Dear Members,

Without Congressional action by September 30, 2017, authority for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) will expire.  If the NFIP lapses, more than 40,000 real estate transactions per month will be in jeopardy.

Urge your member of Congress to pass “The 21st Century Flood Reform Act” H.R. 2874 as soon as possible.

H.R. 2874 contains numerous provisions of critical importance to consumers and REALTORS:

Reauthorizes NFIP for a full 5 years,avoiding the uncertainty of short term extensions and potential shutdowns
Caps NFIP rates at $10,000 per year for property owners
Directs FEMA to develop more granular rate tables, to ensure fewer properties are over charged by NFIP
Sets aside $1 billion for flood mitigation assistance grants
Increases access to private market flood insurance

Tell Congress to PASS Flood Insurance Reform Now!

Zero-Down Loans Making a Comeback

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2017

Your buyers may soon be able to bring less to closing. They were blamed for precipitating the housing crisis years ago, but major lenders are giving no- and low-down payment loans another shot.

Read more: The Big Down Payment Myth

Several major lenders are reportedly offering loans with just 1 percent down. Navy Federal, the nation’s largest credit union, offers its members zero-down mortgages in amounts up to $1 million. NASA Federal Credit Union markets zero-down mortgages as well. Quicken Loans, the third highest volume lender, offers 1 percent down payment options, as does United Wholesale Mortgage. And the Department of Veterans Affairs has offered zero-down loans to eligible borrowers for many years.

Also, Movement Mortgage, a large national lender, has introduced a financing option that provides eligible first-time buyers with …

4 Affordable DIYs That Boost Home Value
We’ve got practical and pretty blogger projects that pack a payoff.

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TOPICYour Money, Save Money, Add Value, Add Value to Your Home, DIY
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Sure meaty projects like a wood deck and an attic bedroom conversion are among the best bets when it comes to investing your remodeling dollars. But there are other home improvement upgrades — like these four blogger projects — that can boost your home’s value and good looks for a lot less money.

And you can knock out each yourself over a weekend — or two.

#1 Ikea Hack Transforms Basement

Christina Katos, of the blog No. 29 Design, wanted to convert her dreary unfinished basement into a bright and cheerful family room that included 17 feet of built-in storage. Hiring someone to create her dream built-in would have cost up to $8,000. …

Have you booked a ticket on “The Road to Success?” This September, join hundreds of your fellow REALTORS® as they rev up their business at the 2017 GAR Annual Conference, taking place September 6-9, in picturesque Jekyll Island, Georgia. Satisfy your CE requirements with classes from the real estate industry’s most sought-after speakers on topics such as REALTOR® Safety, marketing with videos, working with investors, and emerging trends in real estate, and more. (Keynote info). Additionally, we are offering Certified International Property Specialist, Certified Residential Specialist, and Resort and Second Home Property Specialist designation courses for those that wish to gain expertise on these topics and to work toward one of these designations.

   When the classes and committee meetings are over, the fun begins! GAR has planned several networking opportunities for you to make new friends (and potential …