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Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Rural Communities Attract More Buyers | Pound Ridge Real Estate
Purchase mortgages grew at a faster rate in rural communities than in the rest of the nation last year and rural borrowers paid significantly higher rates of interest than urban or suburban home buyers in 2014, according to an analysis of recently released data from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) by Keith Wiley, senior research associate at the Housing Assistance Council.
While all mortgages declined, the number of loans for home purchases increased both nationally and in rural communities in 2014. Rural home purchase originations grew by almost 7 percent, higher than the national increase in home purchases, which increased 4 percent over 2013. However, rural home purchase loan volume (440,489) still remained less than half of what it was before the Great Recession in 2006 (926,156).
However, rural home buyers paid higher interest rates mortgages last year than urban or suburban buyers. Approximately 15 percent of all rural home purchase loans were classified as high cost in 2014, up from 11 percent for calendar year 2013. The rate of rural high cost lending is approximately four and three percentage points higher than the rate for suburban and urban loans. High cost mortgages with interest rates that are significantly higher than the prime rates charged for similar loans (1.5 percentage points higher for a first lien and 3.5 percentage points higher for a second lien).
One reason rural loans average higher rates of interest than loans in other regions may be that high cost loans are particularly prevalent in manufactured home lending, a market segment important to rural communities. In 2014, nearly two-thirds of rural manufactured home purchase loans were classified as high cost loans — six times the high cost rate for single family home loans. Manufactured homes are largely financed with personal property, or “chattel,” loans which frequently carry higher interest rates than conventional home purchase mortgages. Approximately half of all manufactured home loans occurred in rural communities which elevates the overall high cost lending levels in rural areas.
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http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2015/10/purchase-mortgages-increase-faster-in-rural-america/
Friday, October 2, 2015
Do Millennial Buyers Really Prefer the City? | Chappaqua Real Estate
A study by Federal Reserve economists Elora Raymond and Jessica Dill found that it’s true that first-time homebuyers prefer to buy in the city. They tend to live closer city centers than existing homeowners who are burying a new home. First-timers buy within an average of 5.8 to 5.9 miles from city centers whereas existing owners prefer 6 to y25 miles.
Where millennials settle could determine whether cities continue to grow, what transportation infrastructure expenditures should be, and whether homebuilders should focus their efforts on multifamily housing in urban locations or traditional single-family homes in the suburbs.
A number of observers have speculated whether the recent surge in millennials living in cities represents a change in preferences or whether it’s simply an artifact of financial constraints—tighter underwriting standards, weak income growth, or larger student debt. Nielsen’s survey of young adults found that millennials prefer the lifestyle afforded by dense urban environments, but the National Association of Homebuilder’s survey of young homebuyers finds that just 10 percent would prefer to live in the city while a whopping 66 percent want to live in the suburbs. Setting preferences aside, others debate whether millennials really are moving to the city. While recent data confirm that young people are moving to the cities at much higher rates than in the 1990s, it’s also true that the raw majority of young people choose the suburbs over the city
Beginning in 2003, younger first-time homebuyers trended towards more central locations. During the 2007–09 recession, the spread between older and younger first-time homebuyers collapsed. After the recession, the spread widened again. It’s difficult to say whether the shift in purchase patterns is the result of financial constraints or changing preferences, but the tendency appears to be for newer and younger homeowners to purchase homes closer to the city center.
The economists, based in the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank, assembled a data set that allowed them to identify first-time millennial homebuyers and the census tracts where they bought their first homes.
Using this data, they asked if first-time millennial homebuyers are more likely to live near the city center than either existing homeowners or older first-time homebuyers. Finally, they looked at how other factors like creditworthiness and student debt levels appear to influence this decision.
Below, they charted the median distance from the central business district (CBD) of first-time and existing homeowners by age bracket from the years 2001 to 2014. We find that existing homeowners tend to live, on average, 6.3 to 6.5 miles from the city center.
.What this chart cannot tell us is whether the trend that has younger people living closer to the city center reflects uniform preferences or whether this is an artifact of stronger economic growth in denser cities. In other words, is this trend the result of strong home buying in compact cities and weak sales in sprawling metropolises (that is, between cities), or is it the result of all buyers nationwide choosing to move closer to the city center (that is, within cities)?
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http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2015/09/do-millennial-buyers-really-prefer-the-city/
Monday, August 10, 2015
5 style rules to take any room from boring to bold | Armonk Real Estate
Every designer has his or her own style rules. Over the years, I’ve honed mine down to the top five that I come back to again and again. Follow these ideas — or break them if you see fit — and I guarantee you’ll be able to take any space from feeling like it’s a boring, everyday thing to something you love every day.
1. A midcentury piece. I’m a huge believer in always using at least one midcentury modern element for a number of reasons. For one thing, the design period, despite no longer being technically “modern” (in the sense that it’s now technically a retro style from the past century), still feels current and timeless.
Modern pieces work well in virtually any space, whether contemporary or traditional. I love the pairing of this classic Eileen Gray table with the curvy traditional chest and soft bedding, adding just one punch of truly modern style to keep this room from feeling too formal.
One of the easiest ways to introduce a modern piece is through seating. Midcentury chairs are always stylish with traditional wood tables for that old-world, new-world mix.
See why people love midcentury modern design
See why people love midcentury modern design
2. A touch of white and a touch of black. Our eyes expect to see a full spectrum of colors, and how we perceive a space can change based on the range of colors represented. This is why I try to always include at least a hint of white and a touch of black in each space. White is often easy, but be mindful of adding black accents. Black picture frames and other elements on white backgrounds will make sure both ends of the spectrum are represented and balanced.
Notice how this room has a lot of off-white but still includes a little pure white, which helps reveal the undertones of the other shades. Pure black can be easily introduced through lamps with black bases or cottage-inspired cage shades, as seen here.
See 12 gorgeous black and white bathrooms
See 12 gorgeous black and white bathrooms
3. A mix of textures. Whether your space is bold and colorful or subdued and neutral, a truly designed look involves a mix of textures for that subtle richness. Besides different upholstery textures, like cotton, burlap, hides, linens, silks and sheers, you should always strive to include some wood, metal and glass. The materials in this no-fail trio are easy to mix and will add lots of depth.
(Also notice again how this room includes small accents of black while still feeling very airy and open.)
(Also notice again how this room includes small accents of black while still feeling very airy and open.)
Other textures to consider mixing in:
- Woven baskets
- Smooth woods (vs. worn-in woods)
- Plant life
- Plastic (such as Lucite chairs)
- Wool or cashmere
- Exposed bulbs (the glow is almost like its own texture)
4. Personal imperfection. Besides all the perfectly chosen materials, a space should have at least once piece that speaks to a sense of history, with some true vintage character or personal meaning.
These vintage suitcases make a beautifully quirky side table, balancing the sleek bedding and custom drapery to make sure nothing is too perfect.
These vintage suitcases make a beautifully quirky side table, balancing the sleek bedding and custom drapery to make sure nothing is too perfect.
read more...
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/51989473?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u1602&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery15
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