Chris Brown - Orlando Mortgage Pro's Blog

The Home Price Index Shows Home Values Increasing. Case-Shiller Agrees.

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:48:21 -0600

It's official -- home prices are no longer in free fall.

According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Home Price Index posted its first quarterly increase since 2007 last quarter.

The news was reported Tuesday.

The Home Price Index is an interesting metric. It's huge in its scope, accounting for every home sold in the country that backs a mortgage bound for Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac with two notable exceptions:

It doesn't track new construction
It doesn't track multi-unit homes

Because the Home Price Index makes these specific exclusions, and because it doesn't account for FHA and jumbo mortgages, some analysts discount the HPI's relevance. They prefer the private-sector Case-Shiller Index instead.

Now, to be fair, the Case-Shiller has its own set of flaws, too.

For example, it excludes condos and co-ops, and only tracks sales in 20 cities nationwide. But, of all the..........

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

The Home Price Index Shows Home Values Increasing. Case-Shiller Agrees.

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Chris is Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker and a syndicated mortgage blogger. He is regular contributor to the three leading industry blog-fronts including The Mortgage Chili Blog, My FHA Mortgage Blog, Top of Mind Networks, the newest contributor to Lenderama and recently featured on Fox35 News.

Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Existing Home Sales Blow Past Expectations

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:09:00 -0600

Another month, another piece of evidence that the housing market is in recovery.

Existing Home Sales surged in October as the nation's homebuyers took advantage of low mortgage rates, low list prices, and, for some, a generous tax credit.

Home resales are 23 percent higher versus a year ago and home supply is down to 7 months nationwide.

Inventory hasn't been this low since February 2007.

The news shouldn't be surprising, however. The same real estate trade group that produces the Existing Home Sales report also publishes a monthly report meant to predict future home sales called the Pending Home Sales Index.

Pending Home Sales have been throug......

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

Existing Home Sales Blow Past Expectations

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : November 23, 2009

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03:38 -0600

Mortgage markets worsened last week on a mixed bag of economic data. Inflation data came in soft, but so did the start of the holiday shopping season.

For the first time in a month, mortgage rates worsened last week, adding roughly 0.125 percent on conforming fixed-rate products, and a little bit more on ARMs.

Despite rates worsening, there was still some good news for home buyers and would-be refinancers. Mortgage rate volatility was markedly lower than in recent weeks. You could shop for mortgage rate last week and actually take your time about it.

This is in stark contrast to the last month or so over which mortgage rates changed every few hours, on average.

This week, though, because a heavy data calendar is combining with a holiday-shortened trading week, rates aren't likely to stay as tame.

Monday: Existing Home Sales
Tuesday: Consumer Confidence, Home Price Index, Fed Minutes
Wednesday: New Home Sales, Personal Income and Outlays

Each of these data points are..........

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : November 23, 2009

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Housing Starts Are Down And Why It's Terrific News For Sellers

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:26:07 -0600

A "Housing Start" is a home on which construction has started and, for the 4th straight month, national single-family housing starts held steady last month.

When the demand for homes grows faster than the number of homes for sale, prices increase.

As recent home sales data confirms, buyers currently outpace sellers and one consequence of this is an increase in multiple-offer situations this year.

It's no wonder home prices are up across so many neighborhoods.

October's Housing Starts report is .......

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

Housing Starts Are Down And Why It's Terrific News For Sellers

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

The 2010 Conforming Loan Limits

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:22:51 -0600

A conforming mortgage is one that, quite literally, conforms to the mortgage guidelines set forth by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

Each year, the government sets the maximum allowable loan size for a conforming mortgage, based on "typical" housing costs nationwide.

Loans in excess of this amount are typically called "jumbo".

While home prices increased from 1980 to 2006, so did conforming loan limits. Since then, however, as home prices have dipped, the conforming loan limit has held.

Now, in 2010, for the 5th consecutive year, the government set $417,000 as the nation's conforming mortgage loan limit.

The 2010 conforming loan limits, as released by the government, are:.....

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

The 2010 Conforming Loan Limits

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Simple Real Estate Definitions : APR

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:07:39 -0600

APR is an acronym for Annual Percentage Rate. It's a government-mandated calculation meant to simplify the comparison of mortgage options.

