Lock Now? Friday’s Job Report Expected To Push Mortgage Rates Up.
Friday, analysts expect to count another 190,000 jobs created. If the actual figure falls short, expect mortgage rates to ease. Otherwise, look for rates to rise. Probably by a lot.
January 2011 Case-Shiller Index : Weak And Flawed
According to the January Case-Schiller Index, values are down 3.1% from last year, retreating to the same levels from Summer 2003. As a buyer or seller in today’s market, though, don’t read too much into it. The Case-Shiller Index is far too flawed to be the final word in housing.
Pending Home Sales Rebound; Suggest Brighter Spring For Housing
February’s Pending Home Sales Index rebound breaks a 2-month losing streak, and reverses recent downward momentum in housing.
What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : March 28, 2011
Mortgage markets worsened last week as nuclear meltdown concerns eased across Japan, and the war within Libya moved closer to a potential finish.
15-Year Fixed Rate Mortgages Look Cheap Compared To Comparable 30-Year Fixeds
If you’ve ever explored the idea of using a 15-year fixed rate mortgage for your home, the math is in your favor today. Talk to your loan officer before rates start rising.
New Home Sales Fall To All-Time, Recorded Low. Maybe.
Sales of newly-built homes plunged 17 percent to an seasonally-adjusted, annualized 250,000 units in February, and the supply of new homes rose to 8.9 months in February — a 1.5 month jump from January. But there’s more to the story.
10 U.S. Cities With The Steepest Rent Increases (2010)
The average apartment vacancy rate is 6.6% nationwide, down from 8.0% last year, and the number of occupied apartments rose by more during Q4 2010 than during any comparable period of the last 10 years. It’s a major reason why rents are up 2.3%.
Existing Home Sales Unexpectedly Drop In February
Existing Home Sales fell 10 percent last month, according to a report from the National Association of REALTORS®.
What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : March 21, 2011
Last week marked the 5th straight week through which mortgage rates improved. It’s the longest such streak since August 2010 and, this week, rates may run lower again. You may not want to gamble on it, though.
Good News For Sellers — Housing Starts Plummet In February
Home prices are based on supply and demand and overall home supply looks headed for a fall. Sellers are poised to regain negotiation leverage.