; Signal A Strong Fall Season

Builders are busy once again. According to the Census Bureau, Single-Family Housing Starts rose to 453,000 on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis in June — a 9 percent spike from the month prior and the highest reading in 3 seasons.

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Tags: Housing Analysis

Led By Expectations Of A Strong Fall Season, Homebuilder Confidence Bounces Back

July 19th, 2011 · Comments Off on Led By Expectations Of A Strong Fall Season, Homebuilder Confidence Bounces Back

Homebuilder confidence is bouncing back. One month after an unceremonious dip highlighted by poor sales figures and dim prospects for the future, the National Association of Homebuilder’s Housing Market Index rebounded two points to 15 in July.

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Tags: Housing Analysis

There’s 3.7 Million Homes For Sale. Is Yours Standing Out From The Crowd?

July 18th, 2011 · Comments Off on There’s 3.7 Million Homes For Sale. Is Yours Standing Out From The Crowd?

According to the National Association of REALTORS®, there are more than 3.7 million homes for sale this month. If your home is among them, are you doing what it takes to stand apart from the crowd?

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Tags: Around The Home