A mortgage comes with many moving pieces and understanding them is the key getting a great deal. Unfortunately, studies show that few Americans have a firm grasp of how mortgages work — from mortgage types to mortgage fees. In this back-to-basics interview on NBC’s The Today Show, you’ll learn
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06/10/2011
It’s a fact: It’s more expensive to live in some cities than others. Beyond just the costs of buying a home, different cities also carry a different Cost of Living. For households relocating from California and across state lines, the change in “life costs” can be jarring. Depending on where you
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06/09/2011
If you live in a high-cost area, keep an eye on your calendar. Effective October 1, 2011, temporary conforming loan limits will be lowered nationwide. Perhaps by as much as 14 percent. These limits range up to $729,750 currently. “Temporary loan limits” were enacted as part of the government’s 20
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06/08/2011
Hurt by foul weather and a soft market, the Pending Home Sales Index plunged 12 percent in April. The monthly index is published by the National Association of REALTORS® and measures the number of homes on which new contracts have been written. It’s the association’s lone “forward-looking” repor
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06/07/2011
Mortgage markets improved last week, carried by the same stories that have led markets better since April. Worries of a Eurozone sovereign debt default mounted, and the U.S. economy’s revival showed itself to be slower than originally anticipated. In Greece, the nation readied itself for its seco
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06/06/2011
The March Case-Shiller Index was released this week and it corroborates the findings of the government’s most recent Home Price Index — home values are slipping nationwide. According to the Case-Shiller Index’s publisher, Standard & Poors, home values fell in March from the year prior. The March
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06/03/2011
Tomorrow morning, at 8:30 AM ET, the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its Non-Farm Payrolls report for May. If you’re floating a mortgage rate right now — or are in the process of shopping for a loan — consider locking your rate sooner rather than later. The Non-Farm Payrolls report can be a m
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06/02/2011
Another quarter, another sign that mortgage lending may be easing nationwide.The Federal Reserve’s quarterly survey of senior loan officers revealed that an overwhelmingly majority of U.S. banks have stopped tightening mortgage requirements for “prime borrowers”.A prime borrower is one with a wel
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06/02/2011
Mortgage markets improved last week ahead of Memorial Day and a 3-day weekend. Bond pricing ending the week higher, pushing conforming mortgage rates in California down for the 5th week out of six. Most economic news reported worse-than-expected. Initial Jobless Claims increased sharply, GDP was
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05/31/2011
Home affordability moved higher last quarter, buoyed by stable mortgage rates and falling home prices in California and nationwide. The National Association of Home Builders reports that Q1 2011 Home Opportunity Index reached an all-time high for the second straight quarter last quarter. Nearly
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05/27/2011
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