Minnesota Real Estate Today Local & National News

April 2011 - Posts

• Pending Home Sales Point To Seller's Market This Summer

  The National Association of REALTORS® Pending Home Sales Index rose for the third straight month last month. A "pending home sale" is a home under contract to sell, but not yet closed. The Pending Home Sales Index rose 5 percent in March, Read More... Posted Saturday, April 30, 2011 2:48 PM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments

• Rents Area Going Up!

  New rental studies have been done. Be sure to check out CNBC Realty Check. http://www.cnbc.com/id/42767177 Read More... Posted Friday, April 29, 2011 10:24 AM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments

• A Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (April 27, 2011 Edition)

  Earlier today, the Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within its current target range of 0.000-0.250 percent. The vote was 10-0 -- the third straight meeting after which the FOMC vote was unanimous. In its press Read More... Posted Wednesday, April 27, 2011 3:07 PM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments

• New Home Supply Falls To 16-Year Low

  After posting an all-time low in February, New Home Sales rebounded strongly last month. Based on joint research from the Census Bureau and HUD, 300,000 new, single-family homes were sold on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis in March. It's an Read More... Posted Wednesday, April 27, 2011 9:09 AM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments Filed under: New Home Supply Falls

• Mortgage Rates -- And Home Affordability -- At The Whim Of The Federal Reserve

  The Federal Open Market Committee starts a two-day meeting today, the third of its 8 scheduled meetings this year. The FOMC is a special, 12-person committee within the Federal Reserve. It's led by Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and the group is responsible Read More... Posted Tuesday, April 26, 2011 2:09 PM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments

• Demand Is Rising, Supplies Are Falling : Home Prices Set To Rise?

  Home resales rose 4 percent last month, according to the March Existing Home Sales report. A total of 5.1 million homes were sold on an annualized, seasonally-adjusted basis. The strong results re-establish the national, long-term trend toward rising Read More... Posted Friday, April 22, 2011 12:49 PM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments Filed under: Housing Analysis

• Building Permits Rise In All 4 Regions

  According to the Census Bureau, seasonally-adjusted, single-family Housing Starts rebounded in March, increasing 8 percent over February's 2-year low. We can't put too much faith in the data, however, because for the second straight month, the Read More... Posted Thursday, April 21, 2011 11:26 AM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments

• Federal Housing Finance Agency Housing Index!

  The U.S. housing index declined 1.6% January to February. Source: FHFA Housing Price Index Read More... Posted Thursday, April 21, 2011 11:17 AM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments

• Get Your Spring Cleaning Checklist

  It is April in Mpls/St Paul and warmer weather is around the corner. Get ready for Spring Cleaning Season. For households in which Spring Cleaning is an annual ritual, this helpful checklist from MarthaStewart.com makes sure no job gets left behind. From Read More... Posted Monday, April 18, 2011 10:08 AM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments

• How Healthy Is Your Bedroom?

  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640 Most people spend about one-third of their life in the bedroom. So, how healthy is yours? In this 5-minute piece from NBC's The Today Show, you'll learn about dust mites, mold and the other hidden health risks Read More... Posted Sunday, April 17, 2011 5:55 AM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments

• Foreclosures Drop 35 Percent Year-Over-Year

  Foreclosure activity is much slower this year than last. According to foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac, the number of national foreclosure filings plunged 35 percent in March 2011 as compared to March 2010, a statistic that reflects a more healthy Read More... Posted Saturday, April 16, 2011 9:35 AM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments Filed under: Foreclosures Drop

• Inflation Pressures Mounting; Mortgage Rates Rising

  Inflation pressures are mounting in the United States. And, Friday, the Consumer Price Index should prove it. More commonly called "The Cost of Living Index", CPI measures cost changes in the typical items bought by American households. Among Read More... Posted Friday, April 15, 2011 9:55 AM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments

• Get Your FHA Applications In : FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums Rising 0.25 Percent April 18, 2011

  After this week ends, the FHA is raising mortgage insurance premiums on its new St Paul borrowers. It's the FHA's third such increase in the last 12 months. Beginning with FHA Case Numbers assigned April 18, 2011, mortgage insurance premiums will Read More... Posted Wednesday, April 13, 2011 9:07 AM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments Filed under: FHA MI Increase

• Military Members : You Have 3 Weeks To Buy A Home, Claim Up To $8,000 In Tax Credits

  If you're an eligible federal employee or qualified military personnel, you have 3 weeks from this Saturday to use the federal home buyer tax credit, and to claim up to $8,000 in federal income tax credits. According to the IRS, eligible persons include Read More... Posted Saturday, April 09, 2011 12:03 PM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments

• Twin Cities Weekly Market Data 4/11/11

  Source: Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors Read More... Posted Friday, April 08, 2011 2:30 PM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments

• How Does Your Real Estate Tax Bill Compare To Other Parts Of The Country?

  Mortgage rates may be a function of free markets, but real estate taxes are a function of government. And, depending on where you live, your annual real estate tax bill could be high, low, or practically non-existent. Compiling data from the 2009 American Read More... Posted Friday, April 08, 2011 2:23 PM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments Filed under: Real Estate Tax

• March Fed Minutes Show Inflation Risks And Rate Hikes On The Horizon

  The Federal Reserve released its March 15 meeting minutes Tuesday. The notes revealed a Federal Reserve split between optimism and caution for the U.S. economy. The minutes' official name is "Fed Minutes". It's a periodic publication, Read More... Posted Thursday, April 07, 2011 10:37 AM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments Filed under: Federal Reserve

• If You Plan to Sell in 5 Years! ARM or Fixed Rate?

  Which is better -- a fixed-rate mortgage or an adjustable-rate mortgage? It's a common question among home buyers and refinancing households in Minnesota. The answer? It depends. Fixed-rate mortgages give the certainty of a known, unchanging principal Read More... Posted Wednesday, April 06, 2011 6:15 AM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments Filed under: ARM Mortgage

• For Homeowners! Government Making Home Affordable Booklet

  Help for Struggling Homeowners MHA programs guide! Source: Making Home Affordable. Click PDF Attachment Read More... Posted Sunday, April 03, 2011 9:13 AM by Bob Elliot | 0 Comments Filed under: Making Home Affordable Program Guide Attachment(s): Making Home Affordable Booklet.pdf