Monday, March 28, 2011

More than 70% of Americans

Don't Be Mystified By The Mortgage Maze
  More than 70 percent of Americans say getting a mortgage today is a serious national problem, according to a new study by MortgageMatch.com, a home loan and information site operated by Move, Inc.
      According to the MortgageMatch.com survey, today's lending environment is so confusing many borrowers are experiencing high levels of stress and frustration.
      More than one in five recent home buyers (20.9 percent) told MortgageMatch.com, waiting to hear if they were approved for a mortgage was more stressful than waiting to hear if they

Mortgage Rates
U.S. averages as of February 24, 2011:

30 yr. fixed:   4.95%
15 yr. fixed:   4.22%
1 yr. adj:        3.40%




View current rates



got a job.
      MortgageMatch.com says home buyers can significantly improve their chances of getting a mortgage application approved on the best possible terms in today's tough lending


It is the Best time in History to buy waterfront properties in Florida

Let me show you.





Should I Buy A Home Now?

     The Zillow Home Value Index fell 26% from its peak in June 2006. That’s a greater decline than seen in the Depression-era years of 1928 to 1933.
      According to Zillow.com, "November marked the 53rd consecutive month of home value declines, with the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) falling 0.8% from October to November, and falling 5.1% year-over-year.”
      But the news isn’t all bad. If you’ve gathered around the office water cooler to catch up with colleagues, maybe you’ve noticed a bit of optimism blossoming. It’s not just a feeling, it’s real. According to Zillow Research, the economy is improving. The improvement is expected to gradually increase "household formation and consumer confidence”. But the housing market may still face greater declines due to "excess inventory of homes, high negative equity and foreclosure rates, and weakened demand due to elevated unemployment.” reported Zillow.com.
      However, if you’ve been watching, waiting, and wondering, when to buy, it's now the time to take note. While no one



Ways to Increase
Your Home's Value


     It is no secret. 2010 was a hard year for home values. According to Zillow.com, homes were expected to lose $1.7 trillion in value. This is an even greater loss than what was seen in 2009. They report that "the bulk of the total value lost during 2010 was in the second half of the year. From January to June, the housing market lost $680 billion. From June to December, Zillow projects residential home value losses will top $1 trillion."
      Some of the largest losses in value were seen in the West. Los Angeles' values fell by $38,000 over the course of 2010. And they are down a whopping $676,000 from the peak in the second quarter of 2006. Phoenix, Arizona, saw values fall by $36,000 in 2010. This is down $222,000 from peak times.
      There were exceptions to this loss trend. The Boston metropolitan statistical area (MSA) gained $10.8 billion in value, while the San Diego MSA gained $10.2 billion.
      Now, while you cannot protect yourself against market corrections such as these, you can take small steps to help increase your home's value and make it more marketable. The following tips are meant to inspire and motivate you to treat your home like the investment it was meant to be.


Make Moving Day a Breeze

     It's a dreaded part of buying a new home. It can be costly and time consuming, and can even cause you physical pain. What could possibly wreak all this havoc? Moving day.
      Moving days can be quite the headache! To help you prepare and to avoid potential hang-ups, try out these great tips.
     First and foremost, plan ahead. This is a time to make a list and check it twice. It always takes more time and more boxes than you'd think! It is better to be done ahead of schedule than to run out of time. Once you have to be out of your current home, you have to be out!
      On your list, decide on what you will need movers to move and what you can do yourself. If you have compiled a list of your larger items when you call the movers, they'll be able to give you a more


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