No Matter What Happens To The Fed Funds Rate Today, Markets Are Going To Turn Up The Volatility A Notch

The Federal Open Market Committee adjourns from its scheduled 2-day meeting today at 2:15 P.M. ET and the markets are eagerly awaiting the central bank’s press release. In it, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke is expected to address the U.S. economy, the future of credit, and the new Fed Funds...

FED Rate Cut Does NOT Equal Lower Mortgage Rates!

The Federal Reserve is scheduled to meet this week and announce its new Policy Statement and Interest Rate Decision Wednesday…and will cut the Fed Funds Rate once again. This is no big surprise. Throughout 2008, the Fed has lowered key interest rates in an effort to stimulate the economy – including...

Strength In New Home Sales

Despite turmoil on Wall Street, the housing sector continues to deliver good news. Last month, led by a 22 percent surge from the West Region, New Home Sales rose 2.7 percent over August. A “new home” is a newly-built residence, never before lived in.  New homes are usually built and sold by...

Home Sales Are Up, Home Supply Is Down — This Is What A Recovering Market Looks Like

Statistics are what you make of them, but sometimes, they can provide good perspective. For example, from its peak in 2005 to its trough in late-2007, the number of “used” homes sold nationwide plunged. In 2005: Roughly 7 million homes sold annually In 2007: Roughly 5 million homes sold...

Foreclosures Fell 12 Percent in September 2008

According to foreclosure-tracking service RealtyTrac, the foreclosure rate is falling nationwide.  Versus August, foreclosures fell by 12 percent in September 2008 as more than half of the states showed month-over-month improvement.  Most interesting in the data is that several states that led the...