Mortgage Rates Staying Low - That's the Good News

Considering that mortgage interest rates stayed between 6% and 8% between 1995 and 2005 and between 4% and 6% between 2008...

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You Can Do WHAT On My Property? Know Your Easement Rights

Picture this: You’ve fallen in love with a gorgeous home on a corner lot in Fort Lauderdale, FL, but on the day of your home inspection, you’re shocked when your new neighbor drives right through your property on their way to work. A chat with the home inspector and an investigation of property records reveals… Continue reading →

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S&P/Case-Shiller: February 2016

The latest release of the S&P/Case-Shiller (CSI) home price indices for February reported that the non-seasonally adjusted National index increased slightly from January with prices rising 0.20% while the non-seasonally adjusted Composite-10 city index increased 0.12% and the Composite-20 city index increased 0.19% over the same period.

On an annual basis, the National index increased 5.29% above the level seen in February 2015 while the Composite-10 city index increased 4.61% and the Composite-20 city index increased 5.38% over the same period.

On a peak basis, all three indices still show significant peak declines slumping -4.88% for the National index, -12.94% for the Composite-10 city index and -11.49% for the Composite-20 city index on a peak comparison basis.



from
http://paper-money.blogspot.com/2016/04/s-february-2016.html

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey: April 2016

Today, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas released their latest read on manufacturing in their region indicating that assessments of manufacturing activity remained in contraction in April with the current general business activity index falling slightly to a recessionary level of -13.9 while the future general business activity index also worsened to a weak level of 0.4.

These results are an indication (consistent with other regional and national manufacturing activity data-points) that the U.S. manufacturing sector has clearly slumped into recessionary levels as of late and provides yet another likely harbinger of what is to come in 2016 for the general economy.



from
http://paper-money.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-federal-reserve-bank-of-dallas.html

New Home Sales: March 2016

Today, the U.S. Census Department released its monthly New Residential Home Sales Report for March showing sales declined 1.5% from February but still remained 5.4% above the level seen in March 2015 and remaining near an historically low level with 511K SAAR units.

The monthly supply increased to 5.8 months while the median selling price declined 1.84% and the average selling price increased 0.99% from the year ago level.

The following chart show the extent of sales decline to date (click for full-larger version).



from
http://paper-money.blogspot.com/2016/04/new-home-sales-march-2016.html

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index: March 2016

The latest release of the Chicago Federal Reserve National Activity Index (CFNAI) indicated that national economic activity worsened in March with the index falling to a contraction level of -0.44 from a level of -0.38 a month earlier while the three month moving average also weakening to a level of -0.18.

The CFNAI is a weighted average of 85 indicators of national economic activity collected into four overall categories of “production and income”, “employment, unemployment and income”, “personal consumption and housing” and “sales, orders and inventories”.

The Chicago Fed regards a value of zero for the total index as indicating that the national economy is expanding at its historical trend rate while a negative value indicates below average growth.

A value at or below -0.70 for the three month moving average of the national activity index (CFNAI-MA3) indicates that the national economy has either just entered or continues in recession.



from
http://paper-money.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-chicago-fed-national-activity-index.html

City Or Suburbs: Where Do You Get The Most For Your Rent Money?

Let’s face it: Your apartment’s square footage isn’t going to miraculously get larger over time, but your rent might increase year after year. And at some point, after yet another rent hike, most renters start to ponder this age-old question: Are they a culture-seeking urbanite who’s happy to pay more for less living space in… Continue reading →

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Pros And Cons Of Buying During Real Estates Hottest Season

Whether it’s the warmer weather, the pending summer break from school, or simply a seasonal mental shift, spring is hot for real estate. (In some markets, the spring home sales season even gets an early start.) “Statistically, spring has been the busiest season to purchase a property,” says Maria Babaev of Douglas Elliman Real Estate… Continue reading →

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New Residential Construction Report: March 2016

Today’s New Residential Construction Report showed pronounced weakness with total permit activity declining 7.7% since February while total starts declined a notable 8.8% over the same period.

Single family housing permits, the most leading of indicators, declined 1.2% from February to 727K single family units (SAAR), but rose 13.2% above the level seen a year earlier and still remained well below levels seen at the peak in September 2005.

