As hotels face steep declines in travel guests due to COVID-19, they’re trying to find a new hook to appeal to consumers. Some are now offering up rooms to people who are finding working from home too distracting. The hotel rooms can offer privacy, a desk, high-speed internet, a minifridge, and a special rate for just the day.For example, the White Bear Country Inn, a Best Western Plus outside of Minneapolis, is offering a $49 room to houseboun
Investors who have cash on hand are viewing opportunities brewing in the housing market amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Housing stock is very low in many markets as some sellers have pulled their homes off the market. But investors are still viewing potential growth areas and reportedly making purchases for home flipping and rentals.Investors believe that people quarantined in their homes may start to feel like their current house is inadequate in so
The three main credit reporting bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—have announced that everyone will be able to request a free credit report from each of them weekly over the next year. The new policy started this week.The companies say the reports are being made more readily available to help Americans “protect their financial health during the sudden and unprecedented hardship caused by COVID-19.”The CARES Act requires that compa
While existing-home sales dipped in March as the COVID-19 pandemic sparked stay-at-home restrictions across the country, they're not far off from the numbers a year ago, and home prices continue to rise.The National Association of REALTORS®’ monthly existing-home sales—which includes completed transactions for single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and co-ops—dropped 8.5% in March compared to February. Sales were at a seasonally adjusted
When Congress passed the first of three coronavirus relief packages in early March, it included an important provision waiving Medicare restrictions on providing telehealth services to seniors. Additionally, many major medical insurance carriers have recently added a telemedicine option. That’s good news, but what about those who don’t have Medicare or other coverage that includes virtual doctor visits?Members’ health coverage is
Listing data, detailed photos, and virtual and live-video tours will suffice for a growing number of consumers who are looking to buy a home; they don’t need to physically visit the property before making an offer, according to a new joint survey from realtor.com® and Toluna Insights.Twenty-four percent of 1,300 consumers surveyed say they’d be willing to buy a home without seeing it in person, and 30% would be willing to rent one, the surve
Mortgage rates dropped for the third consecutive week, inching closer to the lowest averages ever on record. “Refinance activity remains high, but home purchase demand is weak due to economic tightening,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “While new monthly economic data are driving markets lower this week, they are a lagging indicator and should be priced in already. Real-time daily economic activity metrics suggest that th
Homebuilders started on fewer new homes in March as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the nation. New construction was at a pace of 1.22 million units in March, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. However, that number is still 1.4% higher than a year ago.Building permits—which help gauge future construction activity—were at a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.35 million in March, still 5% higher than last year’s rate. Nevertheless, a s
Where would we be without family and friends? More of us would be apartment dwellers, according to a new report from the National Association of REALTORS®. Thirty-two percent of first-time homebuyers received a gift or loan from a relative or friend last year, according to the report, and 8% of repeat buyers received down payment gifts, according to “2020 Downpayment Expectations & Hurdles to Homeownership.” The report, released today, i
Real estate sales are continuing on within a global pandemic as the use of virtual tools is giving buyers a feel for homes—so much so that some are willing to put an offer on a home without even physically stepping inside.A quarter of REALTORS® surveyed reported that their clients put contracts on homes this week without physically seeing the property. The survey was released Thursday by the National Association of REALTORS®.As stay-at home o
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