What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – August 31, 2020

Last week’s economic news included readings from Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, along with data on new and pending home sales. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and new and continuing jobless claims were also published. Case-Shiller: Home Price GrowthHolds Steady in June National home prices grew at a seasonally-adjusted annual pace of 4.30 percent in June, which was unchanged from May’s year-over-year growth rate for home prices. The 20-City Home Price Index rose by 3.50 percent year-over-year in June.   Phoenix, Arizona reported the leading year-over-year home price growth rate of 9.00 percent. Seattle, Washington held second place with a year-over-year home price growth rate of 6.50 percent. Home prices in Tampa,…
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Condo Damage Caused By Contractors Hired By The HOA: Who Pays?

For those who live in a condo, they know that there are numerous advantages that come with this living arrangement. Living in a condo means that other people are going to be responsible for landscaping and common areas while homeowners are still able to build equity in the home. At the same time, the HOA has quite a bit of power and one of the biggest concerns that people might have involves who pays for the damage in the event that something in the building has been damaged. There are a few important points to keep in mind. Roof Replacement Contractors Sometimes, the HOA might hire contractors to work on the…
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Refi or Wait? How to Choose Between Refinancing Your Mortgage Now or Waiting Until You Need the Money

Refinancing your existing mortgage may provide you with the opportunity to lower your interest rate, reduce your mortgage payment and adjust your loan term. For those homeowners who have lived in their home for more than a few years, pulling equity out of the property for everything from a luxurious vacation to making home improvements is a tempting potential benefit. However, with property values and interest rates adjusting frequently, you may wonder if now is the best time to refinance your mortgage. Using Equity From Your Refinance One factor to consider when debating between refinancing now and waiting relates to pulling equity out of your home. If you need access to…
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Case-Shiller: June Home Prices Rise as Affordability Crisis Grows

According to the National Case-Shiller Home Price Index for June, U.S. home prices rose 4.30 percent year-over-year, which was unchanged from May’s year-over-year home price growth rate. Home prices are expected to continue growing through 2020 as businesses reopen and COVID-19 restrictions ease. Case-Shiller’s 20-City Home Price Index for May showed Phoenix, Arizona held the top spot with 9.00 percent year-over-year growth; Seattle, Washington followed with 650 percent growth in home prices. Tampa, Florida maintained its third-place position with 5.90 percent year-over-year home price growth. Five of 19 cities reporting in the 20-City Index showed a higher rate of home price growth. Wayne County, Michigan, which includes the Detroit metro area,…
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From Big to Small: How to Downsize from a Large House to a Smaller, More Efficient Home

If you're moving from a large home into a smaller house or condo, you're probably looking forward to enjoying a lower utility bill and not having to do as much cleaning. But before you move, you'll want to take certain precautions to ensure that you're not overwhelmed. A smaller home won't have as much room for your belongings, which means you may need to get creative. Here's how you can downsize without losing your mind. Decide What You're Going To Keep Before you do anything else, choose which of your belongings are coming with you. Unless you've habitually been getting rid of things you no longer need over the years, chances…
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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – August 24, 2020

Last week’s economic news included readings from Case-Shiller on home prices, the National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Indices, and sales of previously-owned homes. Readings on housing starts and building permits issued were released. Weekly reports on mortgage rates, new and continuing jobless claims were also published. NAHB: Home Builder Confidence Rises in August The National Association of Home Builders reported that builder confidence in housing market conditions rose six points to an index reading of 78.in August. The expected reading of 73 was based on July’s reading of 72. Homebuilder confidence was based on sharp demand for homes as city dwellers sought larger homes in less dense housing metro…
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