A loan's APR can always be found in the top-left corner of the Federal Truth-In-Lending Disclosure.

Because APR is expressed as a percentage, many people confuse it for the loan's interest rate. It's not. APR represents the total cost of borrowing over the life of a loan. "Interest rate" is the basis for monthly mortgage repayments.

The main advantage of APR is that........

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

Simple Real Estate Definitions : APR

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : November 16, 2009

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:37:40 -0600

Mortgage markets improved last week as foreign buyers of mortgage debt helped to push mortgage rates to a 4-week low.

It marked the 3rd consecutive week that rates improved, breathing extra life into this year's ongoing Refi Boom.

Fixed-rate, conforming mortgage rates fell about 0.125 percent on the week. ARMs did about the same.

There wasn't much data to move mortgage rates last week; investors worked mostly on momentum and trends. However, the Friday University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment survey release garnered some attention.

After worsening in August and September, consumer sentiment fell for the third straight month in October. Analysts worry about what it could mean to the economy. Holiday Shopping season is here and consumer spending fuels the economy. If households hold the purse strings tight, our nation's budding economic recovery may stall.

In a scenario like that, employment rates won't rebound so fast, but rate shoppers might not mind. Slower-than-expected economic growth tends to suppress mortgage rates, helping to improve home affordability overall.

This week, data comes...........

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Banks Raise Mortgage Qualification Standards

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 03:24:15 -0600

Despite the economy's improvement and prodding from Congress, banks don't seem ready to open their purse strings just yet.

Nationally, mortgage approval standards are tightening.

The data comes from a quarterly survey the Federal Reserve sends to its member banks. The Fed asks senior bank loan officers around the country whether "prime" residential mortgage guidelines had tightened in the last 3 months.

For the period July-September 2009:

Roughly 1 in 4 banks said guidelines tightened
Roughly 3 in 4 banks said guidelines were "basically unchanged"

Just one bank said its guidelines had loosened.

Combine the Fed's survey with recent underwriting updates from the FHA and from Fannie Mae and it becomes clear that mortgage lenders are much more cautious about their loans than they were, say, 2 years ago.

Today's borrowers face a host of hurdles including:........

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

Banks Raise Mortgage Qualification Standards

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

FHA Streamline Refinance Program : There's 5 Days Left

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:42:27 -0600

Consider this a last call for FHA Streamline Refinances. Starting next Tuesday, the popular rate-lowering program gets strict on borrowers.

There's 5 days left.

Under the current streamline refi guidelines, FHA homeowners have minimal program eligibility requirements.

FICO scores must be 620 or higher
The refinance must provide a "tangible benefit"
No mortgage lates allowed in the last 12 months

Beyond that, everything else goes, practically. There's no income, asset, or job verification with the current FHA Streamline program. Neither is there an appraisal requirement. It doesn't matter if you're 50% underwater.

Until next week, that is.

Beginning November 17, FHA Streamline Refinance applicants must show evidence of income and.......

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

FHA Streamline Refinance Program : There's 5 Days Left

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Top 10 Things to Know about the Tax Credit Extension.

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:54:58 -0600

General Rules for Orlando Home Buyer Tax Credit Seekers:

A "first time home buyer" is defined as someone who has not owned a home in the last three years. If you are a "first-time home buyer", your tax credit will amount to 10% of the purchase price of your new home not to exceed $8,000.

A "long-time resident" is defined as someone who has lived in the same primary home for 5 out of the past 8 years. If you are a "long-time resident", your tax credit will amount to 10% of the purchase price of your new home not to exceed $6,500.

The tax credit does not need to be paid back if you continue living in the home as your primary residence for three years without selling it

The home must be purchased for less than $800,000 before May 1, 2010. If you sign a binding contract to purchase a home before May 1st, you would need to close on the transaction before July 1, 2010.

Single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit

You cannot purchase the home from a related party like a spouse, direct ancestor, or direct lineal descendent (child or grandchild); however, you can still qualify for the credit if you purchase a property from siblings, nephews, nieces, and others

If you are married, both spouses must qualify for the credit

If more than one unmarried individual is buying the property, the credit can be split up among all the individuals who qualify. However, the total credit taken cannot exceed $8,000 (or $6,500 for "long-time residents"). Alternatively, if only one of the unmarried buyers qualifies for the credit based on their income or past home ownership status, the individual who qualifies for the credit can claim the full credit.

The credit applies even if you have co-signers on your mortgage loan

The credit applies to 1-4 unit homes as long as you live in one of the units as your primary residence - you could live in one unit and rent out the others

How does the tax credit work? A tax credit is kind of like a gift certificate that you can use to pay your taxes - it reduces your income tax bill on a dollar for dollar basis. Imagine paying your bill at IRS Restaurant, and then later getting an IRS Restaurant gift certificate. Normally, you would need to go back to IRS Restaurant and buy more food in order to use your new gift certificate. But what if IRS Restaurant allowed you to just turn in your gift certificate for cash? That's how the home buyer tax credit works! All you need to do is file a form with the IRS after you buy your new home and they will send you a refund check for $8,000 (or $6,500) - just like the example of IRS Restaurant that allows you to exchange your gift certificate for cash! Remember though, you'll receive the $8,000 (or $6,500) from the IRS AFTER you purchase your new home, so you cannot use the funds to help with your down payment.

Chris is Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker and a syndicated mortgage blogger. He is regular contributor to the many leading industry blog-fronts including The Mortgage Chili Blog, My FHA Mortgage Blog, Top of Mind Networks, the newest contributor to Lenderama and has been recently featured on Fox35 News.

Chris can be found at Orlando FHA Loans, Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com, or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

Click Here to Apply Online

Not sure how to connect? Find out at FindChrisBrown.com

A video created by a good friend, Dustin Hughes. If you need a mortgage in Oregon - he is your guy... need one in FL - I would be honored to help!

Chris Brown

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Tax Credit Update YouTube Video

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:24:28 -0600

A video created by a good friend, Dustin Hughes. If you need a mortgage in Oregon - he is your guy... need one in FL - I would be honored to help!

Chris Brown

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : November 9, 2009

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:00:53 -0600

Mortgage markets were extremely volatile last week, carving out a wide range between Monday and Friday.

Thankfully for rate shoppers, the overall momentum was positive.

Mortgage rates fell for the second time in as many weeks. Rates still sit higher versus their early-October lows.

For pure "news", last week was a busy one:

The Federal Reserve held the Fed Funds Rate near 0.000 percent
The Unemployment Rate crossed 10 percent
The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit was extended to April 2010

Combined, the 3 events reinforced the growing belief on Wall Street that the U.S. economy is in recovery, but not yet out of the woods. This particular philosophy has been excellent for mortgage rates, helping to hold conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rates near 5.250 percent since the start of the year.

It helped rates last week, too. But low rates......

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : November 9, 2009

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Congress Expands And Extends The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:36:50 -0600

Congress both extended and expanded the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit program Thursday.

The White House says the President will sign it into law today.

The up-to-$8000 tax credit's expiration date has been pushed forward to spring, requiring homebuyers to be under contract by April 30, 2010, and to be closed by June 30, 2010.

The program's basic eligibility requirements remain the same:

Buyers can't purchase the home from a parent, spouse, or child
Buyers can't purchase the home from an entity in which they're a majority owner
Buyers can't acquire the home by gift or inheritance
All parties to the purchase must meet eligibility requirements

The new law includes some notable updates, however.

For one, the definition of "first-time home buyer" has been expanded to include most homeowners with at least 5 years in their current home. "Move-up" buyers like these are now eligible for IRS tax credits, but with a cap at $6,500.

This means that you don't have to be a true first-time home buyer to claim the "first-time home buyer tax credit".

Other eligibility changes include:.......

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

Congress Expands And Extends The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

A Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (November 4, 2009 Edition)

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:03:35 -0600

The Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate within its target range of 0.000-0.250 percent.

In its press release, the FOMC noted that the U.S. economy "has continued to pick up" since the September FOMC meeting and that housing market activity has increased.

