Category Archives for "Real Estate Market Conditions"
FOMC Minutes Reveal Fed Policymakers U-Turn
Members of the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee voted to hold the target range of the federal funds rate to its current range of 2.25 to 2.50 percent. The minutes of the most recent Committee meeting cited softening domestic and global economic conditions as reason for not raising the target federal funds range.
Continue readingWhat’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – April 8th, 2019
Last week’s economic news included readings on construction spending and inflation; labor sector reports on the national unemployment rate, public and private sector employment were also released. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released.
Continue readingWhat’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – April 1st, 2019
Last week’s economic reports included readings from Case-Shiller on home price growth, Commerce Department readings on housing starts and building permits issued. The Conference Board issued its monthly reading on consumer confidence. Pending home sales and weekly reports on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims were also released.
Continue readingCase-Shiller Home Price Growth Slower in January
Home price indices issued by S&P Case-Shiller showed further slowing in home price growth in January. The national home price index showed 4.30 percent home price growth for the three months ended in January. Analysts expected home prices to grow 4.20 percent for the same period in cities surveyed by Case-Shiller. More cities reported declines in home prices than those that posted gains in home prices.
Continue readingWhat Causes Mortgage Interest Rates To Fluctuate?
The mortgage interest rate represents the cost of borrowing money to purchase a property. Mortgage interest rates are not fixed; that is, they fluctuate from one period of time to the next.
Continue readingWhat’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 25th, 2019
Last week’s economic news included readings from the National Association of Home Builders, Federal Reserve Federal Open Market Committee and a press conference by Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Sales of pre-owned homes in February were reported along with weekly readings on mortgage rates and new jobless claims.
Continue reading14 Remodeling Projects That Increase the Value of Your Home
Your home is likely your largest investment. Beyond repairs and regular maintenance to keep it clean, comfortable, and safe, there are a number of projects that can increase the resale value of your property. These renovations top the list of changes you can make that positively impact your home’s value.
Continue readingNAHB: Housing Market Index Flat in March
Builder sentiment held steady in March as headwinds in housing markets affected homebuilder confidence, but National Association of Home Builders Chairman Greg Ugalde said that builders were looking forward to a “solid spring home-buying season.” Builder sentiment mirrored February’s index reading of 62; analysts expected an uptick to 63.
Continue readingWhat’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 18th, 2019
Last week’s economic reports included readings on retail sales, inflation and construction spending. New home sales Consumer sentiment readings were posted along with weekly readings on mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims.
Continue readingWhat Makes Up A PITI Mortgage Payment?
Many mortgage payments are made up of four parts, called PITI. PITI is an acronym that stands for principal, interest, tax, and insurance. It’s important to understand PITI because it is the real number you need to use in order to find out how much mortgage you can afford to pay each month.
Continue reading