Daily Dose

Though the concept of home staging is by no means new, not all decorating endeavors have the same impact. Learn where successful sellers’ agents put their budgets.

Owning a home has long been part of the American Dream, but with the ever-changing landscape and perceived generational gap, is it really still a sought-after commodity? ValueInsured asked 5,000 Americans over the last two years their thoughts. The results are surprising.

The National Mortgage Servicing Association is calling for federal agencies to work together in conjunction with the mortgage servicing community to standardize the treatment of vacant and abandoned properties, a known cause of community blight and haven for crime. The organization submitted a report to the leadership of HUD, CFPB, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, OCC, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac outlining the problem, proposing solutions, and identifying the benefit of each recommendation for the consumer.

For certain consumers, credit scores could be jumping quite a few points come this fall. The three major credit reporting companies announced they will drop some data from consumers’ profiles, but experts are concerned it could mean bad news for the mortgage market.

As mortgage rates fluctuate, especially in the current market, buyers get a better idea on if it is time to get a mortgage or if they should hold off a little longer. In Bankrate’s mortgage report, they explain what rates are currently, how much the buyer will pay at the current rate, and which mortgage is a good fit for the buyer. Take a look at where rates currently stand.

A recently released home price index shows that the average price of homes is on the rise. Will that trend continue into the future months, or will it falter? Read on to find out.

Recently, in a roundtable event on community blight in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a town plagued with hundreds of cases of community blight, Senators and experts met to discuss possible solutions. What steps can be taken to curb the disastrous effects of blight? Read on to see three video clips showcasing the highlights of the meeting.

The future of many companies—success or failure—could be decided by one specific characteristic, and it’s not in margin increase or hedging profitability. It’s whether or not companies are committed to entering the diverse minority lending markets.

One area that is too often neglected when it comes to the vendor due diligence process is the prospective partner’s document signing protocols. Companies that don’t take document compliance seriously face high risks. Firms must have a well-designed and compliant system in place to best service their clients.

Two primary reasons are cited as to why the industry is raising prices so rapidly. One, the frequency of large storms is increasing. Two, the cost of covering the insured damage from these storms is also rising. What is less well-known is the proverbial “rest of the story.” The rest of the story is how these rapid increases in insurance prices have hurt consumers and benefited the industry.