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03Feb2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Things That Change Mortgage Rates
Mortgage Rates Spike On Blow-Out Jobs Figures, Drop In Unemployment Rate Thumbnail

Mortgage Rates Spike On Blow-Out Jobs Figures, Drop In Unemployment Rate

Mortgage rates are spiking right now as Wall Street begins to bet *with* the economy instead of against it. January's jobs report may be a tipping point.

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02Feb2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Real Estate Sales
The Case-Shiller Index : Flawed, Unreliable, And Down In November Thumbnail

The Case-Shiller Index : Flawed, Unreliable, And Down In November

The Case-Shiller Index reports that home values fell in November as compared to the month prior. The good news is that we can ignore its findings.

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02Feb2012
Author
Rob Chrisman
Filed Under
Mortgage News
Mortgage Rates Are Not “Set” By The Federal Reserve (Or Anyone Else) Thumbnail

Mortgage Rates Are Not “Set” By The Federal Reserve (Or Anyone Else)

The exact timing of any mortgage rate increase difficult to forecast given that these rates are not "set" - they are determined by market forces.

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01Feb2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Conforming Mortgages
The First 100 Days Of HARP : Mortgage Rates, LTVs, Statistics And Figures Thumbnail

The First 100 Days Of HARP : Mortgage Rates, LTVs, Statistics And Figures

Statistics, geography, and demographics of the HARP Refinance Program's First 100 Days. Data tracked includes Median LTV, Median Interest Rate, and Average Loan-to-Value.

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31Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Mortgage Strategy
“Big Banks” Loosen Mortgage Guidelines; More Homeowners Getting Approved Thumbnail

“Big Banks” Loosen Mortgage Guidelines; More Homeowners Getting Approved

Last quarter, not a single bank tightened its prime residential mortgage guidelines. The economy is looking up, and so are mortgage rates.

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30Jan2012
Author
Rob Chrisman
Filed Under
Mortgage News
“Responsible Homeowners” Can Save $3,000 Per Year Via HARP-Like Program Thumbnail

“Responsible Homeowners” Can Save $3,000 Per Year Via HARP-Like Program

An update on the President's proposal for “a plan that gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage by refinancing at historically low interest rates".

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30Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Mortgage Strategy
Mortgage Approval Help : How To Give And Receive A Downpayment Gift For A Home Thumbnail

Mortgage Approval Help : How To Give And Receive A Downpayment Gift For A Home

There's a prescribed method for giving and receiving cash gifts for downpayments for a home. You can't just deposit the money into your bank account. If you do, your lender may reject the funds.

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29Jan2012
Author
Rob Chrisman
Filed Under
Mortgage News
Foreclosure Processing Timelines Slowing U.S. Home Sales Thumbnail

Foreclosure Processing Timelines Slowing U.S. Home Sales

Finishing the foreclosure process and unloading the REO are two different things. REOs once linked to subprime loans continue to take the longest to sell.

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27Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Federal Reserve
Inflation Targeting : What It Does To Mortgage Rates Thumbnail

Inflation Targeting : What It Does To Mortgage Rates

For the first time in its 99 years, the Federal Reserve has set an explicit target rate for inflation. The Fed's inflation target will change how you shop for mortgages.

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26Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Federal Reserve
The January 2012 FOMC Statement And Its Effect On Mortgage Rates Thumbnail

The January 2012 FOMC Statement And Its Effect On Mortgage Rates

Mortgage rates have been improving since the Fed's mid-day meeting Wednesday.

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25Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Federal Reserve
No Correlation: The Fed Funds Rate And 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Thumbnail

No Correlation: The Fed Funds Rate And 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates

Mortgage rates and the Fed Funds Rate have different masters. The former is by Wall Street; the latter by government committee. Use government clues to make sure you lock your mortgage rate at just the right time.

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24Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Real Estate Sales
Bull Market Signals : Home Supplies Get Scarce Nationwide Thumbnail

Bull Market Signals : Home Supplies Get Scarce Nationwide

Another sign of a housing market recovery : The longer you wait to buy a home, the fewer homes there are from which to choose. Home buying stays strong -- now 4 months running,

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23Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
FHA Mortgages
How To Cancel Your FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums (MIP) Thumbnail

How To Cancel Your FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums (MIP)

How FHA mortgage insurance works, and how to cancel your monthly MIP requirement. Depending on your loan type, the rules for FHA MIP cancellation vary.

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20Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Real Estate Sales
Housing Market Strength : Single-Family Housing Starts Rise Another 4% Thumbnail

Housing Market Strength : Single-Family Housing Starts Rise Another 4%

December's Housing Starts data suggests a housing recovery is well underway. You'll just have to ignore the newspaper headlines.

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19Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
MBS Markets and Mortgage Rates
Mortgage Rates : Rapid Rise Likely In The Coming Months Thumbnail

Mortgage Rates : Rapid Rise Likely In The Coming Months

Mortgage rates are low because of 4 forces, each in place since 2009. Today, those forces fade into history. When they're gone, so will low mortgage rates. Read why mortgage rates are positioned to rise, and rise sharply.

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18Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Foreclosures
These 4 States House 50% Of The Nation’s Foreclosure Filings Thumbnail

These 4 States House 50% Of The Nation’s Foreclosure Filings

Buying a foreclosure? Get a move on. Foreclosure activity fell to a 49-month low last month, and figures to be even lower through 2012. See where foreclosures are occurring, and where they're not.

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17Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Mortgage Strategy
New ARMs *Finally* Cheaper Than Adjusting ARMs Thumbnail

New ARMs *Finally* Cheaper Than Adjusting ARMs

ARM mortgage rates are low. It's now 1/2 percent cheaper to refinance into a new ARM rather than letting your existing ARM adjust to the market. That hasn't happened in years.

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13Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Federal Reserve
Fed Minutes Suggests “Floating” Mortgage Rates Are At Risk Thumbnail

Fed Minutes Suggests “Floating” Mortgage Rates Are At Risk

The December Fed Minutes show the U.S. economy in expansion, and threatened by a European slowdown. Mortgage rates will be volatile for a while and if your rate is not locked, it's floating -- a dangerous situation.

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12Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Mortgage Strategy
Was Your Mortgage Denied? Re-Apply With A Different Lender. Thumbnail

Was Your Mortgage Denied? Re-Apply With A Different Lender.

These days, different lenders apply different underwriting standards. A home loan that's denied by one bank may be approved by another. Here's how to re-apply.

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11Jan2012
Author
Dan Green
Filed Under
Conforming Mortgages
Delayed Financing Rule : Pay Cash For A Home, Cash-Out Refi Next Day Thumbnail

Delayed Financing Rule : Pay Cash For A Home, Cash-Out Refi Next Day

If you paid cash for a home within the last 6 months and want to take "cash out", you can. It's because of a new mortgage allowance named the Delayed Financing Rule. The standard 6-month seasoning requirement on home purchases has been eliminated.

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