From the category archives:

Arizona Real Estate News

The Home Buyer’s Tax Credit Has Gone … What Comes Next?

April 29, 2010

Are current mortgage rates an un-expected gift? Most experts predicted that mortgages rates would go up when the Fed stopped buying Mortgage Backed Securities in April, but rates have not increased. Why?
The biggest reason there has not been the forecasted increase in rates has been the uncertainty of the European financial market, specifically, Greece and [...]

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$8000 First Time Tax Credit to End for Arizona Home Buyers

September 2, 2009

If you have been thinking about taking advantage the government’s $8000 First-time Homebuyer tax credit, you are quickly running out of time. In order to qualify for the tax credit, the purchase needs to be completed by November 30, 2009. Several things have made this date be a lot closer than you think.
The Phoenix area [...]

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Phoenix Home Prices Holding Steady

August 20, 2009

An article in this morning’s Arizona Republic had some good news for home prices in Phoenix. According to the article written by J.Craig Anderson:
After a record-breaking 27 months of decline in the Valley’s median home price, some of the most influential local real-estate analysts predict that home values finally have hit the bottom of the [...]

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Nation’s 3rd Largest FHA Lender Closes Up Shop

August 7, 2009

Taylor, Bean & Whitaker, the nation’s 3rd largest FHA lender shut down Wednesday due to allegations of wrong doing from HUD.  This leaves thousands of home owners who thought that they had their mortgage all squared away for their upcoming purchase scrambling to find new financing. This is an interview I did with Peter Busch [...]

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Arizona Green Alternatives & Asbestos Prevention

July 20, 2009

Today’s Post is a Guest Post from Mesothelioma Center
Homes built before 1980 may still contain asbestos materials. There are now many Eco-sustainable options that make the use of asbestos obsolete.
Arizona is a state known for its tropical weather, beautiful scenery and national parks. It is one of the ideal spots for active lifestyles and is [...]

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Why Mortgage Rates Were Up For The Third Day In A Row

July 15, 2009

Mortgage markets worsened for the third straight Tuesday after the government reported June’s Retail Sales report came in slightly better than expected . Since falling to near 5.000 percent last week, 30-year fixed conforming mortgage rates have risen by almost 3/8. It’s a similar mortgage rate pattern to what we’ve seen over the last 10 months — rates drift down to near their “all-time lows”, and then surge higher over just a few days time.

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5 Purchases To Make In A Down Economy

July 9, 2009

Down economies reduce consumer spending, creating a bind for retailers.

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Fannie Mae Restricts 2-Unit Borrowing

July 8, 2009

For the first time in nearly six months, Fannie Mae is imposing strict, new guidelines on American homeowners. This time, the hardest hit demographic is owners of 2-unit homes.

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How A Rising Unemployment Rate Can Help Mortgage Rates Fall

July 7, 2009

Last week’s jobs report is the latest data point to drag down rates for today’s home buyers and would-be refinancers.

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For The 4th Straight Month, There’s An Increase In The Number Of Homes Under Contract

July 2, 2009

The number of homes under contract to sell increased in May.

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Home Prices Show Improvement In 19 of the 20 Case-Shiller Markets

July 1, 2009

Tuesday — for the first time in a long while — members of the press met the monthly Case-Shiller Index data with enthusiasm. And why shouldn’t they?

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3 More Signs Of A Strengthening Housing Market

June 24, 2009

The housing market got another dose of good news yesterday. According to the National Association of REALTORS, the number of homes sold in May increased for the third straight month and the national housing supply fell by 5 months

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Like To Play It Cautious? Consider Rate Locking Ahead Of Wednesday’s Federal Reserve Meeting.

June 23, 2009

The Federal Reserve begins its scheduled two-day meeting this morning. It’s one of 8 scheduled meetings for the Federal Open Market Committee this year. When the FOMC meets, it discusses the financial and economic conditions around the country and, when appropriate, the group makes new policy meant to speed up or slow down the economy

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How To Fight Mortgage Rate Volatility

June 19, 2009

Mortgage rates are suffering through another volatile week, causing problems for rate shoppers and home buyers. After falling Monday and Tuesday, mortgage rates surged Wednesday and Thursday. The momentum higher appears to be carrying into the weekend, too

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VIDEO : How To Know Which Home Repairs Can Be Delayed And Which Should Be Fixed Right Away

June 12, 2009

When finances are tight, homeowners are often forced to choose between making home repairs right away, and putting them off until finances improve. Some repairs, though, become more expensive if not tackled on the double.

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How To Receive A Cash Gift For Downpayment

June 10, 2009

Tighter mortgage guidelines since late-2008 are forcing home buyers to make bigger downpayments. Anecdotally, the change has led to a surge in buyers taking gifts of cash from family members

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Want To Know Why Mortgage Rates Are Up Over 1.125 Percent In 10 Days?

June 9, 2009

Since Memorial Day, conforming mortgage rates have jumped by more than 1.125 percent, adding thousands of dollars to the annual cost of homeownership. To the casual observer, the moves may seem random. There’s a reason this is happening, however

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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : June 8, 2009

June 8, 2009

The economy posted stronger-than-expected data last week, reigniting fears of inflation on Wall Street. The positive-slanted economic news caused conforming mortgage rates to rise by another 1/2 percent last week. It marked the second week in a row of soaring mortgage rates and the fifth week out of six that rates have moved higher.

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VIDEO : How Do I Prioritize Paying Monthly Bills Versus Saving For Retirement?

June 7, 2009

Suze Orman recently appeared on The Today Show and gave 5 minutes of practical money management advice. Not everyone’s a fan of Ms. Orman, but this is an interview worth watching

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Mortgage Rates Rose By More Than 1/2 Percent Wednesday

May 28, 2009

Conforming mortgage rates rose by 0.625 percent Wednesday.

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