Lori Blank & Associates

18

Sep

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Housing Analysis

Home Builder Confidence Has Far Outpaced Actual Home Construction

Home builder confidence was unchanged for September according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index HMI released Tuesday. After four months of rising confidence, September's HMI reading came in at 58, which was not far from expectations of a reading of 59. August's reading of 58 was revised from 59. Readings over 50 indicate that more builders view housing market conditions as being positive than negative. Housing Market Index Readings Rise Components of September's HMI include readings for home builder views of current market conditions, which maintained August's reading of 62. The September reading for buyer…

17

Sep

By Lori Blank

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Home Buyer Tips

Don’t Overlook These Important Factors When Buying A New Home

Most of the time when buying a property, there are a few obvious factors that you will consider – such as the location, the number of bedrooms, the accessibility to schools or your workplace, the need for repairs and any interior features. However, there are a few things that might not have crossed your mind during your house hunting but are still quite important. Water Quality Most home buyers don't even think about the water quality at the property until they get to the inspection stage. However, if you find out that the home has hard water this will dull…

16

Sep

By Lori Blank

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Housing Analysis

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – September 16, 2013

Last week didn't feature any housing-related news other than Freddie Mac's weekly survey of mortgage interest rates. Reports on consumer credit, job openings and weekly jobless claims suggest that without some relief in the jobs market, Americans may be taking a "wait-and-see" stance toward buying homes. Consumer Credit Rose By $10.40 Billion In July The Federal Reserve reported Tuesday that revolving credit fell by an annual rate of 2.60 percent as compared to an annual decrease of 5.20 percent in June. Non-revolving consumer credit such as vehicle and education loans rose at an annual rate of 7.40 percent. Freddie Mac's…

13

Sep

By Lori Blank

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Home Buyer Tips

Social Living – How To Buy A Comfortable Home Guests

When people are buying a home, one of the things that they sometimes forget to consider is the need to be able to accommodate guests. You likely have out of state relatives or friends who might come and visit you and you will probably want to be able to give them a place to sleep so that they don't have to pay for a hotel. You will also probably want to have your parents or your relatives stay over on special occasions such as Christmas. You might even need to host guests for long periods of time, such as if…

12

Sep

By Lori Blank

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Home Buyer Tips

A Few Reasons Why That Extra Bedroom Might Be Worth It

So you are looking at buying a home, but you are wondering whether or not it is worth it to pay a little extra for a home with one more bedroom. It's a tough decision to make, especially when balancing other factors such as location and the other features of the home. However, having one more bedroom than you think you need could end up being a good thing for a number of reasons. Expanding Family Perhaps you only planned on having two children, but a third one might come along as an unplanned surprise... will you have enough room…

11

Sep

By Lori Blank

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Mortgage Tips

What You Need To Know About Mortgage Insurance

If you are on the verge of buying real estate, you've probably heard the term Private Mortgage Insurance. Mortgage professionals talk about it a great deal, but you may be asking, "What is it exactly? And why should I care?" Private Mortgage Insurance Defined PMI is required by lenders if the down payment of a purchase is less than 20 percent of the home's value. It protects the lender if the borrower defaults on the loan. It also makes the lender more apt to loan, even if the down payment is as low as 3%, because in the long run,…

10

Sep

By Lori Blank

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Around The Home

5 Cool Ideas For Green Home Remodeling

Every home seems to have a never-ending remodeling list. As you consider tackling your next project, it usually pays off if you also think about helping the environment. Green remodeling can last longer, utilize recycled materials and typically end up saving you money in the long run. Below are several environment-friendly ideas that will have your neighbors green with envy. 1. Rain Gardens Rain gardens are a shallow depressions in your yard planted with native shrubs and flowers. When there is a large rainfall, all the water rushes along roadways picking up dirt and pollutants along their way to drainage…

09

Sep

By Lori Blank

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Housing Analysis

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – September 9, 2013

Last week was relatively calm due to the Labor Day Holiday on Monday providing little mortgage and housing related news. However, there were several positive indicators for overall economic conditions. Construction spending rose by 0.60 percent in July and surpassed economists' expectations of 0.30 percent and June's zero percent growth. While this may seem a small increase, any indication that construction spending is increasing could indicate that residential construction is ramping up. This would be good news for home buyers, who've been facing a shortage of available homes in many areas of the U.S. The Fed Released Its Latest Beige…

06

Sep

By Lori Blank

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Around The Home

How To Create The Perfect Garage Workshop

Most men, and even handy women, dream of a perfectly organized work space where their tools are orderly and they can tackle that list of home DIY projects. However, renovations can get put on hold because there's not a designated place to work. Tools are usually scattered throughout closets and the kitchen table serves as a workbench. You can create a space for all of your improvement projects by turning a section of your garage into a construction-friendly, wonderfully organized haven for your tools and home makeover endeavors. Below are easy steps to building the perfect garage workshop. Make Sure…

05

Sep

By Lori Blank

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Home Selling Tips

Don’t Turn Your Buyers Away With These Curb Appeal Mistakes

When it comes to selling your home, curb appeal refers to the "first impression" that your house gives when a buyer approaches it from the driveway or the street. Does your house look attractive and inviting, or does it appear rundown? First impressions are important and even if the inside of the home is perfect, the outer appearance can really affect a buyer's perception. If you are trying to sell your property, you have probably mowed the front lawn and even planted flowers in order to improve your curb appeal. However, could you have over looked one of these common…