Blog

30
Mar
By Jim Hasek
Financial Reports, ,

Case-Shiller Report Shows Home Prices Rose in January

Home prices were 5.70 percent higher year-over-year in January according to S&P Case-Shiller's 20-City Home Price Index. Top year-over-year gains were posted by Portland, Oregon at 11.80 percent, San Francisco, California at 10.80 percent and Seattle Washington posted a year-over-year gain of 10.70 percent. Denver, Colorado, which had top gains in recent months, posted year-over-year home price growth of 10.20 percent. Lowest year over-year gains for January were posted by Chicago, Illinois at 2.10 percent, Washington, D.C at 2.20 percent and New York, New York at 2.80 percent. Average home prices remained about 12 percent below their summer 2006 peak,…
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29
Mar
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips,

The Top 5 Mortgage Calculators on the Web and the Pros and Cons of Each

If you're shopping for a great mortgage, you'll want to use a mortgage calculator. Mortgage calculators keep getting more accurate and more complex, allowing you to explore the various details involved in a mortgage. Try one of these mortgage calculators to learn what you can expect. ML Calc: A Simple, Straightforward Calculator With Current Rates ML Calc (mlcalc.com) is a simple mortgage calculator powered by mortgage software company Arsidian. And just one click, you can open up a new window that shows you the current mortgage and refinancing rates in your city. However, the user interface is outdated and simplistic,…
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28
Mar
By Jim Hasek
Financial Reports,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 28, 2016

Increasing Home Prices Good For Sellers The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported lower sales of pre-owned homes in February. Would-be buyers were discouraged by rapidly rising home prices. Short supplies of available homes sidelined potential buyers as higher home prices and cash buyers squeeze out buyers who need mortgages to buy homes. Multiple offers resulting in bidding wars have also deterred buyers in high demand markets. According to NAR's February report, sales of existing homes fell 7.10 percent to their lowest level since November. NAR has predicted that rapidly rising home prices would eventually damage housing markets. While analysts…
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25
Mar
By Jim Hasek
Homeowner Tips, ,

Working from Home? Learn How to Create the Perfect Office with Any Spare Room

With the increasing flexibility of the modern workplace, there are many more businesses offering their employees the opportunity to work from home. While this shift in the job market has created a bevy of new options for freelance workers, it can also be a good reason to turn a spare room into a spanking new office. If you're working from home, here are some tips for a stylish transition. Prime It With Paint Outside of lighting, the color and upkeep of the walls is going to have a huge impact on the way your spare office will look. Before even…
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24
Mar
By Jim Hasek
Home Buyer Tips, ,

How the Truth in Lending Act Protects You When You Take Out a Mortgage

If you're planning to get a mortgage, it's critical that you know your rights under the law. The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) is a piece of federal legislation that governs how mortgage lenders can and cannot operate their businesses. So how does the Truth in Lending Act protect you, and what are your rights under this legislation? Here's what you need to know. Your Lender Must Give You A Timely Loan Estimate A Loan Estimate (previously known as a Good Faith Estimate) is a document your lender provides you that details information about what kind of a mortgage you've…
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23
Mar
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

5 Steps Towards a Better Credit Score You Can Take Today

When it comes to finding the best mortgage, your credit score is a major determinant as to the kinds of rates and conditions you can get. Lenders quite understandably want to manage their risk. But for a number of potential homeowners, these practices and policies can be a barrier to home ownership. The good news? If your credit score isn't great, you can easily improve it and get better lending terms. Here are five steps you can take right now to give your credit a boost. Get Your Annual Credit Report And Dispute Errors Simply disputing errors on your credit…
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