New Homes in Houston TX by Long Lake

First-Time Homebuyer Myths

When buying a first home, most people are making one of the biggest purchases of their lives. Without home buying experience, it’s hard to separate fact from fiction. “Buying a first home can be exciting and stressful for most young buyers, especially the financing process,” says Clete Thompson, vice president at imortgage, a division of loanDepot LLC. “There’s a lot of …

New Homes in Houston TX by Long Lake

Reality TV Shows vs. Reality in the Real Estate World

Real estate shows, especially those featuring pricey properties, often appeal to viewers on an aspirational or voyeuristic level. It’s all about seeing beautiful homes and properties that people might not get to see. However, those beautiful properties aren’t always what they seem. Last year, a Texas couple who appeared on “House Hunters” revealed that two of the houses they toured …

New Homes in Houston TX by Long Lake

FHA Announces Loan Limits for 2015

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) recently announced the agency’s new schedule of loan limits for 2015. These loan limits are effective for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2015, and will remain in effect through the end of the year. FHA’s calculation for maximum loan limits in high cost metropolitan areas of the country will remain the same as …

New Homes in Houston TX by Long Lake

Single-Family Production Revs Up in 2015

A growing economy, rising household formations, low mortgage rates and pent-up demand will help single-family housing production to rev up in 2015 while a growth in renters will keep the multifamily market at cruising altitude or higher, according to economists who participated in a recent National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 2014 Fall Construction Forecast Webinar.

New Homes in Houston TX by Long Lake

Student Loans and the Housing Market

Clear Capital recently released its Home Data Index™ (HDI) Market Report with data through October 2014, which looked at the way colleges and universities are having an effect on housing across the country. Metros with noteworthy university influence are at the top of their class, with home price trends far outperforming national rates of growth since 2004. A sample of …