Emanuel Stewart - Reliant Home Lending

Last week’s economic reporting included readings on job openings, inflation, and consumer sentiment. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released. Job Openings Increase as Employers Struggle to Fill Positions Job openings rose in April according to the Labor Department, but workers were quitting jobs in record numbers. 9.30 million openings were reported as compared to expectations of 8.20 million job openings and 8.30 million job openings reported in March. Increasing job openings indicate a stronger post-pandemic economy as businesses and service providers return to full capacity.  Employers faced multiple obstacles to filling job openings including early retirements taken during the pandemic, difficulty in finding childcare options, and continued fear of covid-19. Generous covid-19 benefits and jobless benefits delayed workers’ return to...

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When a homeowner is preparing to sell a home, it can be beneficial to determine the target audience that is most likely to be interested in the property as an important initial step. In some cases, it is advantageous for a homeowner to position a home as a great rental property or investment property, but this requires the right strategy. By adopting a few niche marketing steps, homeowners can work with their trusted real estate agent to market a property appropriately. Create A Cash Flow Sheet Buyers who are searching for a rental or investment property are looking for a return on their investment in most cases, and they also may want to see how large of a down payment is needed in order for...

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With COVID and social distancing keeping people apart, buying a home in person has become a real challenge. Digital tools and online presentations of homes for sale have ramped up in response, making it possible to see properties with both static images/photos and with “360 degree” views or interactive walkthroughs. However, these are not real-time images of the home itself. They are professionally-developed representations of a property, and a lot of software work goes into making those images marketing ready. Photographic Tools of the Trade If a listing has included images created by a professional photographer, he or she will have used a number of resources to produce what a consumer sees. First, the camera will be a high-grade, professional unit with enhanced features in...

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There are millions of homeowners that are parents waiting for their advance child tax credits to arrive; however, they might not be sure exactly how much money they are going to get. This makes it difficult to set a budget. Some parents could expect to receive $300 per month between now and December. The rest of the credit should arrive after filing their tax returns next year. How much will parents receive? The Process Of Calculating A Child Tax Credit Because of recent changes in federal tax laws, the expanded child tax credit has increased the limit from $2,000 (the limit in 2020) to a maximum of $3,600; however, not every parent is going to receive $3,600. Children under the age of five years are...

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It can be a bit of a surprise if your home turns out to be valued at less than the purchase price offered, but this is the type of thing that can occur in an appraisal situation. While this can change everything from your contract to the amount of your down payment if your home has been appraised at less than you envisioned, here are some options you may want to consider. Review The Appraisal Contingency Clause If an appraisal contingency clause is built into the terms of your contract, this means that the terms of your contract can be re-evaluated and re-negotiated if an appraisal happens to come up short. While this is meant primarily to protect the homebuyer against a lower appraisal, it...

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