Buying In 2017? 7 Steps You Must Take Now

You can’t just plunk down your credit card to buy a house. Here’s how to prepare for the purchase. If you’re thinking about buying a home in 2017, October to December is the perfect time to “warm up” for the house hunt so you can hit the ground running in the new year. And whether you’re looking in Athens, GA, or Athens, NY, the prep work is relatively the same. We’ve asked real estate and mortgage professionals to chime in about what prospective homebuyers should do to ready themselves for buying a home. From organizing your finances to save money to finding a real estate agent and mortgage lender, there is plenty to keep you busy! – From Trulia

Fall housing trends: What Will Happen to Home Prices and Mortgage Rates?

This fall, 2 factors dominate real estate:

1. In many housing markets, there aren't enough affordable homes for sale to satisfy demand.
2. Mortgage rates continue to linger near historical lows.

The result is frustration: Low mortgage rates boost affordability, but prospective buyers feel like they don't have much choice. – From Bankrate.com

Forecast: Strongest and Weakest Housing Markets for Next Year

The past year showed a rise in housing markets in the Northwest, and a cooling in the West in previously hot markets such as San Francisco. It seems that trend will continue into next year. A new report from Veros Real Estate Solutions, which works in enterprise risk management and collateral valuation services, shows the strongest and weakest markets for the next 12 months ending in Sept. 1, 2015. – From HousingWire.com

How Much Does a Home Inspection Cost (and How Much Can It Save You)?

Buying a home is a huge investment—and you can’t exactly read Amazon reviews to get a sense of any problems that might crop up after you’ve plunked down your money. That’s why it’s smart to get a home inspection before you close the deal. But since home inspections aren’t free and that cash comes out of your pocket, you might be wondering: How much does a home inspection cost? – From Realtor.com

20 Best Cities for Trick-or-Treating in 2016

Seattle is on the list!! Find the best spots for your little ghouls and goblins to fill their plastic pumpkins. Halloween is around the corner, which means it’s time for creepy costumes, haunted houses, and enough candy to satisfy any sweet tooth. Every year, Zillow’s candy-loving economists crunch the numbers to find out which cities are best for your little monsters to score the best goodies. To figure out where kids can trick-or-treat with lots of other children and get the most candy in the shortest amount of time, Zillow researchers look at home values, how close homes are to each other, crime rate and the share of population under 10 years old. – From Zillow

Vancouver-Like Tax isn’t Right Way to Slow Our Soaring House Prices

Earlier this month, I created an online poll asking readers if they favored a Vancouver, B.C.-like tax on foreign buyers of residential property. The results were unscientific but resounding: More than 68 percent of respondents favored it. The action by the British Columbia government came in August, imposing on foreigners a 15 percent property-transfer excise tax for real-estate purchases in metropolitan Vancouver. – From The Seattle Times

Portland Can't Halt No-Cause Evictions Under Current Law

The Portland City Council doesn't have the authority to halt no-cause evictions without changes to state law, according to a new analysis by the Oregon Legislative Counsel. Portland Mayor-elect Ted Wheeler and House Speaker Tina Kotek have each said they want to end the practice of no-cause evictions against renters. But now, a new declaration sets the stage for lawmakers in Salem — not politicians in Portland — to act first. That's because state law "clearly permits" a landlord to end month-to-month leases without providing a reason, so long as the landlord provides proper notice. – From National Mortgage News