HARP 2.0: Unlimited Loan-to-Value and Same Great Rates
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!The government’s new, revamped HARP program is 6 weeks from release. Homeowners in Indiana, Illinois and nationwide are gearing up to refinance. HARP, not the alcoholic beverage, is an acronym. It stands for Home Affordable Refinance Program. HARP is the government’s loan product... [Read more of this blog post]
Quick Tips: Boost Your Credit Score For Better Mortgage Rates
Credit scores play a huge role in today’s mortgage market — larger than at any time in recent history. Blame it on the high default rates of the last half-decade. Lenders are reserving their lowest rates for the customers most likely to make on-time repayments. Mortgage rates are at an all-time low in Northwest Indiana. However, the low rates you see advertised... [Read more of this blog post]
Federal Tax Deadline Extended to April 17, 2012 – Hooray!
Traditionally, federal income taxes must be filed with the IRS on, or before, April 15th each year. The date has become such a part of U.S. culture that many people simply call it “Tax Day”. This year, however, for the 3rd time in 7 years, your federal income taxes will not be due April 15th. Instead, because of a combination of the calendar, a holiday, and... [Read more of this blog post]
Lock Instant 13% Savings On Your Monthly Mortgage Payment Today
Falling mortgage rates make owning a home more affordable. Mortgage rates are directly tied to monthly mortgage payment so as mortgage rates drop, so does the cost of home-ownership. It’s a money-saving time to buy a home in Schererville Indiana – or to refinance one. Mortgage rates have never been this low in history. Click here to see today’s mortgage... [Read more of this blog post]
The Week Ahead for Mortgage Rates: February 6, 2012
Mortgage markets worsened last week as domestic job growth surprised Wall Street and the Eurozone moved yet one more step closer to reaching a lasting Greece sovereign debt solution. Conforming mortgage rates in Northwest Indiana and Chicago suburbs rose on the news, although you wouldn’t know it from looking at Freddie Mac’s weekly mortgage rate survey. Click... [Read more of this blog post]
Believe It or Not, Banks Start To Loosen Up In Underwriting
After a half-decade of tightening mortgage guidelines, banks are starting to “loosen up”. The Federal Reserve conducts a quarterly survey of its member banks and, last quarter, not a single responding bank reported having tightened its mortgage guidelines for prime borrowers. A “prime borrower” is defined as one with a well-documented credit history,... [Read more of this blog post]
Home Affordability Threatened By Friday’s Jobs Report
This week, once more, we find mortgage rates are on a downward trajectory. Conforming mortgage rates have returned to near all-time lows. After Friday morning’s Non-Farm Payrolls report, however, those low rates may come to an end. It’s a risky time for Indiana and Illinois home buyers and would-be refinancers to be without a locked rate. Each month, on the... [Read more of this blog post]
Case-Shiller Index Says Detroit And Washington DC Lead The Market
Standard & Poors released its November 2011 Case-Shiller Index this week. The index measures the change in home prices from month-to-month, and year-to-year, in select U.S. cities. According to the data, for the second straight month, home values fell in 19 of the Case-Shiller Index’s 20 tracked markets. In addition, also for the second straight month, Phoenix,... [Read more of this blog post]
Supply Of New Homes At 6.1 Months Nationwide
New Home Sales slowed into the New Year but the market for newly-built homes remains strong. For home buyers in Northwest Indiana and the Chicago suburbs, December’s New Home Sales report is yet one more signal that the housing market recovery may be underway. According to the Census Bureau, the number of new homes sold in December 2011 slipped 2 percent to 307,000... [Read more of this blog post]