Coronavirus 2020: Stay home orders extended for some states. What to know about the extensions and our advice on how to stay positive throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As of April 30, 2020, stay home orders were extended into May in several large states, including Illinois, California, Hawaii, New Jersey, Nevada and Michigan. But other states [...]
Coronavirus real estate market impact 2020. A new report takes a look at the stability of home prices and home sales in the U.S. after pandemics. Mortgage rates are nearing an all-time low and refinance activity is high, but home sales have slowed due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report by Freddie Mac. [...]
Coronavirus stimulus checks 2020: will it be enough? How to check your eligibility and how Americans plan to spend their stimulus checks from the CARES Act. The first round of Economic Impact Payments, the coronavirus relief stimulus checks included in the CARES Act, were deposited last week. That’s good news if you got yours and [...]
Coronavirus 2020: 5 things to do during quarantine. Fun and productive things to do when you’re bored at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. I don’t know about you, but we are almost a full 30 days into self-quarantining and it’s getting more difficult each day to stave off how stir-crazy my family is getting. It’s [...]
Coronavirus relief: CARES Act 2020. How the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill will help both families and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of Coronavirus/COVID-19 cases in the U.S. continues to spike as more tests become available and states improve reporting procedures. In our coverage of the Coronavirus, we’ve watched the cases skyrocket from [...]
Families First Coronavirus Response Act: what you need to know. The new bill provides paid sick leave, free coronavirus testing and more for Americans. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed into law on Wednesday, March 18th. It provides paid sick leave, free coronavirus testing, expands food assistance and unemployment benefits for Americans, [...]
Will mortgage rates continue to drop in 2020? Should you refinance your mortgage now or wait and see what happens with the real estate market next? The coronavirus is wreaking havoc on the global economy, but there is one bright spot here in America. Thirty-year mortgage rates in the U.S. dipped to 3.29 percent earlier [...]
What do you need a permit for? Home improvement projects you need permits for, how to get them and what could happen if you get the work done without one. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the snow is finally melting — and it’s the perfect time to start planning your next home [...]
Cannabis legalization and real estate: what happens to property values? How has recreational cannabis legalization impacted the real estate market? This year, Illinois joined 10 other states and Washington, D.C., in legalizing recreational cannabis use. Nearly $3.2 million of marijuana and cannabis products were sold on January 1st in Illinois, and there are still dispensaries [...]
Buying vs renting a home in 2020. Insights from Rick Sharga answer whether it is better to rent or buy a home in 50 U.S. metropolitan areas. This article has been updated to clarify that median home prices and median home payments listed are for homes in the 25th quartile. More than 80 percent of [...]
