With all the negative reports about real estate it always is good to get a breath of fresh air isn't it? I read a report yesterday that said home sales were up 44% Nov 2009 vs. Nov 2008. We need to roll that momentum into 2010. There is a lot of talk out there that the 1st qtr is going to be g
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12/23/2009
Mortgage pricing worsened Monday, driving mortgage rates to their highest levels since October. The day's action was drastic, too. Some banks issued as many as 3 rate sheets Monday -- each worse than the preceding and one reason why rates got so bad, so quickly, is because this week marks the
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12/22/2009
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall on 50 million window coverings, specifically Roman and roll-up blinds. 8 million such products are sold annually. According to representatives of the CPSC, the danger of Roman and roll-up blinds relates to stangulation -- specifi
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12/21/2009
Housing Starts Jump; Home Sellers Lament. Housing Starts jumped last month as builders got back to business. It's a telling sign for the economy, but bad news for next season's sellers. With more homes coming online, home prices may be slow to rise nationwide. A "Housing Start" is a privately
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12/18/2009
A Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (December 16, 2009 Edition) The Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate within its target range of 0.000-0.250 percent. In its press release, the FOMC noted that the U.S. economy "has continued to pick up", that the jo
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12/17/2009
(December 16, 2009 Edition) The Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate within its target range of 0.000-0.250 percent. In its press release, the FOMC noted that the U.S. economy "has continued to pick up", that the jobs markets is getting better, and that housing market
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12/16/2009
The Federal Reserve's Relationship To Mortgage Rates The Federal Open Market Committee meets today for the last time in 2009. It's a 2-day meeting and the Fed is expected to leave the Fed Funds Rate near 0.000 percent. But that doesn't mean mortgage rates won't change. See, a major misperceptio
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12/15/2009
Tools For The Home : 16-In-1 Black And Decker ReadyWrench When it comes to DIY projects, one socket size rarely fits all. So, for light jobs around the house, the 16-in-1 Black & Decker socket wrench can come in handy. Its official name is the ReadyWrench. The ReadyWrench won't replace a compl
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12/14/2009
Strong Retail Sales Data Could Hamper Home Affordability If you wonder what mortgage rates and home affordability will look like next year, today's Retail Sales data may hold your answer. Versus October, November's ex-auto sales were up bymore than 1 percent. Analysts expected the increase, bu
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12/11/2009
Foreclosure Activity Falls For The 4th Straight Month Since peaking in July 2009, national foreclosure activity has dropped through 4 consecutive months. On a month-to-month basis, November's foreclosure activity fell another 8 percent. However, national
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12/10/2009