Lori Blank

09

Aug

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Around The Home

Quick Tips To Beat The Heat And Save On Your Electric Bill

Summer always brings with it a hard choice: Do you turn down the thermostat to stay cool and resign yourself to high power bills? Or, do you sweat it out to save some dough? If you've been struggling with this dilemma, don't fret. With a programmable thermostat, you can beat the heat and save money, too. They are easy to install and can save you over $100 a year. The key is that they have different temperature settings for certain times of the day. The latest models can be self-installed, are easy to program and can be controlled over the…

08

Aug

By Lori Blank

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Housing Analysis

RealtyTrac Report Shows Home Prices Increasing At Highest Rate Since 1977

U.S. housing markets continue to drive the economic recovery according to data released by RealtyTrac Inc. National home prices rose by 11.90 percent year-over-year for June. 48 states reported rising home prices with only Delaware and Mississippi reporting lower home prices. Nevada led the states with a 26.50 percent gain over June 2012. Cities also fared well on housing prices; 99 of the 100 largest U.S. cities reported gains in home prices. Rising Home Prices And Mortgage Rates, Short Supply Of Homes According to Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic, home price trends are rising at their fastest pace since…

07

Aug

By Lori Blank

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Home Buyer Tips

A Few Red Flags To Look For When Buying Real Estate

If you're looking to purchase real estate, keep in mind that the homes you are considering might be in need of repairs or improvements. In a recent study done by a major home inspection company, at least 40 percent of previously owned homes on the market have at least one serious issue or defect. When buying real estate, you should have a professional inspection performed on the property to look for any issues that might not be visible to the untrained eye. It's better to identify this damage before you buy so that you are not stuck with budget-busting renovations.…

06

Aug

By Lori Blank

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Mortgage Tips

Here’s What To Do If You Fall Behind On Your Mortgage Payments

What happens if you go through a tough financial period and you find yourself behind on your mortgage payments for your home? If you are missing mortgage payments and are having difficulty paying, this can become a serious problem. Even just one missed payment can be difficult to catch up on, and if you are in this situation it is important to get help right away. Contact Your Lender The first step in this circumstance should be to get in touch with your mortgage lender to explain the situation. Simply leaving things alone and not explaining why you have missed…

05

Aug

By Lori Blank

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Housing Analysis

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – August 5, 2013

The past week brought encouraging economic news from several sources. The FOMC statement indicated that the Federal Reserve has not set a date for rolling back its quantitative easing program and ADP reported more private sector jobs added than expected. While weekly jobless claims were fewer than expected, the national unemployment rate remained elevated: Monday: Pending Home Sales: The National Association of REALTORS reported that sales contracts fell in June due to rising mortgage rates and a tight inventory of available homes. Tuesday: The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indices showed that national home prices increased by 12.2 percent annually. All 20 cities used…

02

Aug

By Lori Blank

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Around The Home

5 Important Summer Deck Inspection Tips

Summer seems to be slipping away quickly. And, while you've hosted many barbecues on your back deck, you might not have had time to properly take care of it. August is the perfect month to conduct a deck inspection and make any repairs before the time comes to prepare it for winter. Below are tips on some issues to watch for and how to fix them. Inspect The Deck It's important to do a thorough inspection of your deck every summer. You don't want to step through a rotted board or have a railing break away from under you. Be sure…

01

Aug

By Lori Blank

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Federal Reserve

Fed Meeting Statement Positive For Ongoing Mortgage Sector Support

There was potentially good news for mortgage rates on Wednesday as the Fed's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announced that its quantitative easing (QE) program would remain unchanged for the present. Economists expect the Fed to begin tapering the amount of QE toward the end of the year in accordance with Chairman Ben Bernanke's previous statements that "tapering" would likely begin near year-end. No specific date for reducing the QE assets purchases was given. Chairman Bernanke has previously indicated that the Fed will closely review domestic and global economic developments as part of its decision-making process for changing the QE…