Blog – Page 719 of 759

18 Sep 2013

Home Builder Confidence Has Far Outpaced Actual Home Construction

Housing Analysis

Home builder confidence was unchanged for September according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index HMI released Tuesday. After four months of rising confidence, September's HMI reading came in at 58, which was not far from expectations of a reading of 59. August's reading of 58 was revised from 59. Readings over 50 indicate that more builders view housing market conditions as being positive than negative. Housing Market Index Readings Rise Components of September's HMI include readings for home builder views of current market conditions, which maintained August's reading of 62. The September reading for buyer…

17 Sep 2013

By Mark Feder

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Don’t Overlook These Important Factors When Buying A New Home

Around The Home

Most of the time when buying a property, there are a few obvious factors that you will consider – such as the location, the number of bedrooms, the accessibility to schools or your workplace, the need for repairs and any interior features. However, there are a few things that might not have crossed your mind during your house hunting but are still quite important. Water Quality Most home buyers don't even think about the water quality at the property until they get to the inspection stage. However, if you find out that the home has hard water this will dull…

16 Sep 2013

By Mark Feder

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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – September 16, 2013

Housing Analysis

Last week didn't feature any housing-related news other than Freddie Mac's weekly survey of mortgage interest rates. Reports on consumer credit, job openings and weekly jobless claims suggest that without some relief in the jobs market, Americans may be taking a "wait-and-see" stance toward buying homes. Consumer Credit Rose By $10.40 Billion In July The Federal Reserve reported Tuesday that revolving credit fell by an annual rate of 2.60 percent as compared to an annual decrease of 5.20 percent in June. Non-revolving consumer credit such as vehicle and education loans rose at an annual rate of 7.40 percent. Freddie Mac's…

13 Sep 2013

By Mark Feder

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What You Need To Know About Mortgage Insurance

Mortgage Tips

If you are on the verge of buying real estate, you've probably heard the term Private Mortgage Insurance. Mortgage professionals talk about it a great deal, but you may be asking, "What is it exactly? And why should I care?" Private Mortgage Insurance Defined PMI is required by lenders if the down payment of a purchase is less than 20 percent of the home's value. It protects the lender if the borrower defaults on the loan. It also makes the lender more apt to loan, even if the down payment is as low as 3%, because in the long run,…