5 money-saving ways to heat your home

http://buildyournewhome.blogspot.com/2009/01/5-money-saving-ways-to-heat-your-home.html

Franconia Township, Pennsylvania – 2 homes left

2 homes left in Montgomery County, PA. Both are less than $390,000 and ready to move. Click here for more details.

Westport Farm Franconia Pa

WordPress Design Content

Design contest…sweet. We know you have been waiting for just this opportunity. It’s almost too good to be true. However, it is totally true, and you can enter and share your killer designs with the world.

Interest Rates, Congress, and Your Mortgage

Does the latest half-point interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve make it easier to get a good deal on a mortgage? Will it make the mortgage I already have cheaper?

Mortgage Application

A decrease in the federal funds target rate generally makes it cheaper for banks to borrow money from each other on a short-term basis. But mortgages are based on longer-term interest rates, which are also influenced by expectations about the economy and inflation. Rates can rise, as they did last week, when investors react to news, such as the Fed cut, and expect it to strengthen the economy or spur inflation, explains Doug Duncan, chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association. According to MBA’s weekly survey, the average interest rates for 30- and 15-year fixed mortgages increased about a tenth of a percentage point over the past week, to 5.6 percent and 5.04 percent, respectively. Read more here…

Investing in Housing (Without Buying a House)

Is it possible to be a real estate investor even though you don’t own any real estate? Sure thing, says Sam Masucci, president and CEO of MacroMarkets, an exchange-traded fund manager cofounded by housing expert Robert Shiller.

Housing Research

 By purchasing MacroShares Major Metro Housing securities, investors can benefit from rising home prices without having to call a Realtor. The fund, which is expected to launch before the end of the year, is linked to the closely followed S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indexand allows investors to place bets on the direction of home prices. In a recent interview with U.S. News, Masucci detailed how the product works and explained the different ways it can benefit investors and homeowners alike. Read more here.

9 housing-market head winds for 2009

With home prices having dropped a painful 21% from their 2006 peaks, property owners everywhere could use a splash of good news in their New Year’s Eve cocktails. But as a nasty recession is now part of the picture, the chances of an aggressive housing-market rebound in 2009 are dim. “A lasting recovery in the housing market?” says Mike Larson, a real-estate analyst at Weiss Research. “I don’t see it in the cards until the back end of the year — if that.”

Here’s a look at the factors that will be weighing down the housing market in 2009:

1. Recession
After months of speculation, the National Bureau of Economic Research made it official in early December 2008, announcing that the U.S. economy entered into a recession in December 2007. The only question now is: How painful a recession will we have? In a Nov. 21 report, economists at Goldman Sachs revised their previous forecast to reflect a more significant economic contraction and higher unemployment. “We now estimate that real GDP is falling at a 5% annual rate in the current quarter, and we expect this to be followed by declines of 3% and 1% in the next two quarters,” the economists said. “This deepens and extends the expected recession, bringing the drop in GDP close to the decline seen in 1982 (2.3% in our forecast versus 2.7% then).” The recession will exert downward pressure on the housing market in a number of ways.

2. Higher unemployment
The shrinking economy will result in additional layoffs, which will work to smother housing demand. The unemployment rate has already been climbing — in early December it was at 6.5% — but many expect it to increase significantly in the coming year. Goldman Sachs projects the unemployment (more)

A $15,000 gift for homebuyers?

A $15,000 gift for homebuyers?

The U.S. Senate approves an amendment to the economic stimulus package that would provide a tax credit of up to $15,000 for homebuyers who purchase a primary residence in the coming year. But economists are skeptical tax credits will prove stimulative.

Home Affordability Calculator

Home Affordability Calculator

6 signs of a strong housing market

With lower home prices and attractive mortgage rates, 2009 will present plenty of bargains for real-estate shoppers. But as the historic bust continues, Americans everywhere are learning a painful lesson about homebuying: Property values don’t always increase. People looking to purchase a home this year should make sure they’re buying into a community that can support long-term value. With the help of housing experts, U.S. News & World Report compiled a list of the top six ingredients of strong housing markets:

1. A well-groomed neighborhood: Well-maintained homes and landscaping have a positive effect on property values in that community, says Joshua Dorkin, founder and CEO ofBiggerPockets.com, a real-estate networking and information site. By caring for the appearance of their homes, residents help to create a more aesthetically pleasing environment that future real-estate hunters will want to buy into. So when you’re eyeing a home, make sure to take a drive through the entire neighborhood. Take note of how the neighbors care for their homes, lawns and gardens. “Run-down houses and abandoned cars are big red flags,” Dorkin says.

2. Good schools: Given the importance of education, communities located within strong school districts tend to support higher home prices. Parents, after all, will want to move into the communities with the best educational opportunities. “The school district is important in terms of (read more here)

 

Family biking in nice neighborhood

A “tough love” approach to personal finances

http://newhomemortgagerates.blogspot.com/2009/01/tough-love-approach-to-personal.html