Diane Gerdes's (dianegerdes) Blog

The housing market took center stage last week when finally it was acknowledged that the slow down is affecting the Global economic system. The stock markets here and in Europe which had been marching up, and up and beyond made an abrupt turnaround. Starting with Countrywide's 33% drop in second...

Remember the big party we all attended in 2005? And in 2006 we woke up with what we thought was a slight hangover. Like when I hear people talking about hangovers....morning's are o.k. but by the afternoon you are really wishing you had not drank that second kamikaze with a tequila chaser. 2007 ...

Yesterday's Wall Street rally, with the incredible 14,000 in close view, has the markets looking for even bigger gains today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is the average performance of 30 stocks including American Express, Chase, Coca Cola…stocks you and I may not be able to afford. The Dow J...

The markets were doing the happy dance (visual) today when The Commerce Department reported the Fed's preferred measure of inflation fell below 2%. Concerns of inflation is a constant worry for the Fed and that is why the Fed tinkers with the rate to keep it (inflation) under control. Low employ...

Want to play a game? This game is called “When will the housing market turn around?” The following are simple multiple choice. And remember there are no wrong answers, just one right answer. A. Lower interest rates? Interest rates are still historically low. Maybe not the gloriously low rates we ...

Want to play a game? This game is called “When will the housing market turn around?” The following are simple multiple choice. And remember there are no wrong answers, just one right answer. A. Lower interest rates? Interest rates are still historically low. Maybe not the gloriously low rates we...

Strong economic news from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank reflecting better than expected manufacturing growth in the Atlantic States and the certainty that the Feds will not raise (or lower) the rates when they meet again on June 28th excited the markets earlier this morning. The exuberanc...

  Ben Bernanke took no prisoners Thursday in his speech before the Federal Reserve in Chicago.  His aggressive tone towards legislators trying to leverage heavy controls on the subprime market surprised many economists.  Stating that regulators should be cautious about issuing new rules since the...

    The Feds perfect economy mix of "not too hot, not too cold" could be a reality after Wall Street reached all time highs today with exuberant earning reports. Confidence in our economy seems to be returning with positive economic news. The effect of subprime loans and fear of foreclosures has ...

Get off that fence!   Interest rates are still at historic lows.  Even If housing prices do come down, that difference could be eroded by higher rates.  The difference between the payment on a $225,000 loan amount with a 6.250%  to  8.250% is over $300.00 per month!!  The following are interest r...