What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – October 2, 2017

Last week's economic reports included Case-Shiller's Home Price Indices, readings on new and pending home sales and Freddie Mac 's weekly mortgage rates report. Weekly jobless claims and reports on inflation and core inflation were also released. Case-Shiller Home Prices Rise in July; New and Pending Home Sales Lower in August According to Case-Shiller July Index reports, national home prices rose at a rate of 5.8 90 percent on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis as compared to June's reading of 5.80 percent. The top three cities in the 20-City Home Price Index were Seattle, Washington, Portland, Oregon and Las Vegas, Nevada.…
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5 Key Maintenance Tasks to Prepare Your Home for the Winter

The days are getting shorter, the temperature is dropping and the kids are heading back to school. The approach of autumn means that winter is just around the corner. The question is – is your home ready? Break out your checklist and let's run through five key maintenance tasks that will get your home prepared to face the winter. Pack Up And Protect Your Outdoor Furniture Unfortunately, the arrival of winter means that the patio has to be closed up for the season. It's time to get chairs, tables and other furniture covered up or stored if you have space.…
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Pay Your Mortgage Off Faster With These Money-Smart Strategies

As with any loan or line of credit, there are benefits to getting your mortgage paid down. You'll pay less in interest, potentially saving thousands over the repayment period. Moreover, you'll own your home outright that much quicker. Let's explore four money-smart strategies that will help you to pay your mortgage off faster. Start With The Obvious And Increase Your Payments It won't come as a surprise that one of the easiest ways to get your mortgage paid off is to increase the amount you put towards your monthly payments. Most lenders will allow you to place any extra funds…
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Case-Shiller: Home Prices Higher in July, Home Prices May Have Peaked

Case-Shiller reported higher sales of new homes for July; the national reading for new home sales increased by 0.10 percent to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 5.90 percent. The 20-City Home Price Index rose by 0.20 percent to 5.80 percent on a seasonally adjusted annual basis. Seattle Washington held the top spot in the 20-City Index with a growth of 13.50 percent year-over-year. Seattle home prices are growing faster than home prices in Portland Oregon, which reported a year-over-home price growth rate of 7,60 percent. Dallas, Texas lost its third-place standing in the 20-City Index to Las Vegas, Nevada, which…
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Did You Know: Your Choice of Community Will Impact Your Mortgage – Here’s How

If you are in the market for a new home, you've probably begun the process of choosing the neighborhood or community in which you want to live. The perfect spot to call home will depend on your age, the size and composition of your family, your working life and other factors. However, one thing you may not know is that the community you choose to live in can also impact your mortgage. In today's post, we'll explore how the local area in which you live can affect your mortgage financing and interest rate. Lender Pricing Varies By State As you…
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DIY Home Projects: Creating a Study Space That Will Help Your Children Stay Focused

If you're a parent of school-aged children, you've likely been concerned with their study habits at some point. Sitting down in front of the television or at the dinner table to crack open the books is going to be less efficient than doing so in a quieter, more productive work space. Let's explore how to create a study space that will help keep your children focused and on task. Ask The Kids What They Need To Be Productive Before you get to work on creating a new studying space, it's a good idea to have a chat with those will…
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