Mortgage markets improved last week in a week of few economic releases. The one major data point — Retail Sales — showed stronger-than-expected, but markets reacted mildly. The report’s strength was whispered in advance of the actual release; its reading validated Wall Street’s growing faith in t
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03/14/2011
FHA Streamline Refinance guidelines are changing. For the better. In an effort to improve its loan portfolio, the FHA is loosening approval standards on its popular refinance program, rendering large groups of homeowners suddenly FHA Streamline-eligible. Now, that may seem counter-intuitive — low
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03/11/2011
Beginning April 1, 2011, Fannie Mae is increasing its loan-level pricing adjustments. Conforming mortgage applicants in California should plan for higher loan costs in the months ahead. If you’ve never heard of loan-level pricing adjustments, you’re not alone; they’re an obscure mortgage pricing
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03/11/2011
April 15 is the traditional due date for federal income taxes. It’s a deadline so ingrained in the American psyche that the April 15 calendar date is often called, simply, “Tax Day”. In 2011, however, federal taxes aren’t due April 15. They’re due April 18. It’s because of a combination of holida
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03/09/2011
Home affordability reached an all-time high in 2010′s last quarter. Unfortunately for home buyers in California , it’s been a different story since, however. As mortgage rates cratered, and with home values soft, the Home Opportunity Index reached its highest level in 20 years. The index is publi
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03/08/2011
For certain members of the military, and for certain federal employees, there’s just 2 months remaining to get use the federal home buyer tax credit. Eligible persons include members of the uniformed services, members of the Foreign Service, and intelligence community employees who served at leas
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03/07/2011
For the third time in 12 months, the FHA is changing its mortgage insurance costs. Effective for all FHA case numbers assigned on, or after, April 18, 2011, annual mortgage insurance premiums (MIP) will increase 25 basis points. The change will add $250 to an FHA-insured homeowner’s annual loan
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03/04/2011
Mortgage rates could move higher beginning tomorrow morning. The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its February jobs report at 8:30 AM ET. Home buyers and rate shoppers in Laguna Beach would be wise to take note. The jobs report is almost always a market-mover. Consider last month. Although net
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03/03/2011
Last week, Standard & Poor’s released its Case-Shiller Index for December 2010. The index is a home valuation tracker, meant to meausure the change in home prices from one period to the next. December’s Case-Shiller Index showed major devaluations nationwide. As compared to December 2009, on a ye
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03/02/2011
After a strong run to close out 2010, the market for home resales softened a bit in January. On a seasonally-adjusted basis, the Pending Home Sales Index dropped 3 percent last month, and December’s figures were revised downward for a loss, too, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.
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03/01/2011
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