General Real Estate 
There are currently 26 blog entries related to this category.
Freddie Mac Reports an Increase in Mortgage Rates
Monday, January 4th, 2010 at 12:16pm. 235 Views, 0 Comments.
The financial experts at Freddie Mac have reported that mortgage rates have moved higher for the second week in a row. According to the report, a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage loan averaged a rate of 4.94% during the week ending on December 14, which is up from the previous week's 4.81%. This figure is still down when compared to the rate from one year ago, however, which averaged 5.19% at the time. When it comes to one-year, adjustable-rate mortgages, the rates increased to 4.34% for the week ending on December 14, which is an increase from the 4.24% rate from the previous week.
Homeownership still a Solid Investment
Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 7:12pm. 325 Views, 1 Comments.
Americans have long believed that purchasing a home is a good investment. Thanks to the recession, many experts hypothesized that many would no longer view home ownership as a great investment. According to a recent study conducted by Bankrate Inc., however, home ownership is still viewed as a solid investment by most.
According to the study, more than 9 out of 10 people who participated inn the survey still feel that owning a home is a good investment. This may seem like a bit of a shock considering that 25% of Americans currently owe more on their homes than what their homes…
What You Need to Know About Homeowners Insurance
Friday, February 6th, 2009 at 5:32pm. 1640 Views, 1 Comments.
It is essential to have homeowner’s insurance in place when you purchase a home. If you are borrowing money in order to purchase the home, the lending institution will require you to purchase homeowner insurance before the transaction can be completed. This is because the lending institution wants to make sure its investment is protected if the house were to be damaged or destroyed. Even if you are no longer carrying a loan on your home, however, it is a good idea to have insurance in place. After all, a home is a major investment and will cost thousands of dollars to replace if…
Mortgage rates at 37-year lows!
Thursday, December 18th, 2008 at 6:40pm. 1135 Views, 1 Comments.
The average rate for a 30-year-fixed mortgage has dropped to the lowest level in 37 years! Mortgage rates started falling after the Federal Reserve launched their new effort to aid the markets by purchasing up to $600 billion of mortgage-related securities in November.
30-year, fixed mortgages are at 5.06 percent, according to financial publisher HSH Associates, the lowest since the 1960s and down from 5.3 percent yesterday. It is the best news in months for anyone looking to lock in a 30-year mortgage.
The average rate on a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also dropped to 4.92…
Steps to Take When Moving into a New Home
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 at 7:04pm. 1261 Views, 1 Comments.
When moving to a new home, there are many things you need to do in order to make sure it is ready for you to move in to. When caught up in all of the excitement of the move, however, it is easy to overlook some of the things you should do in preparation for your move. Therefore, keep these things in mind when making your move.
Don’t Forget About Utilities
When you move into your new home, you want to make sure you can enjoy all of the comforts of home. Therefore, be certain to make arrangements for electricity, water, gas, cable, and phone to be turned on the day before you…
What You Need to Know About Title Insurance
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 at 6:59pm. 876 Views, 0 Comments.
When you are selling a home in Texas, you will need to be aware of Title Insurance and how it affects you. In the state of Texas, the sale of title insurance is regulated. As a result, the premiums of this insurance are determined by the sale price of the property. This means title companies cannot discount the premium cost. Although many sellers are upset by the need to purchase Title Insurance, mostly because they feel it benefits only the buyer, it is actually beneficial for you to have this insurance in place as well.
Having Title Insurance in place helps to protect you…
Understanding Texas Title Insurance
Friday, August 15th, 2008 at 6:03pm. 3430 Views, 8 Comments.
When purchasing a home in Texas, you will need to look into obtaining title insurance. With this type of insurance, you form a contract with a title company as determined by the Texas Department of Insurance. Before making your purchase, it is important to understand how title insurance works and the type of title insurance you will need.
The Owner’s Policy of Title Insurance
One form of title insurance you will need to obtain is the Owner’s Policy of Title Insurance. This insurance is actually issued to you and provides you with protection against specific title risks. …
Bank of America Acquires Countrywide Financial Corp
Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 at 3:34pm. 1503 Views, 1 Comments.
According to the Associated Press, the Federal Reserve has approved Bank of America Corp’s move to purchase Countrywide Financial Corp.
The 32 page order was issued on June 5th and Countrywide plans to hold a special meeting with its shareholders on the 25th in order to finalize the sale. According to the Fed board, Bank of America will control approximately $773.4 billion in deposits once the deal is closed, which means it will remain the nation’s largest depository institution with 10.9% of the insured bank deposits in the country.
Bank of America had initially stated it…
Using Lockboxes to Sell Your Home
Tuesday, May 20th, 2008 at 7:20pm. 1251 Views, 1 Comments.
When you hire a real estate agent to help you with the sell of your home, you will likely need to find a location for a lockbox on the outside of your home. Utilizing a lockbox is an important component of the selling process, as keys to your home and other locked areas of your property are contained within the lockbox. By keeping these items inside of the lockbox, the Realtor can easily access your home when it comes time to show it to a potential buyer.
Using Lockboxes to Reach More Buyers
In addition to the fact that the lockbox makes it easier for your Realtor to access…
Preparing Your Home Before the Big Move
Tuesday, May 20th, 2008 at 1:41pm. 1303 Views, 0 Comments.
When you move out of a home to a new residence, there are several things you need to do in order to prepare the home you are moving from. Unless the new owners are going to be moving in as soon as you move out, one of the things you will need to do is prepare the house for being empty. For example, you need to make sure all of the water is turned off in the home and that all of your appliances are turned off.
Since the home will be left alone for a period of time, you also need to make sure all of the windows and doors are locked before you leave. Although there are likely no…
