The Top Ten Places to Live According to Zillow

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The Top Ten Places to Live According to Zillow

HOW LOANRATEUPDATE WORKS

READ OUR DISCLOSURE

FILL OUT THE FORM

It all starts here. Select the loan product you want to apply for and complete the subsequent questionnaire.

WE VERIFY & TRANSMIT TO LENDERS

Once we receive your completed questionnaire we verify a couple vital pieces of information and direct your information to our network of lenders, all within minutes.

REVIEW YOUR OFFERS

With offers in hand you can now compare rates and costs and get the best possible deal. Comparison shopping made easy. You fill out one form and lenders compete for your business.

CHOOSE YOUR LENDER

Congratulations! With the great learning tools we provide for you at LoanRateUpdate and the offers you have received, you've found the right product and the best rate.

READY TO SPEAK TO A PROFESSIONAL?

LOANRATEUPDATE IS NOT A LENDER OR A BROKER BUT WE HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS WHO ARE

Pick the service you desire below

The Top Ten Places to Live According to Zillow

HOW LOANRATEUPDATE WORKS

READ OUR DISCLOSURE

FILL OUT THE FORM

It all starts here. Select the loan product you want to apply for and complete the subsequent questionnaire.

WE VERIFY & TRANSMIT TO LENDERS

Once we receive your completed questionnaire we verify a couple vital pieces of information and direct your information to our network of lenders, all within minutes.

REVIEW YOUR OFFERS

With offers in hand you can now compare rates and costs and get the best possible deal. Comparison shopping made easy. You fill out one form and lenders compete for your business.

CHOOSE YOUR LENDER

Congratulations! With the great learning tools we provide for you at LoanRateUpdate and the offers you have received, you've found the right product and the best rate.

LOANRATEUPDATE IS NOT A LENDER OR A BROKER BUT WE HAVE LOTS OF FRIENDS WHO ARE

Pick the service you desire below

The Top Ten Places to Live According to Zillow

January 31, 2011 (Shirley Allen)

We know, we know…not another top ten list, but we have to on this one, only because it’s Zillow. Besides, we have to fun every once in a while! When asked their thoughts on the best places for prospective homeowners to buy in the next year, they thought about what makes a local market an attractive place to buy. They looked at this question from the standpoint of people who live and work in these cities and if 2011 would be a good year for them to take the plunge into home ownership.

The survey was conducted with 4 main criteria and each was given equal weight:

1. Affordability
2. Unemployment
3. Foreclosure Rate
4. Price Appreciation

Without getting into all the messy stuff about how they determined the criteria, the survey said:

1. Utica, NY
Utica, NY scored well in all four categories. The median home price ($104,000) is roughly the equivalent of 2.3 years of median household income . Unemployment in Utica is 7.0%, and is nearly flat, down 0.2% year over year. Utica has the lowest foreclosure rate of any city we looked at for this list with 0.07% of homes being liquidated in foreclosure in the past 12 months. Home values are up nearly 4% quarter over quarter, and up 5.2% year over year–contrast that to national home values down 1.8% quarter over quarter and down 5% year over year.

2. Oklahoma City, OK
Oklahoma City boasts a very strong job market and one that’s improving. It has the lowest unemployment out of the top 5 Best Cities at 6%. The real estate market is healthy as well, with home values up 2.6% year over year and a low foreclosure rate (ranked #3 out of 124 metros).

3. Rochester, NY
Rochester offers buyers an affordable market (median home value is $121,000, the equivalent of 2.4 years of median income) and an improving local economy. Unemployment is down 0.5% this past year. Additionally, the local real estate market is solid: 91% of homes sold for a gain in October 2010 (compared to 70% nationwide).

4. Pittsburgh, PA
Similar to the other featured markets, Pittsburgh is seeing increasing home values on a quarterly and yearly basis. Values are up both quarter over quarter and year over year with 50% of homes seeing an increase in value (compared to 28% of homes nationwide).

5. Tulsa, OK
Tulsa is the most affordable city in the top 10 list: 2.1 years of median income equals the value of a median home ($112,300). Also, the Tulsa market offers home buyers a good bang for their buck with a median value per square foot of $73 (compared with $108 nationally).

Rounding out the top 10:

Albany, NY
Lancaster, PA
Madison, WI
Green Bay, WI
Lincoln, Nebraska

If you’d really like to read the whole survey, click here.

Tags: zillow, top ten places to live, affordability, unemployment, foreclosure, rate, unemployment

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INSIDER CAR BUYING TIPS

What's the four square system? How much is your trade-in really worth and why those payments really do seem a little higher than you thought.

BUYING VS LEASING

There's both advantages and disadvantages to leasing and buying depending on what you're planning to use your car for and how long you plan on keeping it.

DEALER OR BANK FINANCING

Sure that low interest dealer financing sounds really attractive but there's a price to be paid for that. We spill the beans as to why getting your own financing may save you money.

BUYING ON THE INTERNET

Buying a car at a dealership hasn't changed much through the years but doing your research on the internet can you save you a lot of time and most importantly, a lot of money.

THINKING OF BUYING
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COULD SAVE YOU THOUSANDS.

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HOME BUYING TIPS

Buying a home is a big decision. If you are not prepared, the decisions you make, the questions you don’t ask, and the details you miss could cost you thousands – in price, fees, financing, property issues, and home repairs.

HOME SELLING TIPS

If you are thinking of selling your home, chances are you’re caught up in a mass of emotions. Needs change and although you may be looking forward to this new adventure, you'll probably find yourself reluctant to leave your memories behind and face the overwhelming task of selling your home and moving.

