Flood waters can strike any city, in any state, at any time. According to FloodSmart.gov, floods are the #1 most common disaster in the United States. $709 million in flood insurance claims were paid to households, businesses, and renters in 2010 — more than one-third of which went to people outside of “high-risk areas”.
Entries from May 2011
My Home Is Flooded. What Do I Do?
May 16th, 2011 · Comments Off on My Home Is Flooded. What Do I Do?
Tags: Around The Home
Rising Retail Sales Threaten Low Mortgage Rates
May 13th, 2011 · Comments Off on Rising Retail Sales Threaten Low Mortgage Rates
Thursday, the Census Bureau released the April Retail Sales report. Excluding cars and auto parts, retail receipts rose for the 10th straight month and, at $321 billion, reached an all-time high.
Tags: The Economy
Foreclosure Filings Fall To 40-Month Low
May 12th, 2011 · Comments Off on Foreclosure Filings Fall To 40-Month Low
Based on data from foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac, foreclosure filings nationwide fell below 220,000 in April 2011, a 9 percent decrease from March and the lowest total in 40 months.
Tags: Housing Analysis
Conforming ARMs From 2004-2006 Are Adjusting To 3 Percent
May 11th, 2011 · Comments Off on Conforming ARMs From 2004-2006 Are Adjusting To 3 Percent
If you have an adjustable-rate mortgage that’s due to reset this season, don’t rush to refinance. For at least one more year, you can benefit from low rates and low payments. As for the next adjustment, though, that’s anyone’s guess.
Tags: Mortgage Guidelines
What To Fix Before You List
May 10th, 2011 · Comments Off on What To Fix Before You List
You want your home to “show nicely”, but without investing big dollars into upgrades or renovations. So what do you do?
Tags: Around The Home
Getting More Educational Bang For Your Housing Buck
May 9th, 2011 · Comments Off on Getting More Educational Bang For Your Housing Buck
A recent joint report from Forbes and GreatSchools debunks a powerful myth in housing. There’s little correlation between Public School Quality and the Median Price Point for a home.
Tags: Rankings
Foreclosures And Short Sales Distorting “Home Price Trackers”
May 6th, 2011 · Comments Off on Foreclosures And Short Sales Distorting “Home Price Trackers”
The Federal Home Finance Agency data had home values down 1.6 percent nationwide in February, on average, marking the fourth straight month in which prices fell.
Tags: Housing Analysis
Job Growth Returning To “Normal” Levels — A Bad Sign For Mortgage Rates
May 5th, 2011 · Comments Off on Job Growth Returning To “Normal” Levels — A Bad Sign For Mortgage Rates
Be prepared for Friday morning. Mortgage rates and home affordability could worsen quickly. At 8:30 AM ET, the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its April Non-Farm Payrolls report and momentum has been strong.
Tags: The Economy
How To Screen For A Good Home Contractor
May 4th, 2011 · Comments Off on How To Screen For A Good Home Contractor
In this 4-minute piece from NBC’s The Today Show, you learn tips for picking a good home contractor. The advice is mostly common sense, but definitely worth heeding.
Tags: Around The Home
Geopolitics Have Mortgage Rates Poised To Change
May 3rd, 2011 · Comments Off on Geopolitics Have Mortgage Rates Poised To Change
Among the most challenging aspects of shopping for a mortgage is how rates change constantly. It’s hard to pin them down. Especially when geopolitics are involved.
Tags: Mortgage Rates