Blog

15
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – Sept 15, 2014

Last week's housing related economic reports were slim, but an unexpected increase in weekly jobless claims gained attention. Analysts calmed concerns by noting that last week's reading of 315,000 new jobless claims was not far removed from jobless claim levels before the recession. Expectations for last week's reading were for 301,000 new jobless claims based on the previous week's original reading of 302,000. The previous week's reading was revised to 304,000 new jobless claims. Jobless Claims: 4-Week Average for Continuing Claims Hits Lowest Level Since 2007 Prospective home buyers and current homeowners typically consider their jobs and employment prospects before…
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12
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Around The Home, ,

It’s Not Just Car Storage: How to Transform Your Garage into a Brand New, Highly Usable Space

In some homes, garages are used only for car storage. They may appear to be bare and without real functional use for homeowners. However, other garages may be an envy of the neighborhood - they may have floor to ceiling shelving systems, and they may be the picture-perfect image of organization. With a bit of planning and creativity, you can turn your garage into a much more functional space. Here's how you can make your garage the most useful space in the house. Determine What You Need To Store One of the most important steps to take when improving the…
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11
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Mortgage Rates, ,

FICO Scores and Your Mortgage: How to Bump Your FICO Score to Secure a Better Mortgage Rate

Is your credit score holding you back from getting the best rate on your next mortgage? The good news is that there are actions that you can take to increase your credit score and improve the interest rate offered on your next home loan. Here are a few easy and effective tips to help you get your credit score to where you want it to be. Increase The Amount Of Credit Available To You The easiest way to increase your credit score is to increase your credit limit, as this reduces your utilization ratio. To do this, you can either…
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10
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

FHA Home Loans: How to Pre-apply and Get Approved Before Making a Home Purchase Commitment

If you're in the market for your first mortgage, the Federal Housing Administration may be able to help you. Thanks to the FHA home loan program, you can apply for loan approval before you've found a home that you want to buy - which means you know what you can afford before you start your house hunt. Here's what you need to know about FHA home loans and how they can help you find the perfect house. Pre-Approval: Assessment Includes Employment History and a Credit Check The pre-approval process can be done over the phone or online in a matter…
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09
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Home Buyer Tips, ,

Buying Land to Build a New Home On? Don’t Forget These Three Important Considerations

When most people talk about real estate, they envision buying an already-built house on already-landscaped property. However, buying vacant land and building a new home is a great way to ensure that you get the home that you want in the location that you want. It's also a major undertaking, which is why you should take these three considerations into account before you buy any land for your new home. Location, Location, Location: It's More Important Than You Think People often hear the phrase "location, location, location" and it's a very prudent maxim with buying land. The parcel of land…
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08
Sep
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

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

Last week's housing-related economic news was slim, likely due to the Labor Day holiday Monday. On Tuesday, the U.S. Commerce Department reported that construction spending for July increased by 1.80 percent as compared to June's revised reading of 1.0 percent and expectations of a 1.0 percent increase for July. The Federal Reserve released its Beige Book report Wednesday; the collection of anecdotes from business contacts within the 12 Federal Reserve districts indicated that the general economy was strengthening as well as labor markets. The Fed noted a shortage of skilled workers. New construction and home sales grew modestly, but the…
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