SEARCH FOR A HOME

Home loans can be confusing. There's a lot of options and we provide the information that makles it simple. Don't sign on that dotted line until you know. It could cost you.

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THERE'S A CREDIT CARD FOR VIRTUALLY ANY SITUATION. FIND YOURS.

YOU'VE WORKED HARD TO BUILD YOUR DREAM

LEARN ABOUT THE LOAN OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS

The survey was conducted with 4 main criteria and each was given equal weight:

1. Affordability
2. Unemployment
3. Foreclosure Rate
4. Price Appreciation

Without getting into all the messy stuff about how they determined the criteria, the survey said:

Rounding out the top 10:

Albany, NY
Lancaster, PA
Madison, WI
Green Bay, WI
Lincoln, Nebraska

If you’d really like to read the whole survey, click here.

Tags: zillow, top ten places to live, affordability, unemployment, foreclosure, rate, unemployment

HOME LOANS CAN BE CONFUSING

YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS

WHAT TYPE OF MORTGAGE LOANS ARE AVAILABLE?

DO I QUALIFY FOR A GOVERNMENT INSURED LOAN?

WHAT CAN I EXPECT FOR A MORTGAGE INTEREST RATE?

WE MAKE IT SIMPLE

WE'VE GOT ANSWERS

CALCULATE YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENT

BENEFITS OF REFINANCING YOUR MORTGAGE

ADVANTAGES OF GETTING PRE-APPROVED FOR A LOAN

INSIDER CAR BUYING TIPS

What's the four square system? How much is your trade-in really worth and why those payments really do seem a little higher than you thought.

BUYING VS LEASING

There's both advantages and disadvantages to leasing and buying depending on what you're planning to use your car for and how long you plan on keeping it.

DEALER OR BANK FINANCING

Sure that low interest dealer financing sounds really attractive but there's a price to be paid for that. We spill the beans as to why getting your own financing may save you money.

BUYING ON THE INTERNET

Buying a car at a dealership hasn't changed much through the years but doing your research on the internet can you save you a lot of time and most importantly, a lot of money.

THINKING OF BUYING
A NEW CAR?

WE GIVE YOU THE INSIDE TIPS THAT
COULD SAVE YOU THOUSANDS.

AUTO LOAN CALCULATOR

Calculate how much you can afford

BUYING OR SELLING A HOME
IS A BIG DECISION

WE MAKE IT EASIER

HOME BUYING TIPS

HOME SELLING TIPS

SEARCH FOR A HOME

Home loans can be confusing. There's a lot of options and we provide the information that makles it simple. Don't sign on that dotted line until you know. It could cost you.

FIND THE CREDIT CARD THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU

THERE'S A CREDIT CARD FOR VIRTUALLY ANY SITUATION. FIND YOURS.

YOU'VE WORKED HARD TO BUILD YOUR DREAM

LEARN ABOUT THE LOAN OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS

The survey was conducted with 4 main criteria and each was given equal weight:

1. Affordability
2. Unemployment
3. Foreclosure Rate
4. Price Appreciation

Without getting into all the messy stuff about how they determined the criteria, the survey said:

Rounding out the top 10:

Albany, NY
Lancaster, PA
Madison, WI
Green Bay, WI
Lincoln, Nebraska

If you’d really like to read the whole survey, click here.

Tags: zillow, top ten places to live, affordability, unemployment, foreclosure, rate, unemployment

HOME LOANS CAN BE CONFUSING

YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS

WHAT TYPE OF MORTGAGE LOANS ARE AVAILABLE?

DO I QUALIFY FOR A GOVERNMENT INSURED LOAN?

WHAT CAN I EXPECT FOR A MORTGAGE INTEREST RATE?

WE MAKE IT SIMPLE

WE'VE GOT ANSWERS

CALCULATE YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENT

BENEFITS OF REFINANCING YOUR MORTGAGE

ADVANTAGES OF GETTING PRE-APPROVED FOR A LOAN

THINKING OF BUYING
A NEW CAR?

WE GIVE YOU THE INSIDE TIPS THAT
COULD SAVE YOU THOUSANDS.

INSIDER CAR BUYING TIPS

What's the four square system? How much is your trade-in really worth and why those payments really do seem a little higher than you thought.

BUYING VS LEASING

There's both advantages and disadvantages to leasing and buying depending on what you're planning to use your car for and how long you plan on keeping it.

DEALER OR BANK FINANCING

Sure that low interest dealer financing sounds really attractive but there's a price to be paid for that. We spill the beans as to why getting your own financing may save you money.

BUYING ON THE INTERNET

Buying a car at a dealership hasn't changed much through the years but doing your research on the internet can you save you a lot of time and most importantly, a lot of money.

AUTO LOAN CALCULATOR

Calculate how much you can afford

BUYING OR SELLING A HOME IS A BIG DECISION

WE MAKE IT EASIER

HOME BUYING TIPS

HOME SELLING TIPS

SEARCH FOR A HOME

Home loans can be confusing. There's a lot of options and we provide the information that makes it simple. Don't sign on that dotted line until you know. It could cost you.

FIND THE CREDIT CARD THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU

THERE'S A CREDIT CARD FOR VIRTUALLY ANY SITUATION. FIND YOURS.

YOU'VE WORKED HARD TO BUILD YOUR DREAM

LEARN ABOUT THE LOAN OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS