The MBA reports: Purchase Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 0.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. … The Refinance Index decreased 1.5 … Read More
From Shahien Nasiripour at the Huffington Post: Obama Foreclosure-Prevention Plan Lagging, New Data Shows Only about a third of the homeowners who have successfully completed the trial period of the Obama administration’s mortgage modification program have been offered permanent relief, … Read More
A couple of articles about vacant or near vacant high rise condo towers in Florida … From the News-Press: Sole occupant of 32-story Fort Myers condo wants out (ht several) Victor Vangelakos is the only buyer to take possession of … Read More
Real estate appraisers today announced their opposition to part of an Obama administration plan to pay homeowners in trouble to move if they agree to a short sale, saying the program will lead to mortgage fraud. . Under the plan, which takes effect April 5, … Read More
One of the important points NY Fed VP Brian Sack made in his speech yesterday was the need for clear communication: [T]his tightening cycle, when it arrives, will be more complicated than past cycles, as there will be more decision … Read More
I’m going to share with you excerpts from seven different emails I’ve received from readers in the last few days. Kenny: I listened to your radio discussion with Vicki Robin and I was really intrigued by the whole five year … Read More
From the BLS: Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary There were 2.7 million job openings on the last business day of January 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The job openings rate rose over the month to … Read More
One frequent question I’m often asked is whether or not paying half of a mortgage payment twice a month versus paying a full mortgage payment once a month is actually worthwhile. Let’s say, for example, you’re in the situation that … Read More
From Rex Nutting at MarketWatch: Small business optimism falls in Feb., NFIB says An index measuring small-business optimism fell 1.3 points to 88.0 in February, erasing January’s gain, according to a monthly survey released Tuesday by the National Association of … Read More
On the debate as to where to put the Consumer Financial Protection agency, Andrew Ross Sorkin brings us this quote in the NY Times: [Edward L. Yingling, president of the American Bankers Association] says, “We don’t care where you put … Read More