By Kara Thompson, Special to the AFRO, kthompson@afro.com Selling your home can be something that takes a lot of time, energy and effort, especially if you’re a first time seller. But luckily, you don’t have to do it on your own. Whether you’re downsizing or upsizing, moving across the country or down the street– these […]
Category: Baltimore News
Posted inBaltimore News
Breaking News: New report highlights the impact of school conditions and underfunding on Baltimore City Public School students, faculty and staff
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, Report For America Corps Member, tmcqueen@afro.com The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH) has released a report comparing the state of Baltimore City Public School buildings to those in other counties across Maryland. The JHSPH report, titled “School conditions and educational equity in Baltimore City,” highlights the […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Skewed figure: how biased appraisals are underestimating the value of Black homes
Baltimore couple’s home rises nearly $300,000 in value after White colleague stands in for appraisal By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business WriterReport for America Corps Membermsayles@afro.com and Kara Thompson, Special to the AFROkthompson@afro.com Nearly a year ago, Baltimore couple Nathan Connolly and Shani Mott decided that they would capitalize on the housing market’s historically low interest […]
Posted inBUSINESS
Real estate expert opinion: what to know before you buy a home
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, Report for America Corps Member msayles@afro.com When it comes to building generational wealth and closing the racial wealth divide, homeownership has become a key pathway. Buying a home is a long-term investment, and because houses typically tend to appreciate, it’s one that pays off overtime. As homeowners pay off […]
Posted inNational News
Black millennials are trying to close the gap in homeownership
By Nicole D. Batey, Special to the AFRO, nbatey@afro.com Millennial buyers are the primary driver of Black homeownership in the U.S. Housing market right now. Many are leaving rental life behind to purchase their first home or investment property in pursuit of having equity and building wealth. According to Realtor.com estimations, there will be at […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Black-led mortgage company announces new program for Black Baltimoreans
By AFRO Staff Legacy Home Loans, one of the leading Black-led mortgage firms in the country, recently announced a mortgage loan called “Closing the Gap.” The loan was created to assist Black Americans in becoming homeowners and will target those seeking loans in six major cities across the nation. The Las Vegas-based company recently announced […]
Posted inNational News
It’s not easy getting a home loan – racial bias makes it nearly impossible for many Blacks
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent, @StacyBrownMedia In data released earlier this year from the Federal Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, major disparities exist in home loan approval rates between African Americans and Whites. Nationally, the purchase mortgage denial rate for Black homebuyers is twice as high as the denial rate for the overall […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Inside look: recipients of increased first-time homebuyers incentive sound off about experience
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, Report for America Corps Member, tmcqueen@afro.com More than 50 first-time homebuyers in Baltimore have received a $10,000 incentive to help with the cost of purchasing their homes. The incentive increased on May 1 after Mayor Brandon Scott doubled the incentive from $5,000 to $10,000. Natasha Carter and Ashley Johnson, […]
Posted inNational News
We’re still here: the AFRO highlights the importance of Black homeownership, Black realtors and housing policy
By Frances Murphy “Toni” Draper, AFRO Publisher When I was a young child, my mother, my brother, my sister, and I made weekly trips to the “country,” as we called our grandparents’ home. It took nearly an hour to travel from our West Baltimore home, near Elgin Avenue and Poplar Grove Street, to the end […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
First judgment against a non bank lender for redlining set at $22 million
Trident Mortgage ordered to pay for racist lending practices By Charlene Crowell, The Washington Informer The first-ever judgment against a non-bank lender for engaging in the practice of “redlining” has come down against Trident Mortgage Company (Trident) to the tune of more than $22 million. Trident was targeted by a four-year investigation begun by Pennsylvania’s […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Squeegee Collaborative hosts inaugural community input session
By Mylika Scatliffe, AFRO Women’s Health Writer, mscatliffe@afro.com The Squeegee Collaborative launched the next phase of the initiative with a community engagement session on Sept. 13, at New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore. Tension-filled interactions between squeegee workers and motorists have escalated in recent years. The recent grand jury indictment of a teen accused of […]
Posted inSponsored
YOUR JOURNEY HOME
By Michelle Fields-Hall, Director, Community Lending, George Mason Mortgage, LLC With the economic challenges brought on by COVID and interest hikes, borrowers have discovered that rental prices have increased. However, there are still great ways to turn the dream of homeownership into reality! ABOUT GEORGE MASON MORTGAGEGeorge Mason Mortgage helps individuals and families reach their home […]
