Real estate round-up: November 1

Check in every business day for the latest edition of Real Estate Round-up, where we post a list of our favorite real estate news stories from DC and beyond.

Headlines from the DC Metro Area: Creative refinancing doubly good Washington Times With interest rates remaining so low and the housing market still anemic, refinance customers abound. Most homeowners refinance to lower their interest rate, but there are many other objectives that can be accomplished through refinancing, depending upon the homeowner's particular situation. Lenders could take home's energy costs into consideration Washington Post A bill introduced Oct. 20 would force the big three mortgage agencies to take account of energy costs in every loan they insure, guarantee or buy. It would also require them to instruct appraisers to adjust their property valuations upward when accurate data on energy efficiency savings are available.

National real estate news stories: Making sense of home price data Smart Money Because real estate is so local and home prices can change every few miles, homeowners and potential buyers should focus on trends in their specific neighborhoods. That means consulting a realtor who can pull up prices of similar homes that sold over the past few months. Handling high closing costs The New York Times Those who are cash-poor can ask relatives for help. But some lenders advertise another option: If borrowers agree to accept a mortgage interest rate from a quarter to a full percentage point higher than they would ordinarily qualify for, they can receive credit toward their closing costs.

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