Jeffrey Samuels's Blog

Follow me
By
Real Estate Broker/Owner - LifeStyle Homes of Hawaii - RB-17709
RECENT BLOG POSTS
For the first time in 3 months, homebuilder confidence has slipped.  As measured by the National Association of Homebuilders, the Housing Market Index dropped three notches in April to a reading of 25. The report measures homebuilder confidence in the newly-built, single-family housing market.  W...
04/17/2012
April 22 is Earth Day, a day to raise awareness about, and to celebrate, the Earth's natural environment. It's also a day for people to do something good for the planet. There are lots of ways to help the environment, including by reducing your net electricity usage, by conserving fresh water sup...
04/16/2012
After a brief surge north of 4 percent last month, mortgage rates have settled down, near their lowest levels of all-time.   According to Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey, for applicants willing to pay 0.7 discount points plus a complete set of closing costs, the average 30-ye...
04/13/2012
The typical U.S. taxpayer will receive roughly $3,000 in federal income tax refunds this year -- an average of $250 per month. So, what would you do with an extra $250 monthly? This segment from NBC's The Today Show offers some advice.  Whether you've already filed your annual taxes for 2011, fil...
04/12/2012
Looking for a great place to raise a family? Forbes Magazine has a list that may help you. Titled "The Best Cities For Raising A Family", Forbes has compiled and analyzed data from America's 100 largest metropolitan areas, accounting for seven lifestyle factors including cost of living, commuting...
04/11/2012
Americans continue to get back to work. Last Friday, in its Non-Farm Payrolls report for the month of March, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced 120,000 net new jobs created, plus combined revisions in the January and February reports of +4,000 jobs. The March report marks the 18th straight ...
04/10/2012
According to the EPA, during summer months, lawn and garden watering account for roughly 40% of a typical home's water use. It's a statistic that reminds us how "green lawns" can be wasteful to both the environment and household budgets  -- especially with drought conditions expected and water co...
04/09/2012
If you're out shopping for a home this week, or trying to lock a mortgage rate, with Friday comes home affordability risk. Consider locking your mortgage rate today. The March Non-Farm Payrolls report is due for release Friday morning and mortgage rates are expected to move. Unfortunately for the...
04/05/2012
The Federal Reserve has released the minutes from its last FOMC meeting, a 1-day affair held March 13, 2012. Mortgage rates are rising on the news. For the un-indoctrinated, 3 weeks after it meets, the Federal Open Market Committee, the sub-group within the Federal Reserve that votes on U.S. mone...
04/04/2012
Planning to use an FHA-backed mortgage for your next home loan? You might want to get your application in gear today. Beginning next week, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is changing the way it charges mortgage insurance to U.S. homeowners. For the fourth time since 2010, FHA mortgage in...
04/03/2012
Rainer
60,385

Jeffrey Samuels

Client First - Providing Exceptional Service
Contact The Author