Gary Sandler Real Estate Connection Published 3:04 PM EDT May 12, 2019 Thinking of purchasing a new vehicle or installing an in-ground swimming pool? Perhaps you’re in need of cash for college tuition, mounting debts or an extreme makeover for your family pet. Maybe you’d like to improve your home by remodeling or adding more space. Those uses and more can be financed using a home-equity loan (HEL) or home equity line of credit (HELOC). But is it prudent to use the money — no matter what the circumstance? Maybe. Maybe not. According to CoreLogic’s Homeowner Equity Insights report for the fourth quarter of 2018, “U.S. homeowners with mortgages (roughly 63 percent of all properties) have seen their equity increase by a total of nearly $678.4 billion since the fourth quarter 2017, an increase of 8.1 percent, year over year." The report also revealed that the average New Mexico homeowner gained $9,000 in equity during the same … [Read more...] about Think twice before taking out a home equity loan
Releasing equity on your home
Tips to make your starter home your happy place
Are you tripping over Legos? Are you constantly yelling to your guests from the kitchen? The Boston area’s aging housing stock doesn’t always reflect a modern family’s wants: closed-off dining rooms and living rooms are out; large mudrooms and open floor plans are in. But many of us feel lucky to have a home at all. House-hunting in the Boston area isn’t for the faint of heart, even for those who already have scored a starter. According to the Massachusetts Association of Realtors, the median sale price for a single-family home in the state last year was $397,500, an increase of 5.4 percent, while the median sale price for condos was $375,000, a jump of 7.1 percent. In a pricey market with low inventory, sometimes it’s better to embrace your current situation and renovate. Thanks to steadily rising home values throughout the area, some homeowners can finance projects, drawing on the equity in their home. If the equity isn’t there, a construction loan … [Read more...] about Tips to make your starter home your happy place
Too many homeowners forced to tap home equity to pay for day-to-day expenses
Tapping home equity to pay for day-to-day expenses like groceries and utilities is a recipe for financial peril. It can work for a while, especially if home prices are rising. Eventually the spigot runs dry, bills pile up and your home can be lost to foreclosure.That makes it all the more worrisome that more than 15 percent of homeowners don’t feel like they have any other way to keep up with expenses, according to Bankrate.com’s latest look at home equity."The idea that nearly 1 in 6 American homeowners views ‘keeping up with regular household bills’ as an appropriate reason to borrow from home equity speaks to how far some households are stretched on a monthly basis," Bankrate.com chief financial analyst Greg McBride said Wednesday. "This further exemplifies the importance of having an emergency fund, so when the unexpected happens — and it will happen — there is a savings cushion to fall back on."The sentiment was most prevalent among low … [Read more...] about Too many homeowners forced to tap home equity to pay for day-to-day expenses
Who NextGen is targeting + Brown, Kardashian agree on something + Surf’s up in Cali!
Tom Steyer: Congress refusing to take stand on impeaching Trump Tom Steyer, founder of Need to Impeach, says Congress isn't doing its job in overseeing President Donald Trump. He is calling for impeachment, which is creating a rift within the Democratic Party. By Up Next × SHARE Tom Steyer, founder of Need to Impeach, says Congress isn't doing its job in overseeing President Donald Trump. He is calling for impeachment, which is creating a rift within the Democratic Party. By Capitol Alert The go-to source for news on California policy and politics Capitol Alert Who NextGen is targeting + Brown, Kardashian agree on something + Surf’s up in Cali! By Bryan Anderson [email protected] LinkedIn Google+ Pinterest Reddit Print Order Reprint of this Story August 21, 2018 05:45 AM NEXTGEN AD BUY NextGen America, an advocacy financially backed by liberal billionaire activist Tom Steyer, is launching a … [Read more...] about Who NextGen is targeting + Brown, Kardashian agree on something + Surf’s up in Cali!
Full transcript: “Face the Nation” on August 12, 2018
Read more transcripts from Face the Nation here. MARGARET BRENNAN, HOST: It`s Sunday, August 12. I`m Margaret Brennan, and this is FACE THE NATION. A year after Charlottesville, what is the state of race relations in America? This year, Virginia officials are taking no chances and have declared a state of emergency in an attempt to head off a repeat of last year, when violence sparked by rallies led by so-called alt-right groups killed one counterprotester, Heather Heyer, and led to the deaths of two state troopers. Charlottesville officials have denied all permits to stage an anniversary protest. Organizer Jason Kessler and his group are taking their rally this year to the front gates of the White House. President Trump is also taking the offensive this year, condemning all types of racism and violence in a tweet. Last year, his response sparked outrage in a national debate. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You had some … [Read more...] about Full transcript: “Face the Nation” on August 12, 2018