Archive for January, 2011

The Fed Met Last Week. What It Means To Mortgage Rates.

Posted in January 31st, 2011

The Federal Open Market Committee begins a 2-day meeting today in Washington D.C. It’s the group’s first meeting of 2011 — one of 8 scheduled for the year.

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New Home Sales Reach 8-Month High

Posted in January 30th, 2011

by Bill Lublin in New Home Sales

The 2010 housing market finished on a tear, and that momentum is carrying forward into 2011. Expect the spring season to show strongly, and for home prices to be on the rise.

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Building Permits Surge In December; Signals A Strong Spring Housing Market

Posted in January 28th, 2011

by Bill Lublin in Housing starts

According to the Census Bureau’s report, Housing Starts of single-family homes fell to 417,000 units on a seasonally-adjusted, annual basis. The figure marks a 9 percent drop-off from November, and is the lowest reading since May 2009.

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How To Repair A Scratched CD, DVD, Or Game Disc

Posted in January 27th, 2011

by Bill Lublin in Home How To

When your CDs, DVDs and game discs are “skipping”, most times, a simple cleaning will set them right. Make sure you clean your discs properly, though. Clean them the wrong way and you could damage your discs forever. You might also cause your electronic devices permanent damage.

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A Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (January 26, 2011 Edition)

Posted in January 26th, 2011

by Bill Lublin in Economy, FOMC, Real Estate

Today, the Federal Open Market Committee voted 10-to-0 to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within in its target range of 0.000-0.250 percent. Mortgage rates are reacting.

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How To Renegotiate Your Credit Card Interest Rates To Something Lower

Posted in January 26th, 2011

by Bill Lublin in Budgeting

According to the Federal Reserve, a credit card balance of $5,000 at 23.99 percent APR won’t pay off for 16,127 years. That’s one reason why it’s important to manage your credit card rates, and renegotiate them whenever possible. Here’s how to do that.

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Home Builders Slowed By Economy, But Seeing More Foot Traffic

Posted in January 25th, 2011

by Bill Lublin in Homebuilders

Homebuilder confidence held firm for the second straight month this month, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

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Home Supplies Plummet, Putting Pressure On Prices To Rise

Posted in January 24th, 2011

by Bill Lublin in Existing Home Sales

According to the National Association of REALTORSÂ®, seasonally-adjusted, annualized Existing Home Sales figures climbed by more than a half-million units in December as compared to November. It’s the 3rd straight month of home resale improvement nationwide.

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Is This Home Renovation Going To Be Worth It?

Posted in January 22nd, 2011

by Bill Lublin in Home improvement

Home remodeling projects can add function to a home, but don’t always add value. Consider the latest report from Remodeling Magazine.

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December’s Job Report : Good For Home Affordability

Posted in January 18th, 2011

by Bill Lublin in Economy, Jobs, Real Estate

For this month — and for the rest of 2011– employment data will figure big in mortgage markets and for home affordability. Last week’s release is the first big splash.

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