It's the third consecutive post-FOMC statement in which the Fed speaks optimistically about the U.S. economy -- a signal that the recession is likely over.

The economy isn't without threats, however, and the Fed identified several in its announcement, including:

Ongoing job losses for American workers
Reduced fixed investment by businesses
Ongoing challenges for the financial markets

The overall tone remained positive, however,........

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

A Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (November 4, 2009 Edition)

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Because Of The Federal Reserve, You Should Lock Before 2:15 PM ET Today

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:46:56 -0600

The Federal Open Market Committee caps off a scheduled, 2-day meeting today in the nation's capital, its 8th meeting of the year.

The group adjourns at 2:15 PM ET and, as is customary, will issue a press release reviewing its monetary policy and the health of the U.S. economy.

The FOMC's post-meeting statements are brief but comprehensive. They're a window into the mind of the Federal Reserve and Wall Street picks apart every sentence for clues.

It's why FOMC meetings tend to shake up the mortgage markets -- for good and for bad.

After its September 2009 meeting, the FOMC said in its press release:.....

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

Because Of The Federal Reserve, You Should Lock Before 2:15 PM ET Today

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Higher Home Prices Ahead, Says The Pending Home Sales Index

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:13:40 -0600

The housing market continues to steam forward.

As reported by the National Association of Realtors®, the Pending Home Sales Index posted its 8th consecutive monthly gain in September.

It's the longest winning streak in the history of the index and Pending Home Sales are now at their highest levels since December 2006.

A Pending Home Sale is a home under contract to sell, but not yet closed. It's the precursor to an Existing Home Sale.

Trade group data shows that nearly 80 percent of "pending" homes close within 2 months. The majority of those remaining close within months 3 and 4.

When the Pending Home Sales Index rises, it tells us that........

Read the COMPLETE BLOG HERE:

Higher Home Prices Ahead, Says The Pending Home Sales Index

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Significance of the Home Buyer Tax Credit Extension and Changes

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:31:30 -0600

The Florida First-Time Home buyer Tax Credit may soon be known as the Home Buyer Tax Credit… being opened to non-first time buyers for the first time.

As you have likely already read on My FHA Mortgage Blog - the Florida First-Time Home Buyer tax credit is on the verge of extension. I noted there that there are a few exciting changes that benefit you - the home buyer! Here is an explanation as to their significance. Those noteworthy changes between the current tax credit and the proposed tax credit are:

To read the Whole Blog Post please visit:

Significance of the Home Buyer Tax Credit Extension and Changes

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : November 2, 2009

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:51:31 -0600

Mortgage markets improved last week after a series of hugely volatile trading sessions.

Rates carved out a wide range on the week, culminating in a late-Friday plunge that dropped rates by about 1/8 percent.

It was the first time in 5 weeks that mortgage rates fell.

Volatility like that of last week is nothing new on Wall Street; it's been a running theme in 2009. Volatility occurs when markets don't agree on what's next for the economy and, this year, there's been a lot of disagreement like that.

Data has been inconsistent. Take last week for example.

At 9:00 AM Tuesday morning, the Case-Shiller Index showed home prices rising nationwide. Because many analysts believe housing fueled the recession, strength in the sector is widely construed a positive for the economy.

Mortgage rates rose on the news.

But then, an hour later, the national consumer confidence report revealed a substantial deterioration in sentiment versus the month prior. The data forced Wall Street to do an about-face.

Housing is important to the economy, but it can't affect growth like consumer spending can. When Americans are less confident about their future income, they tend to keep their wallets closed, retarding economic growth.

Holiday Shopping Season is getting underway and......

Read the COMPLETE BLOG HERE:

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : November 2, 2009

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

How To Find Good Deals As The Buyers Market Comes To An End

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:39:08 -0500

At some point in their lives, every home buyer in America has wondered "Is now the best time to buy a home?" In this 3-minute video, NBC's The Today Show does a good job of answering the question.

The conclusion? Yes, but not if you're going to overpay.

The Buyers Market is ending, we learn, as home prices rise across most of the country. Pockets of opportunity remain, however, and the focused home buyer can still find a "good deal".

Some of the video's tips include:......

