05 Feb 2013
By Mark Feder

6 Tips For Buying An Older Home

Personal Finance
Older Solana Beach homes sometimes offer more charm and character than the newer houses of today. They boast gabled roofs, crown moldings, hardwood floors and antique fixtures. Buying an old house is like buying a piece of local history. Its beautiful period features can give it a timeless beauty and grace that is hard to resist. However, buying a house from another era can be an endeavor fraught with potential problems. Older houses are not necessarily built to the same electrical or plumbing standards of today. Plus, if they have not been maintained correctly through the years, they can turn…
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04 Feb 2013
By Mark Feder

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : February 4, 2012

Mortgage Rates
Mortgage rates worsened last week amid evidence of an improving economy. Conforming mortgage rates climbed in Illinois and nationwide, rising to a 4-month high. Freddie Mac has the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate at 3.53% for borrowers willing to pay 0.7 discount points plus a full set of closing costs. There was plenty of news on which for rates to move last week. First, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) met and voted to hold the Fed Funds Rate in its current target range near 0.00 percent. The Fed also recommitted to purchasing mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and Treasury securities…
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01 Feb 2013
By Mark Feder

Help Your Home Office Shine When Selling Your Property

Around The Home
With telecommuting continuing to rise, and with more jobs requiring after-hours attention, showcasing your home's "home office" can help it show better with a prospective home buyer.  It's wise to have your kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms show well, but a great-looking home office can make a huge impact and help you sell your home more quickly. Here are a few tips to helping your home office shine : Designate The Right Space Whether it's a spare bedroom or a computer nook, specify a separate place at which business is done. Make sure the area has enough room to set up…
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31 Jan 2013
By Mark Feder

Breaking Down The Federal Reserve Statement (January 2013 Edition)

Federal Reserve
The Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted to maintain the Federal Funds Rate within its current range of zero to 0.25 percent, and to continue its current stimulus program of purchasing $85 billion monthly in Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities (MBS). Citing weather-related events such as Hurricane Sandy and drought in the Midwest, the committee said in its statement that information received since its December 2012 meeting "suggests that growth in economic activity has paused in recent months in large part because of weather-related disruptions and other transitory factors." Concerns over the then-looming fiscal cliff crisis may have…
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