Blog

31
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage Rates,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – October 31, 2016

Last week's economic reports included S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indexes, along with readings on new and pending home sales. Recurring weekly reports on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released. Case-Shiller: Pacific Northwest Shows Fastest Home Price Growth According to the Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index for August, home prices in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington grew fastest year-over-year. Portland posted an August index reading of 11.70 percent and Portland followed closely with a reading of 11.40 percent. Denver, Colorado rounded out the top three cities with the fastest rates of home price growth with a year-over-year reading…
Read More
28
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Around The Home, ,

Dealing with Mice: Peppermint Oil, Dryer Sheets and Other Crazy Tricks to Try

There are things that everyone shares: the need for food, the search for love, and the intrusion of mice into our homes. But don't despair! There are several ways to deter and remove mice. Read on to learn about a few of the more well known, if a little out-there, methods. Peppermint Oil And Cotton Balls The smell of peppermint is lovely for humans, but terrible to a mouse's nose. Put a few drops of pure peppermint oil on cotton balls and place them where you've noticed evidence of mice. Be careful to change those balls for fresh ones at…
Read More
27
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Values

S&P Case-Shiller: Home Prices Gain in August

Home prices gained in August per the 20-City S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index. Analysts said that home values continue to expand in spite of challenges including low inventories of available homes and strict mortgage qualification requirements. National Home Price Index Near 2006 Peak According to the national Case-Shiller Home Price Index, August home prices are 0.10 percent below their 2006 peak and all metro areas in the 20-City Home Price Index posted gains. Top gains in the 20-City Home Price Index were posted by Portland, Oregon with a year-over-year gain of 11.70 percent, Seattle, Washington home prices gained 11.40 percent…
Read More
26
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Buyer Tips, ,

First Time Home Buyers: 3 Essential Tips That You Won’t Hear from Your Friends

When it comes to diving into home ownership for the first time, it can seem like there are so many things you just don't know. Whether you're getting advice from your real estate agent, your friends or your family, there are so many things that seem like common sense that they might be lost in the mix of details. Instead of having to squeeze it out of them, here are three tips that are easily forgotten but still essential. Be Patient And Take Your Time It's certainly not the most popular advice, but one of the most important things when…
Read More
25
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Buy Your Home Today: Understanding Why It’s a Bad Idea to Try and Time the Mortgage Market

It's often the case that people will opt to postpone home ownership until the best rates are available or it's a more stable investment, but in an ever-shifting market it may not be the best decision to put such a sizeable investment off. If you're wondering whether or not you should put off investing in a home, here are some reasons you may want to start putting your time into searching for a home. Interest Rates Always Fluctuate While interest rates are constantly changing and have certainly risen since the economic recession of 2008, they still remain relatively low and…
Read More
24
Oct
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage Rates

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – October 24, 2016

Last week's economic releases included the National Association of Home Builders' Housing Market Index along with reports on housing starts, building permits and sales of previously owned homes. Weekly reports on new jobless claims and mortgage rates were also released. NAHB: Builder Sentiment Dips amid High Demand for Homes Home builder confidence in current housing market conditions dipped from September's index reading of 65 to 63. September's reading was the highest since the peak of the housing bubble. Any reading above 50 indicates a majority of builders surveyed are confident about housing market conditions. Building new homes is essential to…
Read More
Skip to content