28 Feb 2019
By Aadil Nathoo

8 Ways To Maintain A Great Credit Score

Mortgage, ,
Having an excellent credit score is very useful. The following are some tips on how to maintain a superb credit score. Open Credit Accounts When You Do Not Need Them If you don't have any credit accounts, you will have a low score. The best time to open them is when you do not need them. Keep a small balance on them and pay it all off at the end of each month to avoid paying interest. Charge Up To Half The Credit Limit Then Pay It All Back Within A Few Months If you must use a credit line,…
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27 Feb 2019
By Aadil Nathoo

Case-Shiller: December Home Price Growth Slowest in 4 Years

Real Estate, ,
Case-Shiller Home Price Indices reported the slowest rate of U.S. home price growth since November 2014. According to the 20-City Home Price Index, Home prices grew by 4.20 percent year-over-year and were 0.20 percent higher in December as compared to November. The 20-City Home Price Index fell short of analysts' expected gain of 4.80 percent year-over-year. Case-Shiller's National Home Price Index reported home prices increased 4.70 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018. While home price growth is sluggish, home prices continued to rise faster than wages. This creates obstacles to affordability for many would-be home buyers. Fears about rising…
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26 Feb 2019
By Aadil Nathoo

Managing Finances Before Applying For A Mortgage

Real Estate, ,
Are you planning on using a mortgage to help cover the cost of a new home? If so, you will want to prepare your finances and figure out how you will manage all those wallet-draining monthly expenses. Let's take a look at how to run a quick financial health check to ensure you are ready to apply for a mortgage. Update (Or Start) Your Monthly Budget First, it is essential to get the basics out of the way. If you haven't already, it's time to start a monthly budget to keep track of your income and expenses. Once you have…
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25 Feb 2019
By Aadil Nathoo

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – February 25th, 2019

Financial Reports, ,
Last week's economic news included readings on homebuilder confidence in housing market conditions, minutes of January's Federal Open Market Committee meeting, and existing home sales reported by the National Association of Realtors®. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released. NAHB: Home Builder Confidence Rises to 4-Month High Homebuilder confidence rose for the second consecutive month in February and four points higher to an index reading of 62, which exceeded analyst expectations of a one-point increase in builder confidence. Components of the NAHB Housing Market Index also rose. Builder confidence in current market conditions rose three…
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22 Feb 2019
By Aadil Nathoo

FOMC Meeting Minutes: Why Fed’s Rate Policy Reversed Course

Real Estate, ,
After raising the target range for the federal funds rate in 2018, the Fed's Federal Open Market Committee did not raise the Central Bank's key interest rate at its meeting of January 29 and 30. While Committee members did not raise the Fed's key rate, members were divided on the interest rate decision. FOMC Members Divided On Interest Rate Decision Minutes of January's FOMC meeting indicated that member viewpoints varied about how the Fed should deal with the Fed's target interest rate range. One group said that interest rate increases may be necessary if inflation increases above the Federal Reserve's…
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