08
Dec
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – December 8, 2014

Last week's economic reports related to housing and mortgages were few, but construction spending, the Fed's Beige Book report, non-farm payrolls and the national unemployment report indicated trends for the end of the year. Construction Spending Increases U.S. construction spending rose by 1.10 percent in October according to the Commerce Department. This reading translates to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of $971 billion. Analysts had expected an increase of 0.70 percent based on September's original reading of -0.40 percent, but September's reading was revised to -0.10 percent on Tuesday. Private spending on residential projects increased 1.30 percent. Federal Reserve Beige Book…
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05
Dec
By Jim Hasek
Home Buyer Tips, ,

You Ask, We Answer: How to Choose Between Expanding Your Current Home and Buying a New One

Does your home feel like it's starting to burst at the seams? Many homeowners across the country can relate to this feeling having bought a home only to run out of space due to a growing family or for other reasons. Let's take a quick look at a few questions that will help you to determine whether buying a new home or expanding your current home is the best choice when you're in need of some extra space. Why Are You in Need of More Space? The first question you'll need to answer is... "why?" Are you running out of…
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04
Dec
By Jim Hasek
Home Buyer Tips, ,

Buying an Investment Property? Here’s How You Can Maximize Your Rental Revenue

Whether you're buying a ski-in/ski-out condo at your favorite resort or you're thinking of picking up a small home in a busy tourist area, buying a property for short-term rental purposes can be an excellent investment that quickly begins to provide additional revenue. Let's take a quick look at a few steps that you can take to maximize the revenue that your investment properties bring in each month. Upgrade Your Home to Give It a Luxurious Feel It should go without saying that if you want your home to rent for a high price it has to have a significant…
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03
Dec
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Understanding the Difference Between a Mortgage Pre-qualification and a Pre-approval

If you're in the market for a new home and you've been researching mortgages, you've likely come across the terms "pre-qualification" and "pre-approval". While these terms are self-explanatory in some circumstances, they are quite different in regards to mortgage financing. In today's blog post we'll explain the difference between a mortgage pre-qualification and a pre-approval. Pre-qualification: an Initial Look at Your Mortgage Options The first – and easiest – step on the way to receiving mortgage financing to buy a home is known as pre-qualification. During this process you'll meet with a mortgage advisor or lender who will assess your…
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02
Dec
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

The LTV Ratio: How ‘Loan-to-Value’ Works and Why You Need to Understand This Ratio

Are you in the market for a new home? If you plan on using mortgage financing to buy your next home you've likely heard the phrase "loan-to-value" or the acronym "LTV" before. Let's take a quick look at the loan-to-value ratio including why it's important, how to calculate it and how it can affect your mortgage. What is the Loan-to-Value or LTV Ratio? In short, the LTV ratio is a number that compares how much money you owe against your home with its resale value in the marketplace. A low LTV ratio indicates that you have far more equity in…
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01
Dec
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – December 1, 2014

Last week's scheduled economic events were packed into Tuesday and Wednesday, but several housing-related reports were released including the Case-Shiller National and 10-and 20-City Home Price Indices for September, The FHFA House Price Index also for September, and New and Pending Home Sales for October. Case-Shiller, FHFA Report Slower Growth in Home Prices According to Case-Shiller home price indices released Tuesday, the national rate of home price growth has slowed from August's year-over-year reading of 5.60 percent to September's reading of 4.90 percent. This was the lowest rate of home price growth in two years and was seen by analysts…
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