Month: September 2015

California Home Sales Record 10th Straight Annual Increase

Regan Hagestad September 29, 2015

Although month-to-month pending home sales in California declined slightly, August marks 10 straight months of year-to-year gains according to the California Association of Realtors (CAR). However, realtors in the state have responded to the latest Market Pulse Survey from CAR by saying that sales on homes with multiple offers were down, which is a telltale sign of reduced competition among

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How U.S. monetary policy influences mortgage rates

Regan Hagestad September 24, 2015

Mortgage rates are directly affected by U.S. monetary policy is a variety of ways. Mortgage loans are typically insured through a government sponsored enterprise (GSE), which includes agencies like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The loans are then packaged into mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and sold to investors in the bond market. Since bond prices and interest rate yields have an

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Mortgage Bankers Expect Sellers’ Market in 2016 Despite Possible Rate Hike

Regan Hagestad September 15, 2015

Lately, the news media has been talking about a possible mortgage rate hike that could discourage homebuyers. The Federal Reserve may decide to raise rates before the end of 2015. Fortunately, a new study reveals that home sales will probably remain brisk despite this change. Interest Impact Although lower loan rates produce significant savings for buyers, they don’t actually cause

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National foreclosure inventory shrinks 28% since last year

Regan Hagestad September 10, 2015

The continued decline of completed foreclosures proves that the economy continues to mend itself after the recent recession. In just the last year since July 2014, the number of completed foreclosures has decreased by 24.4 percent, and the national foreclosure inventory itself has dropped 27.9 percent. These figures translate into just over 38,000 homes lost to complete foreclosure in July

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2015 Survey of California Homeowners

Regan Hagestad September 1, 2015

The 2015 Survey of California Homeowners was recently released by the California Association of Realtors, and it shows that there have been major changes in the real estate market in the state in the last few years. Additionally, there are some significant differences in the situations of individuals who have owned their home for more than 15 years than compared

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