Texas Re BOSS

Today, we take time to honor and recognize the past and present lives of Black Americans. When it comes to real estate, equal access to housing has come a long way, but it's still harder for households of color to buy their own homes.   The Difference in the Rate of Homeownership in America Some buyers have a harder time getting into homeownership, as shown by the gap between the average homeownership rate in the U.S. and that of non-white groups. Census data shows that the Black community still has the lowest rate of owning a home. This graph shows that there is still a difference between the percentage of people in each community who can buy their own home.   How owning a home affects a family's wealth One thing that could make it harder for these groups to buy a home is how hard it can be to save up money. Even now, some racial and ethnic groups, especially the Black community, still have to deal with problems. A recent NextAdvisor article explains:   "According to the...

Who wouldn't want a pool?   A closer look uncovers the reality (and hazards) of pool ownership, good and bad, and all should be considered by potential homeowners. Realtors say pools lower resale value. Americans are increasingly forgoing swimming pools. Over 28.4 million U.S. households owned a pool in spring 2009. By April 2017, it was 18.9 million.   This deterioration is financially-driven. In 2009, the Great Recession was still raging, so many cash-strapped homeowners stopped paying for pools.   U.S. homeowners may not desire the inconvenience and expense of developing and maintaining a pool.   Experts agree having a pool has benefits. Pool ownership has many benefits:   Realtors say pools lower resale value. Americans are increasingly forgoing swimming pools. Over 28.4 million U.S. households owned a pool in spring 2009. By April 2017, it was 18.9 million.   This deterioration is financially-driven. In 2009, the Great Recession was still raging, so ma...