Blog – Page 720 of 772

02 Dec 2013

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – December 2, 2013

Mortgage Rates

The short holiday week brought a flurry of economic reports last week. Highlights included pending home sales, the S&P Case-Shiller Housing Market Indices and the FHFA home price index. No reports were released on Thursday and Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. The NAR released its Pending Home Sales report for October. Although pending home sales dropped by -0.60 percent, the decline was less than September’s reading of -4.60 percent. NAR cited higher home prices and mortgage rates along with concerns over the then-pending government shutdown as factors that contributed to fewer pending sales. Pending sales are determined by…

29 Nov 2013

By Mark Feder

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Quick Tips To Prepare Your Home For The Winter

Around The Home

The calendar has turned and with that we receive less sunlight, colder temperatures, and shorter days ahead, it's an opportune time to cross those last-minute maintenance items off your homeowner to-do list. Practicing preventive care - both inside and outside your home - can save thousands of dollars in repairs come later this winter. What follows is a brief checklist to get you started. For Outside The Home: Inspect exterior lights and outlets. Be sure that none of the outlets are cracked or broken, or have exposed wires. Clean gutters and clear all blockages. If leaves are falling, redo after…

26 Nov 2013

By Mark Feder

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Get The Low Down On Pending And Existing Home Sales This Month

Housing Analysis

The National Association of REALTORS reported Monday that pending home sales dropped by -0.60 percent in October after falling at a revised rate of -4.60 percent in September. According to Lawrence Yun, chief economist for NAR, 17 percent of real estate agents reported delays in loan closings due to the government shutdown in early October. Lenders were unable to verify borrower income through the IRS, which was closed during the shutdown. October was the fifth consecutive month with fewer pending home sales reported. Homeowners who owe more on their mortgages than their homes are waiting to sell, and recent spikes…

25 Nov 2013

By Mark Feder

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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – November 25, 2013

Mortgage Rates

Last week's scheduled economic news was varied, but mortgage rates fell and jobless claims were significantly lower than expected. The minutes for last month's FOMC meeting were released, and confirmed the Federal Reserve's intention to leave its quantitative easing program unchanged at least for the near term. The National Association of Homebuilders Wells Fargo Housing Market Index for November indicated that builder confidence, while still positive, dipped by one point to a reading of 54 as compared to an anticipated reading of 55, and October's revised reading of 54. Retail Sales for October Rose By 0.4 Percent NAHB noted that…