REALTORS® have actively supported special programs like the temporary $7500 first-time home buyer tax credit, because buying your first home may be daunting. The tax credit, combined with today's low interest rates and increased affordability, make buying conditions more favorable than they've … [Read more...]

A federal mortgage interest buy-down program would help spark the housing market, the National Association of Realtors® said in a letter sent today to James B. Lockhart, chairman of the Oversight Board of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. NAR seeks a 4.5 percent mortgage interest rate buy-down … [Read more...]

Existing-home sales weakened against a backdrop of an eroding economy, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Existing-home sales - including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops - fell 8.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate¹ of 4.49 million units in November … [Read more...]

The National Association of Realtors® applauds the actions of the Federal Reserve Board in lowering interest rates for home buyers and homeowners who need to refinance. This will significantly impact housing sales, home valuations, and the nation's overall economy. The Federal Reserve is … [Read more...]

America needs a long-term plan to turn our economy around, and we need a plan that features practical solutions to end the housing slump, reduce lingering inventory, and keep the dream of home ownership alive. NAR has that plan - our Four-Point Plan to stimulate the housing market. Make the … [Read more...]

Critical to boosting the economy is the need to stem the rising tide of foreclosures and boost homebuyer confidence in the housing market, the National Association of Realtors® told Members of Congress today. In a letter sent to Congress, NAR advocates prompt action by Congress and the current … [Read more...]

Owning a home is one of the best ways to build long-term wealth, and NAR has the data to prove it. But not surprisingly, the Wall Street Journal continues to beat the anti-homeownership drum in favor of stocks, despite the fact that most investors have recently lost more than 30 percent of their … [Read more...]

The National Association of Realtors® has been advocating a four-point plan to help stimulate and stabilize the housing market and the overall economy. Part of the plan calls for changes in how the Treasury uses TARP funds and other monies to lower mortgage interest rates. "We are pleased to see … [Read more...]

For the second year in a row, exterior remodeling projects return the most money as a percentage of cost. On a national level, wood deck additions and all types of siding replacements - upscale fiber cement, midrange vinyl, and upscale foam-backed vinyl - returned more than 80 percent of project … [Read more...]