Pending Home Sales Down; Severe Weather Impacting Market

Pending home sales are down and additional declines are expected from abnormal weather conditions, according to the National Association of Realtors®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in January, fell 7.6 percent to 90.4 from an upwardly revised … [Read more...]

Which way are the interest rates going?

Mortgage rates are tied to the price of MBS (Mortgage Backed Securities) and like other fixed income vehicles similar to U.S. treasuries, the higher the demand and price, the lower the corresponding rate or yield will be. Therein lies the issue to consider. Throughout 2009, the Federal Reserve was … [Read more...]

GETTING A HOUSE READY TO SELL

One of the most important things to do before putting your home on the market is to take care of the "easy" things. Make a list of things that need to be repaired, leaky faucets, chipped paint and loose hinges, and fix those items. Considering tackling a remodel before selling? Check out articles … [Read more...]

Home Ownership, Still the best Investment

There seems to be a long held American belief currently under attack. For over two hundred years, homeownership in this country was a desire of almost every American family.  Recently however, more and more people have been pontificating on the fact that owning your own home should never have been … [Read more...]

Veterans Homeowners Assistance Program Expands

The 2009 Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) was expanded to provide assistance to wounded service-members or Department Of Defense (DOD) civilians reassigned due to medical or rehabilitation purposes or retirement due to their disability, surviving spouses of the fallen, BRAC 2005 impacted … [Read more...]

Existing-Home Sales Down in January but Higher than a Year Ago; Prices Steady

Existing-home sales fell in January but are above year-ago levels, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Existing-home sales - including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops - dropped 7.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate1 of 5.05 million units in January … [Read more...]