246 articles and videos on mortgage rates, the housing market and smart home financing, in plain English.
▶ VideoWe’ve talked a lot about how interest rates are going up. January of this year was definitely a tough one for interest rates. Conventional rates went up three quarters of a point in the first month. The increases have settled down at this point, but we’re trending at a higher band. Jumbo vs. Conventional Interest…
▶ VideoToday’s topic is important – something that I can’t emphasize enough. Right now, there are record amounts of home equity. In the last year, there has been a good 20% increase in home values, which means equity continues going up. Borrowing Money When You Don’t Need It People are also flush with cash right now.…
▶ VideoIn today’s video, I’m sharing some geeky charts so we can what is happening to interest rates and where we stand right now – and where I think we are heading (based on my opinion). Breaking Down Interest Rates In this chart, we are looking at the Fannie Mae bond – the actual source where…
▶ VideoIt’s been a while since I shared a video on a rent vs. buy scenario. In the real estate business, there is always a mindset: you need to live somewhere – might as well be smart with your spending. If you are going to rent or buy, then let’s look at the numbers and see…
▶ VideoHappy New Year! FHFA (who oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) made a pretty significant announcement today, but it doesn’t technically roll out until April 1st. They announced that there will be a big pricing adjustment to both second home purchases and high balance loans. Second Home Purchases There are three ways to buy a…
▶ VideoDuring the last part of the year, are you someone who has numbers you are trying to hit – such as sales, production, etc.? It’s easy to fall into a trap of anticipating the start of the year, with a plan to reset and go back to zero, and then build from there. You Don’t…
