Here is a great website to find information on schools nationwide. Also has book recommendations for k - 12 grades and other interesting articles and gadgets.
http://www.greatschools.org/
Check out this site!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Mortgage Rates fall even lower! Great News for buyers!
RISMEDIA, August 19, 2010—Mortgage rates fell to new lows this week, according to the LendingTree Weekly Mortgage Rate Pulse, a snapshot of the lowest and average mortgage rates available within the LendingTree network of lenders.
On August 17, lenders on the LendingTree network offered mortgage rates as low as 4.00 percent (4.13% APR) for a 30-year fixed mortgage, 3.5 percent (3.85% APR) for a 15-year fixed mortgage and 2.875 percent (3.41% APR) for a 5/1 adjustable rate mortgage (ARM). Rates fell one eighth of a point week-over-week for all product types.
Average home loan rates offered by lenders on the LendingTree network were 4.52 percent (4.70% APR) for 30-year fixed mortgages, 4.14 percent (4.43% APR) for 15-year fixed mortgages and 3.48 percent (3.72% APR) for 5/1 ARMs.
“The current rate spread has widened to 108 basis points or 1.08%, approaching the high of 111 basis points we reached at the end of July,” said Cameron Findlay, Chief Economist of LendingTree.com. “For perspective, the median spread this year has been 74 basis points. So consumers in the market for a home loan should really be doing their homework to ensure they’re getting the best possible deal before locking in a rate. Spreads this wide provide an opportunity for borrowers to take control by using sites like LendingTree.com to negotiate with multiple lenders.”
Below is a state-by-state comparison of mortgage data including a snapshot of the lowest 30-year fixed rates offered by lenders on the LendingTree network, average loan-to-value ratio and percentage of consumers with negative equity.
STATE-BY-STATE MORTGAGE DATA
LOWEST MORTGAGE LOAN-TO- % WITH NEGATIVE
STATE RATE VALUE RATIO EQUITY
Alabama 3.88% (3.99% APR) 65% 8.6%
Alaska 3.88% (4.01% APR) 67% 9.3%
Arizona 3.88% (3.99% APR) 95% 51.3%
Arkansas 4.00% (4.13% APR) 74% 12.6%
California 3.88% (3.99% APR) 72% 35.1%
Colorado 3.88% (4.01% APR) 72% 20.2%
Connecticut 3.88% (4.01% APR) 58% 11.6%
Delaware 4.00% (4.11% APR) 69% 14.3%
District of Columbia 3.88% (4.10% APR) N/A N/A
Florida 3.88% (4.01% APR) 91% 47.8%
Georgia 3.88% (4.01% APR) 80% 27.8%
Hawaii 4.00% (4.12% APR) 53% 9.3%
Idaho 3.88 % (4.01% APR) 72% 22.7%
Illinois 3.88% (3.99% APR) 72% 20.9%
Indiana 3.88% (4.01% APR) 69% 10.7%
Iowa 4.00% (4.13% APR) 66% 8.9%
Kansas 4.00% (4.14% APR) 70% 10.7%
Kentucky 3.88% (4.05% APR) 67% 9.0%
Louisiana 4.00% (4.13% APR) N/A 23.8%
Maine 3.88% (3.99% APR) N/A 23.8%
Maryland 3.88% (4.10% APR) 69% 22.9%
Massachusetts 4.00% (4.12% APR) 61% 15.8%
Michigan 3.88% (3.99% APR) 85% 38.5%
Minnesota 3.88% (3.99% APR) 65% 16.6%
Mississippi 4.00% (4.20% APR) N/A 23.8%
Missouri 4.00% (4.12% APR) 71% 15.5%
Montana 4.00% (4.13% APR) 57% 6.9%
Nebraska 4.00% (4.20% APR) 72% 8.8%
Nevada 4.00% (4.14% APR) 123% 69.9%
New Hampshire 3.88% (4.01% APR) 69% 19.1%
New Jersey 3.88% (4.03% APR) 62% 16.1%
New Mexico 3.88% (4.01% APR) 66% 12.3%
New York 3.88% (4.03% APR) 49% 6.3%
North Carolina 4.00% (4.13% APR) 70% 10.2%
North Dakota 4.00% (4.13% APR) 60% 7.6%
Ohio 3.88% (4.01% APR) 75% 19.8%
Oklahoma 3.88% (3.99% APR) 70% 6.0%
Oregon 3.88% (4.01% APR) 68% 15.9%
Pennsylvania 3.88 % (3.98% APR) 62% 7.5%
Rhode Island 4.13% (4.26% APR) 55% 16.8%
South Carolina 4.00% (4.12% APR) 70% 13.5%
South Dakota 3.88% (3.99% APR) N/A 23.8%
Tennessee 4.00% (4.12% APR) 71% 13.9%
Texas 3.88% (3.99% APR) 70% 11.9%
Utah 3.88% (4.01% APR) 73% 21.1%
Vermont 4.00% (4.14% APR) N/A 23.8%
Virginia 3.88% (4.01% APR) 72% 24.3%
Washington 3.88% (4.01% APR) 67% 15.9%
West Virginia 4.00% (4.13% APR) N/A 23.8%
Wisconsin 4.00% (4.13% APR) 68% 14.7%
Wyoming 3.88% (4.01% APR) N/A 23.8%
On August 17, lenders on the LendingTree network offered mortgage rates as low as 4.00 percent (4.13% APR) for a 30-year fixed mortgage, 3.5 percent (3.85% APR) for a 15-year fixed mortgage and 2.875 percent (3.41% APR) for a 5/1 adjustable rate mortgage (ARM). Rates fell one eighth of a point week-over-week for all product types.
Average home loan rates offered by lenders on the LendingTree network were 4.52 percent (4.70% APR) for 30-year fixed mortgages, 4.14 percent (4.43% APR) for 15-year fixed mortgages and 3.48 percent (3.72% APR) for 5/1 ARMs.
“The current rate spread has widened to 108 basis points or 1.08%, approaching the high of 111 basis points we reached at the end of July,” said Cameron Findlay, Chief Economist of LendingTree.com. “For perspective, the median spread this year has been 74 basis points. So consumers in the market for a home loan should really be doing their homework to ensure they’re getting the best possible deal before locking in a rate. Spreads this wide provide an opportunity for borrowers to take control by using sites like LendingTree.com to negotiate with multiple lenders.”
Below is a state-by-state comparison of mortgage data including a snapshot of the lowest 30-year fixed rates offered by lenders on the LendingTree network, average loan-to-value ratio and percentage of consumers with negative equity.
STATE-BY-STATE MORTGAGE DATA
LOWEST MORTGAGE LOAN-TO- % WITH NEGATIVE
STATE RATE VALUE RATIO EQUITY
Alabama 3.88% (3.99% APR) 65% 8.6%
Alaska 3.88% (4.01% APR) 67% 9.3%
Arizona 3.88% (3.99% APR) 95% 51.3%
Arkansas 4.00% (4.13% APR) 74% 12.6%
California 3.88% (3.99% APR) 72% 35.1%
Colorado 3.88% (4.01% APR) 72% 20.2%
Connecticut 3.88% (4.01% APR) 58% 11.6%
Delaware 4.00% (4.11% APR) 69% 14.3%
District of Columbia 3.88% (4.10% APR) N/A N/A
Florida 3.88% (4.01% APR) 91% 47.8%
Georgia 3.88% (4.01% APR) 80% 27.8%
Hawaii 4.00% (4.12% APR) 53% 9.3%
Idaho 3.88 % (4.01% APR) 72% 22.7%
Illinois 3.88% (3.99% APR) 72% 20.9%
Indiana 3.88% (4.01% APR) 69% 10.7%
Iowa 4.00% (4.13% APR) 66% 8.9%
Kansas 4.00% (4.14% APR) 70% 10.7%
Kentucky 3.88% (4.05% APR) 67% 9.0%
Louisiana 4.00% (4.13% APR) N/A 23.8%
Maine 3.88% (3.99% APR) N/A 23.8%
Maryland 3.88% (4.10% APR) 69% 22.9%
Massachusetts 4.00% (4.12% APR) 61% 15.8%
Michigan 3.88% (3.99% APR) 85% 38.5%
Minnesota 3.88% (3.99% APR) 65% 16.6%
Mississippi 4.00% (4.20% APR) N/A 23.8%
Missouri 4.00% (4.12% APR) 71% 15.5%
Montana 4.00% (4.13% APR) 57% 6.9%
Nebraska 4.00% (4.20% APR) 72% 8.8%
Nevada 4.00% (4.14% APR) 123% 69.9%
New Hampshire 3.88% (4.01% APR) 69% 19.1%
New Jersey 3.88% (4.03% APR) 62% 16.1%
New Mexico 3.88% (4.01% APR) 66% 12.3%
New York 3.88% (4.03% APR) 49% 6.3%
North Carolina 4.00% (4.13% APR) 70% 10.2%
North Dakota 4.00% (4.13% APR) 60% 7.6%
Ohio 3.88% (4.01% APR) 75% 19.8%
Oklahoma 3.88% (3.99% APR) 70% 6.0%
Oregon 3.88% (4.01% APR) 68% 15.9%
Pennsylvania 3.88 % (3.98% APR) 62% 7.5%
Rhode Island 4.13% (4.26% APR) 55% 16.8%
South Carolina 4.00% (4.12% APR) 70% 13.5%
South Dakota 3.88% (3.99% APR) N/A 23.8%
Tennessee 4.00% (4.12% APR) 71% 13.9%
Texas 3.88% (3.99% APR) 70% 11.9%
Utah 3.88% (4.01% APR) 73% 21.1%
Vermont 4.00% (4.14% APR) N/A 23.8%
Virginia 3.88% (4.01% APR) 72% 24.3%
Washington 3.88% (4.01% APR) 67% 15.9%
West Virginia 4.00% (4.13% APR) N/A 23.8%
Wisconsin 4.00% (4.13% APR) 68% 14.7%
Wyoming 3.88% (4.01% APR) N/A 23.8%
Find a Walkers Paradise
Walkscore provides a “walkability” rating for a specific location based on the number of nearby amenities.
Homes located within walking distance of amenities such as schools, parks and shopping aren't only more convenient for their owners, often they're also worth more than homes in neighborhoods where driving is the rule. Visit this site, it's interesting and fun.
http://www.walkscore.com/
Homes located within walking distance of amenities such as schools, parks and shopping aren't only more convenient for their owners, often they're also worth more than homes in neighborhoods where driving is the rule. Visit this site, it's interesting and fun.
http://www.walkscore.com/
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
NUMBERS ARE LOOKING BETTER IN REAL ESTATE .
Sales of new homes leap 23.6 percent
Sales of newly built homes rose 23.6 percent in June to an annual pace of 330,000 units, according to the Commerce Department.
The National Association of Home Builders called the numbers “an encouraging sign,” especially given the disastrous drop in sales in May when the federal homebuyer tax credit expired.
Sales of new homes rose strongly in three out of four regions in June.
The largest percentage increase was the Northeast’s 46.4 percent gain, followed by a 33.1 percent gain in the South and a 20.5 percent gain in the Midwest. The West was the only region where new-home sales did not improve, instead falling 6.6 percent.
Top metro home prices up 1.3 percent
The Case-Shiller analysis of home prices in 20 metro markets shows prices were up 1.3 percent in May, compared to the previous month.
So far this year, Case-Shiller research shows prices have improved about 4.6 percent.
A spokesman cautioned against reading too much into the gains, saying the housing market remains way too fragile to predict the future. “A broader look at home price levels over the past year still does not indicate that the housing market is in any form of sustained recovery,” the spokesman said.
Foreclosure numbers said to be slowing
(IRVINE, Calif.) – The foreclosure data company RealtyTrac is seeing the “early signs” of easing in the number of foreclosures nationwide, but says numbers in several key areas remain high.
The 20 cities with the nation’s highest foreclosure rates were all in Florida, California, Nevada and Arizona. Overall, the number of foreclosures in the first half of the year was above where it was last year.
On the positive side, however, RealtyTrac said foreclosure activity appears to have crested in 9 of the 10 metros with the highest rates.
“While we’re seeing early signs that foreclosure activity may have peaked in some of the hardest-hit markets, foreclosures continued to rise in three-quarters of the nation’s metropolitan areas in the first half of the year,” said RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio
Sales of newly built homes rose 23.6 percent in June to an annual pace of 330,000 units, according to the Commerce Department.
The National Association of Home Builders called the numbers “an encouraging sign,” especially given the disastrous drop in sales in May when the federal homebuyer tax credit expired.
Sales of new homes rose strongly in three out of four regions in June.
The largest percentage increase was the Northeast’s 46.4 percent gain, followed by a 33.1 percent gain in the South and a 20.5 percent gain in the Midwest. The West was the only region where new-home sales did not improve, instead falling 6.6 percent.
Top metro home prices up 1.3 percent
The Case-Shiller analysis of home prices in 20 metro markets shows prices were up 1.3 percent in May, compared to the previous month.
So far this year, Case-Shiller research shows prices have improved about 4.6 percent.
A spokesman cautioned against reading too much into the gains, saying the housing market remains way too fragile to predict the future. “A broader look at home price levels over the past year still does not indicate that the housing market is in any form of sustained recovery,” the spokesman said.
Foreclosure numbers said to be slowing
(IRVINE, Calif.) – The foreclosure data company RealtyTrac is seeing the “early signs” of easing in the number of foreclosures nationwide, but says numbers in several key areas remain high.
The 20 cities with the nation’s highest foreclosure rates were all in Florida, California, Nevada and Arizona. Overall, the number of foreclosures in the first half of the year was above where it was last year.
On the positive side, however, RealtyTrac said foreclosure activity appears to have crested in 9 of the 10 metros with the highest rates.
“While we’re seeing early signs that foreclosure activity may have peaked in some of the hardest-hit markets, foreclosures continued to rise in three-quarters of the nation’s metropolitan areas in the first half of the year,” said RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio
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