News

How To Sell Your Home For 17% More, 40% Faster This Spring

January 30, 2009

Super Bowl Weekend traditionally marks the start of the Spring Buying Season in real estate. Anecdotally, real estate agents will tell you that buyer activity tends to tick higher at this time of the year

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Explaining What The Federal Reserve Did In Plain English (January 28, 2009 Edition)

January 29, 2009

The Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged today. It remains within a target range of 0.000-0.250 percent. In its press release , the FOMC reiterated most of the key points from its December 2008 statement, including: The U.S

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Did We Just See The First 2 Signs Of A Housing Recovery?

January 27, 2009

Don’t let the plunging median sales price fool you — December’s Existing Home Sales data has home sellers smiling. Just one month after falling below the 5-million unit trend line, sales volume roared back by 300,000 homes in December, surprising housing analysts and making a case that this spring’s Buying Season could be a competitive one. Falling home prices helped fuel home sales

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China’s Anger over Treasury Secretary to Be Tim Geithner’s Comments could Impact Mortgage Rates

January 26, 2009

Mortgage markets deteriorated last week on the heels of weak economic data and uninspiring corporate earnings. Mortgage rates rose for the second week in a row

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Could Mortgage Rates Have Already Bottomed Out?

January 22, 2009

After improving through 11 straight weeks, mortgage rates finally ticked higher last week.

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Mortgage Rates Are Falling But Loans Require More "Points"

January 16, 2009

Another week, another screaming headline about mortgage rates falling to an all-time low. Freddie Mac published its weekly mortgage rate survey Thursday and found that the “average” mortgage rate is now 4.96 percent , the lowest since the survey started in 1971.

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How The Right Amount Of Economic Weakness Can Help A Home Buyer

January 15, 2009

After a weak holiday shopping season, annual retail sales declined in 2008. It marks the first annual Retail Sales decline since the government started tracking the data 40 years ago

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Half The Story : The National Housing Inventory Fell In December

January 13, 2009

Home prices are largely based on Supply and Demand. If demand outweighs supply, home prices rise If supply outweighs demand, home prices fall It’s good news for home sellers, therefore, that “used” homes for sale fell 6 percent nationally last month . Less supply often means higher prices.

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Mortgage Markets In Review : January 12, 2008

January 12, 2009

In 2009’s first full week of trading, mortgage bond markets traded back-and-forth, eventually closing the week improved overall. Weekly mortgage rates fell for the first time since mid-December. The most anticipated news of last week was Friday’s jobs report.

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Top 4 Predictions for Real Estate Market in 2009

January 6, 2009

The New Year is not yet one week old but that’s not stopping market “experts” from predicting what’s in store for 2009. The calls on housing and mortgage rates run the gamut: Home prices have farther to fall Home prices have touched bottom Mortgage rates will dip Mortgage rates will rise Put it all together and it’s clear that the experts have no better idea about the future than you or I. Their guesses are educated ones, but they’re guesses nonetheless

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Mortgage Markets In Review : January 5, 2009

January 5, 2009

Like the rest of the country, mortgage markets were on semi-vacation last week.

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The Fed’s Parting Present For 2008 : Low Mortgage Rates

December 31, 2008

For its last move in an action-filled year , the Federal Reserve announced it will begin buying its pledged $500 billion in mortgage-backed securities next month . For home buyers and mortgage rate shoppers, the timing couldn’t be better.

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How To Shop For Mortgages In A "Vacation Week"

December 30, 2008

Mortgage markets are like any other market — in order for goods to change hands, a buyer and a seller must first reach an agreement to “trade” at a specific price point. In general, the more buyers and sellers there are for a particular item, the easier it is to find that “fair value” and make the deal. An abundant number of buyers and sellers often creates a liquid market in which assets — in this case, mortgage bonds — can be sold rapidly with minimal loss

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Mortgage Markets In Review : December 29, 2008

December 29, 2008

In a week defined by low volume and lack of conviction, mortgage markets idled ahead of the holiday last week.

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A Great Combination : Too Many Homes For Sale And Low Mortgage Rates

December 24, 2008

For the first time in over a year, the sales of “used homes” fell below the 5-million unit trendline, helping to push the total home inventory higher by 0.1 percent nationwide. Based on the rate at which homes are selling nationwide, it would take 11.2 months for the existing housing supply to be exhausted.

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The Unexpected "Tax" That The Refi Boom Places On Borrowers

December 23, 2008

In late-November, the Federal Reserve pledged $600 billion to buy mortgage-backed securities. The announcement drove down mortgage rates and started the Refi Boom. Then, the Federal Reserve made a second series of statements after its scheduled meeting last Tuesday, causing mortgage rates to plunge again

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Mortgage Markets In Review : December 22, 2008

December 22, 2008

Mortgage markets improved last week for the second week in row.

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You’ll Get The Best Mortgage Rates If You Watch Certain Patterns

December 18, 2008

When it comes to mortgage rates, sometimes it’s better to “act now”.

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Explaining The Federal Reserve In Plain English (December 16, 2008)

December 16, 2008

The Federal Open Market Committee voted to cut the Fed Funds Rate by at least three-quarters percent today. The benchmark rate now rests in a range of 0.000-0.250 percent.

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The Fed Funds Rate May Fall, But Mortgage Rates May Not

December 16, 2008

The Federal Open Market Committee adjourns from its 2-day meeting at 2:15 P.M. ET today. It’s widely expected that the Ben Bernanke-led FOMC will reduce the Fed Funds Rate by a half-percent to 0.500 percent.

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