Blog – Page 779 of 783

25 Feb 2013

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week: February 25th, 2013

Mortgage Rates

A quiet past week in economic news caused mortgage rates to worsen slightly. This week, however, will be packed with economic reports which may have an impact on interest rates going forward. Freddie Mac reported that the average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage rose by 3 basis points from 3.53 percent to 3.56 percent with borrowers paying 0.8 in discount points and all of their closing costs. The average rate for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage was unchanged from last week at 2.77 percent with borrowers paying 0.8 in discount points and all of their closing costs. In…

22 Feb 2013

By Mark Feder

Will You Need Private Mortgage Insurance on Your Mortgage Loan?

Mortgage Guidelines

Have you heard the term Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) when looking to finance real estate? You may be wondering what PMI is and how you know when you need to purchase it. These answers can be hard to find among all the real estate jargon you might be hearing lately. Below is the short version of what you need to know. What is Private Mortgage Insurance? Private Mortgage Insurance is an insurance premium required by some lenders to offset the risk of a borrower defaulting on their home loan. When you put down less than 20 percent of the…

21 Feb 2013

By Mark Feder

3 Common Myths About Real Estate Short Sales

Personal Finance

There is a lot of misleading and incorrect information about Solana Beach real estate short sales. Many people don't have a clear understanding of the purpose of short sales or how they actually work. Essentially, a short sale is when one sells their home for less than the balance remaining on the mortgage attached to the property. The proceeds from the sale are used to repay a pre-negotiated portion of the balance to settle the debt. A short sale can be a solution for homeowners who really need to sell their home but owe more on the mortgage than the…

20 Feb 2013

By Mark Feder

Strong Builder Confidence May Signal Good Time To Buy New Homes

Housing Analysis

Many times real estate market experts point to the feelings of the nation's home builders as a bell-weather signalling the health of the housing sector. This month's reading indicates that home builders are feeling pretty good. The National Association of Home Builders / Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) for February changed by one point to 46 as compared to 47 for January's reading. Over the last four months, HMI readings have stayed within a three-point range between 45 and 47, indicating a plateau after rising from 25 to 45 in 2012. Housing Market Index Near Highest Levels Since 2006…