Forclosuers at an All Time High
Mon, 07/28/2008 - 12:42And there may be more trouble on the horizon. As the national interest rates begin to rise, those that saved money the past few years on adjustable rate mortgages will see their mortgages rise as well. If interest rates rise enough, these mortgages can easily become too much for families already stretched thin by the cost of living increases. This may lead to even more foreclosures, putting even more strain on the economy.
But the news isn't all 'doom and gloom'. There are many organizations around that can help Stop Foreclosures, and provide people with the help they need to keep their home, even if you have bad credit. Federal assistance programs, and bankruptcy laws exist to protect people with financial troubles, to prevent them from becoming homeless. And as the situation worsens, the government will do more to provide assistance. But these programs are becoming more and more stained as the economy worsens, inflation builds, and more and more people need the assistance.
There are several actions that need to be taken to prevent your home being foreclosed. First you should find an organization or company that can help you with loans and mortgage. They can help you find a better mortgage rate. A professional at one of these financial institution can help find an alternate to foreclosing. An option is to refinance but if you are not in the position to do so you can reconstruct your loan agreement. This is called a Loan Modification. It has to first get accepted and then for a couple months you do not have to make your payments. Then depending on the date of your closure and your current rates you may be able to negotiate a lower mortgage rate. Don't let the bank take your home.
The Crystal Ball : Housing Market, Mortgage Rates, FHA Guidelines, And Investor Overlays
Fri, 02/05/2010 - 05:04I gave a television interview with Beejal Patel of First Business this week and we covered a lot of ground topics like housing, mortgage rates, and the FHA.
Mortgage Rate Predictions For The Next 7 Days (February 4, 2010)
Thu, 02/04/2010 - 18:03On the first Friday of every month, at 8:30 AM ET, the U.S. government releases the Non-Farm Payrolls report, except most people don't call it that. They call it "the jobs report". Tomorrow is the first Friday of the month. The jobs report has always been influential with respect to mortgage rates but, lately, it's of larger import. This is because Wall Street believes that jobs growth is the way forward for the economy. No jobs, no growth.
FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums : Don’t Confuse The FHA’s Wish List For Your Own Reality
Tue, 02/02/2010 - 14:29This is a snippet from page 348 of the Special Topics sub-section in the 2011 Congressional Budget. It recaps the new FHA mortgage insurance guidelines for case numbers assigned after April 5, 2010. It also shows the FHA's request to have authority over its mortgage insurance premiums from Congress. According to the highlighted text, the FHA wants make two changes, pending congressional approval.
Predicting February’s Mortgage Rate Behavior Using January’s Market Data
Mon, 02/01/2010 - 14:44On average, mortgage lenders issued just 1.4 rate sheets per day in January, or 7 per week. Mortgage rates haven't been that stable on day-to-day basis in 10 months. However, stability has a way of unwinding rather quickly. Here's what to expect in February.
Mortgage Rate Predictions For The Next 7 Days (January 28, 2010)
Fri, 01/29/2010 - 10:48When the economy hit the skids in September 2008, the government made a massive intervention. In addition to formal stimulus from Congress, the Federal Reserve did what it could to loosen up the credit markets. One of the Fed's most well-known programs was its commitment to buy $1.25 trillion in mortgage-backed bonds in the open market. Internal studies from the Fed say the program lowered rates by 1 percent last year. The program ends March 31, 2010.
Reviewing The FOMC Statement And What It Means For Mortgage Rates (January 27, 2010)
Wed, 01/27/2010 - 22:58A brief recap of the FOMC's statement today and what it means to mortgage rates. In short, rates are higher and should go higher still.
A Real Estate And Mortgage Technology Conference You’ll Want To Attend
Wed, 01/27/2010 - 15:52A fair number of my readers are mortgage- and/or real estate-related businesses. Consider this a public service announcement. REtechSouth is March 25-26, 2010 in Atlanta -- 8 weeks away. This is a show you should make time for.
Watching How Mortgage Rates Moves As Compared To The Fed Funds Rate (1990-2010)
Tue, 01/26/2010 - 12:32The Federal Reserve begins a scheduled 2-day meeting today during which it which it will vote to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged near zero percent. The press will report this tomorrow as "Fed Holds Rates Steady". But, don't confuse this to mean that the Fed held mortgage rates near zero. The Fed doesn't set mortgage rates. The Fed sets the Fed Funds Rate. The former is a long-term rate and the latter is a short-term rate.
The Bankrate Mortgage Rate Trend Index Was Less than 25% Accurate In 2009
Mon, 01/25/2010 - 06:03If you want to know where mortgage rates are headed in the future, you may be better off ignoring the experts. I conducted a 50-week study of the popular Bankrate.com Mortgage Rate Trend Index and it showed that the "expert consensus" on mortgage rates is wrong 3 times more often than it's right. That's not good.
