The Federal Reserve’s latest effort to boost the economy by driving down long-term interest rates won’t have a big impact on home and car buyers, savers or credit card users. Any noticeable changes from the central bank shuffling $400 billion of its portfolio are likely to be mixed. Although borrowers may benefit from lower rates […]
Mortgage Costs Are Going Up
With the housing market still struggling to recover, the last thing it needs is more expensive mortgages. And yet, that’s exactly what it’s getting… Questions or comments about this video? Use the comment link below.
Buying a House: Mortgage Shopping
You wouldn’t think of paying an extra 50 grand for that new house. But if you’re not careful, you might waste that much on the mortgage… Have questions about mortgage shopping? We’d love to hear from you. Just click the comment link below and ask away. We’ll get back to you here with answers.
High End Homes Selling Quicker
While home sales across much of the country have languished in recent months, struggling to pick up speed, a recent report says homes on the higher end of the market are selling with renewed vigor. According to DataQuick Information Systems, the number of home sales worth more than $1 million increased in each of the […]
Locking In Interest Rates
Consider the following four things when deciding whether or not to lock in your mortgage interest rate: Lock in your rate as soon as you know you have a good deal in front of you, and you know roughly when you can close (30 to 60 days should be the longest lock period). . Lock […]
Now is the Perfect Time for Home Improvement
Real estate experts say now may be a better time than ever to invest in a home improvement or home remodel project to help boost your home value. According to Remodeling magazine, at the height of the real estate bubble, homeowners could expect to recoup 87 percent of their home improvement costs when selling, while […]
Home Prices Ended 2010 Showing No Change
Two separate industry gauges released recently indicate that despite the ups and downs seen in monthly reports on home prices over the last year, residential property values ended 2010 relatively unchanged from 2009 levels. Reports from both Integrated Asset Services (IAS) and CoreLogic point to level ground over the 12-month period, although consecutive month-to-month declines […]
Housing Affordability Driving Sales Increase
Low mortgage rates and home prices helped fuel a sharp increase in home sales during the month of December, according to the National Association of Realtors. The group says existing-home sales during the month took place at an annual rate of 5.28 million, which was up more than 12 percent from the previous month as […]
Mortgage Refinances May Drop 77% by 2012
Residential mortgage refinances are expected to deteriorate over the next two years due to factors not limited to rising interest rates. Some are predicting that mortgage refinancings, in fact, will fall by 77% by 2012 and drag down the overall market for originations. Total refinances hit about $1 trillion in 2010 and accounted for 69% […]
Pending Sales of Existing Homes Rise 2%
The number of contracts signed for purchases of previously owned homes rose again in December, according to data released recently by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The trade group’s pending home sales index increased 2.0 percent compared to its November reading, which was revised downward. The index is based on contracts signed in December, […]