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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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : June 22, 2009

June 21, 2009

Mortgage markets finished out the week unchanged last week but that’s not to say that mortgage rates stayed flat. From day-to-day, mortgage rate shoppers were on a veritable roller coaster. Monday and Tuesday, rates dipped Wednesday and Thursday, rates surged Friday, rates retreated Overall, conforming mortgage rates carved out a half-percent range this week

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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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Adjusting For Cost Of Living Differences After A Non-Local Move

June 18, 2009

Moving to a new metropolitan area requires adjustments.

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The Double-Edged Sword That Is Rising Housing Starts

June 17, 2009

After being range-bound since the start of the year Housing Starts unexpectedly jumped in May, surprising analysts and Wall Street.

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What Consumer Sentiment Surveys Mean To Housing Markets

June 16, 2009

Americans are feeling better about their budgets right now, raising the possibility of a full economic recovery. According to a University of Michigan and Reuters, Consumer Sentiment rose for the fifth straight month in June.

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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : June 15, 2009

June 15, 2009

The mortgage market roller coaster continues. Markets worsened badly in the early part of last week, before rallying into Friday’s close. Overall, mortgage rates were slightly higher for the week even though — briefly — they rose to levels not seen since November 2008.

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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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Pareto Principle In Action : 80 Percent Of The Country’s Foreclosures Occur In 20 Percent Of The States

June 11, 2009

The Pareto Principle is a statistical concept most commonly known as the 80/20 Rule. It says 80 percent of the effects come from 20 of the causes

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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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Over 24 Hours, Mortgage Rates Shoot Higher

May 22, 2009

Rates go up, rates go down. Catch them while you can

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Mortgage Lending Starts To Show Signs Of A Thaw

May 18, 2009

Getting approved for a home loan isn’t getting easier, but it doesn’t appear to be getting much more difficult, either. In its quarterly survey to member banks , the Federal Reserve asked senior bank loan officers whether “prime” residential mortgage guidelines had tightened in the last 3 months.

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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : May 18, 2009

May 18, 2009

After a dreadful start to the month of May, mortgage markets improved last week, pushing mortgage rates lower overall. It was the first week since late-April in which mortgage rates fell. The biggest reason rates improved last week was because the economic optimism that was responsible for the stock market’s 30% gain since March faded somewhat

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For The Second Month In A Row, Foreclosures Are Concentrated In 3 States

May 13, 2009

For the second month in a row, the country’s foreclosure activity was dominated by a small number of states. As shown by the latest stats from RealtyTrac.com , more than half of the country’s foreclosure actions from April were concentrated in just 3 states: California Florida Nevada Those 3 states are home to but 19 percent of the U.S. population

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With Mortgage Rates, You Can’t Shop For Good Luck

May 12, 2009

After a series of increases starting April 30, mortgage rates finally took a dip Monday. It was a welcome surprise for home buyers that went under contract over the weekend. Same for homeowners looking to pull the refinance trigger.

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