Jeffrey Samuels's Blog

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Real Estate Broker/Owner - LifeStyle Homes of Hawaii - RB-17709

ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS

2012 

After a brief run-up two weeks ago, mortgage rates are back below 4 percent. It's good news for home buyers and mortgage rate shoppers because with lower mortgage rates come lower mortgage payments. According to Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the national, average 30-year f...
03/30/2012
Recent data suggests that the U.S. housing market is in recovery. However, the data also shows this to be an uneven recovery. According to the monthly S&P/Case-Shiller Index, for example, home values rose in three of 20 tracked markets between December 2011 and January 2012. 17 tracked markets s...
03/29/2012
The housing market took a step back in February, but remains near post-recession highs. According to data from the National Association of REALTORS®, February's Pending Home Sales Indexslipped 0.5 percent from the month prior, to 96.5. The Pending Home Sales Index is a monthly report which measur...
03/28/2012
Sales of "new homes" fell to the lowest levels in four months last month. According to the Census Bureau's monthly New Home Sales report, 313,000 new homes were sold in February 2012 on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis, representing a 1.6% drop from the month prior. A "new home" is a home ...
03/27/2012
The new construction housing market appears primed for growth this season. According to the Census Bureau, the number of single-family building permits issued in February rose to 472,000 on a seasonally-adjusted, annual basis, marking the highest building permit tally since April 2010 -- the last...
03/23/2012
Dirty shower doors can ruin an otherwise sparkling-clean bathroom. The soap scum that accumulates isn't just unsightly; it contains body oils and skin particles that provide for a perfect bacteria breeding ground. Supermarket shelves are filled with bathroom cleaners that promise to cut through s...
03/22/2012
The market for home resales stays strong. Despite sparse home inventory, the National Association of REALTORS® reports that 4.59 million existing homes were sold in February on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis. An "existing home" is a home that cannot be classified as new construction. Las...
03/22/2012
Home builder confidence in the newly-built, single-family housing market remains high. In March, for the second consecutive month, the National Association of Homebuilders reports the Housing Market Index at 28 -- a doubling of the reading from just 6 months ago and, along with last month, the h...
03/21/2012
The new, revamped HARP program is now available nationwide. It was officially released Saturday, March 17, 2012 by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. HARP is an acronym. It stands for Home Affordable Refinance Program. HARP is the conforming mortgage loan product meant for "underwater homeowners". Under...
03/20/2012
As the weather turns warmer and the days grow longer, it's time to pack away your winter clothes to make room for spring and summer things -- just make sure to store your cold-weather clothes properly. They'll look better, wear longer, and will be ready to go when winter rolls around again next y...
03/19/2012
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