Single family housing starts declined a notable 9.2% from February to 764K units (SAAR) but rose 22.6% above the level seen a year earlier but still remained well below the levels seen at the peak in September 2005.




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http://paper-money.blogspot.com/2016/04/new-residential-construction-report.html

Heres What A $1500 Mortgage Payment Looks Like

There are many factors to consider when you’re planning a major purchase — especially if that purchase is a new home for sale in Philadelphia, PA. One of the factors that often floats to the very top of the list? Price. And when you’re planning your new monthly budget as a homeowner, it’s important to… Continue reading →

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NAHB/Wells Fargo Home Builder Sentiment: April 2016

Today, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released their latest Housing Market Index (HMI) showing that overall assessments of housing activity generally went flat in April with the composite HMI index remaining flat at 58 while the "buyer traffic" index improved to a level of 44.






from
http://paper-money.blogspot.com/2016/04/nahbwells-fargo-home-builder-sentiment.html

7 Ways To Avoid Losing Your Security Deposit

You’ve known your landlord for months, maybe even years, so you’ve likely formed a relationship. But even if you exchange friendly words and live in harmony while you’re renting their space, landlord-tenant relationships can do a 180 at move-out time when a security deposit is involved. Naturally, tenants expect all of their deposit back, especially… Continue reading →

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Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization: March 2016

Today, the Federal Reserve released their monthly read of industrial production and capacity utilization showing continued weakness in March with total industrial production declining 0.59% from February falling 2.03% below the level seen in March 2015.

Capacity utilization also weakened falling 0.66% from February declining 3.23% below the level seen in March 2015 to stand at 74.8%.

It's important to note that industrial production is still showing significant weakness which, if all past periods were to serve at least as a rough guide, now clearly indicates notable trouble for the macro-economy.




from
http://paper-money.blogspot.com/2016/04/industrial-production-and-capacity.html

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey: April 2016

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey consists of a series of diffusion indices distilled from a monthly survey of New York regional manufacturing executives and seeks to identify trends across 22 different current and future manufacturing related activities.

Today’s report showed a overall improvement for both current and future assessments of manufacturing activity with the current activity index rising to a level of 9.56 while future activity rose to a level of 29.4.

Current prices paid jumped up to 19.23 while current new orders improved to 11.14 while assessments of future new orders declined slightly to 36.55.



from
http://paper-money.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-empire-state-manufacturing-survey.html

Weekly Unemployment Claims: Initial and Continued April 14 2016

Today’s jobless claims report showed a decrease to both initial and continued unemployment claims as seasonally adjusted initial claims remained below the 300K level.

Seasonally adjusted “initial” unemployment claims declined by 13,000 to 253,000 claims while seasonally adjusted "continued" unemployment claims decreased by 18,000 to 2.171 million resulting in an “insured” unemployment rate of 1.6%.




from
http://paper-money.blogspot.com/2016/04/weekly-unemployment-claims-initial-and_14.html

13 Surprising Extras That Add Value To Homes

Most people who watch home renovation shows on TV can quickly spout off the home improvement projects that bring added value in the eyes of potential buyers. The first projects most people mention: kitchen and bathroom remodels. But sometimes you just don’t have the time, patience, or budget to do a full overhaul, especially if… Continue reading →

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In A Hurry: How Fast Can You Buy A Home?

In a competitive real estate market, it can take months — sometimes even years! — to buy a home. Whether you’re consistently outbid by other buyers or it seems your shopping rivals are always one step ahead, it can feel as if you’re at a distinct disadvantage when you’re house-hunting in a market where homes… Continue reading →

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Deal Breakers: 6 Inspection Issues That Kill The Deal

Sometimes the notes on a home inspection report are minor (like a blown-out light bulb), while others are major (such as a bad foundation or a leaky roof). But when you’re buying or selling a home, the major issues are the ones to focus on, as they can curb an entire home sale. Both buyers and… Continue reading →

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Renter Rip-Off: 10 Ways To Fight Hidden Apartment Fees

Even if you’re the perfect tenant and expect to receive your full deposit back after move-out, you’ll still need to have cash on hand before you sign the lease on that beautiful new apartment for rent in Chicago, IL, or a brownstone in Boston, MA. But while you’re ready to fork over first, last, and… Continue reading →

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