Blog

29
May
By Jim Hasek
Real Estate Tips, ,

Real Estate Roundup: The Top 5 Apps to Use When Buying or Selling a Home

Whether you are buying property, selling property or both, the process can be challenging, stressful and even overwhelming at times. Just as you may use various mobile apps to streamline and simplify other aspects of your life, you can also use some well-designed apps to improve your overall experience when you are buying or selling property. These are some of the best apps for you to use as you move forward with your real estate plans. iBank This app is not free for you to download, but the small fee that you pay to use iBank may be well worth…
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28
May
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Did You Know: Reverse Mortgage Requirements Are Changing – Here’s How

Many seniors have taken advantage of reverse mortgages in recent years. These unique mortgages allow seniors who are existing homeowners to tap into their home equity without taking on a mortgage payment. This can be a true benefit to seniors who are on a tight budget or who want to take advantage of their home equity without giving up ownership of their home. However, with new rules and requirements in place regarding reverse mortgages, the fact is that some of the benefits associated with reverse mortgages may be limited. In addition, some who may have qualified in the past may…
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27
May
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, ,

Case-Shiller Home Prices: San Francisco, Denver see Double-Digit Increases

San Francisco, California where home prices rose 10.30 percent year over year in March, and Denver, Colorado with an even 10 percent gain in year-over-year home prices led the Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Index for March. Rounding out the top-five cities for year-over-year home price growth were Dallas Texas at 9.30 percent, Miami, Florida at 8.70 percent and Tampa, Florida with a year-over-year average gain in home prices at 8.10 percent. San Francisco's reading for March was the first double-digit increase in home prices since last July. The five lowest year-over-year price gains occurred in Washington, D.C. and Cleveland, Ohio tied…
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26
May
By Jim Hasek
Market Outlook, , ,

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – May 26, 2015

Last week's economic reports included several readings related to housing The Wells Fargo/National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index, the Commerce Department's releases on Housing Starts and Building Permits, and the National Association of Realtors® report on Existing Home Sales supplied mixed news on recent developments in housing. Freddie Mac and the Labor Department released their usual reports on mortgage rates and weekly jobless claims. The details: NAHB: Builder Confidence Slips, But Remains Positive The Wells Fargo/ National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released its Housing Market Index report for April. Although April's reading was two points lower at…
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22
May
By Jim Hasek
Around The Home, ,

Concrete Countertops: Learn Why Concrete May Be the Best Thing to Hit Your Kitchen

Updating your kitchen may be a project that you have been looking forward to for a long time. Now that the time has come to get started working on your project, you may be exploring the different materials that are available to use in your kitchen. The counter tops are often a prime focal point for a kitchen remodeling project. While there are several materials available to consider, concrete may be the best option for a number of reasons. Endless Design Options Concrete is a popular material that is used on patios, decorative floors and more because it can be…
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21
May
By Jim Hasek
Home Mortgage Tips, ,

Refinancing on a FHA Mortgage? Learn More About the FHA Streamline Refinance

Home buyers are often drawn to the FHA mortgage program due to the low interest rates, low closing costs and generally attractive loan terms. However, there will come a time when many who have an FHA mortgage want to refinance. After all, refinancing a mortgage may allow you to tap into your home's equity, obtain a lower interest rate, extend or shorten the loan term or achieve other goals you may have. While there are different loan programs that you can use to refinance, many are taking advantage of the FHA streamline refinance program. What Is the Streamline Refinance Program?…
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