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

How To Find Good Deals As The Buyers Market Comes To An End

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Should Congress Be Exempt From the Health Care They "CHOOSE" for the Rest of Us?

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:29:52 -0500

On Tuesday, the Senate health committee voted 12-11 in favor of a two-page amendment, courtesy of Tom Coburn which would require all Members of Congress and their staff members to enroll in any new government-run health plan.

Congressman John Fleming has proposed an amendment that would require Congressmen and Senators to take the same health care plan that they would force on us.

(Under proposed legislation they are exempt.)

Congressman Fleming is encouraging people to go to his Website and sign his petition. The process is very simple. I have done just that at:

http://fleming.house.gov/

Senator Coburn and Congressman Fleming are both physicians.

Regardless of your political beliefs, it sure seems reasonable that Congress should have exactly the same medical coverage that they impose on the rest of us, does it not?

Please urge as many people as you can to do the same!

Thanks, H R 615 - Please forward to everyone you know

Read for yourself!

FREEDOM EDEN: John Fleming: H.R. 615 http://ow.ly/xkqH

HR 615 - Want No Part of Health Care Reform Bill | WhoVotedHow? http://ow.ly/xkrw

City-Data Forum http://ow.ly/xktm

http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h615/blogs

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

What The Media About September's New Home Sales Report

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:12:53 -0500

Some days, newspaper headlines are a terrible place to get your real estate news.

Today is one of those days.

After the September New Home Sales report showed sales volume down from August, the mainstream media jumped on the story:

But the headlines miss the point, somewhat. Yes, home sales volume is important to housing, but it's not as important as home supply.

A deeper look at the New Home Sales data reveals an interesting comparison point:

New home sales volume fell 3.6%
The number of new homes available for sale fell 3.8%

In other words, sales outpaced.......

Read the COMPLETE BLOG HERE:

What The Media About September's New Home Sales Report

------------------------------------------------

Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Home Values In 95% Of Case-Shiller Markets Are Improving Year-To-Year

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:29:25 -0500

For August, the Case-Shiller Index showed annual home values improving across 19 of 20 U.S. markets. It's the first time in 3-plus years that the benchmark housing index has shown such strength.

According to a Case-Shiller Index spokesperson, "The rate of annual decline in home price values continues to improve."

It's yet another sign that housing may have already bottomed.

However, just because the Case-Shiller Index shows a stabilization in home values, that doesn't necessarily make it true. This is because real estate happens on the local level and the Case-Shiller Index is more "national". It tracks data in just 20 U.S. cities.

Homeowners everywhere else are.......

Read the COMPLETE BLOG HERE:

Home Values In 95% Of Case-Shiller Markets Are Improving Year-To-Year

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Falling Home Supplies Mean More Multiple-Offer Situations For Buyers

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:19:53 -0500

The national housing supply fell to a 2-year low last month, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

At the current sales pace, existing home inventories would sell out in 7.8 months -- 30 percent faster versus November 2008.

For a 10-month window, that's a major housing supply reduction and it helps to explain why multiple-offer situations have been so common lately.

Moreover, the same report from NAR showed sales activity reaching its highest point since July 2007, too.

If you're looking for evidence that the long-standing Buyers Market is ending, this month's Existing Home Sales report might be it.

Even median sales prices -- typically dragged lower by..............

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

Falling Home Supplies Mean More Multiple-Offer Situations For Buyers

----------------------------------------

Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : October 26, 2009

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:25:17 -0500

Mortgage markets were volatile last week, making it very difficult to shop for mortgage rates.

On most days, lenders issued multiple rate sheets with the trend putting rates higher in the morning, and lower in the afternoon.

Overall, mortgage rates were unchanged on the week. It broke a three-week streak through which mortgage rates rose.

Rates remain roughly one-half percent higher than the lows of early-October.

The biggest positive for rate shoppers last week was tame economic data -- specifically concerning the Producer Price Index and the housing sector.

The Producer Price Index is an inflationary, Cost of Living-like measurement for businesses and it went negative in September. Analysts weren't expecting that and the surprise pulled rates down an eighth.

Similarly, in housing, both the Home Price Index and ......

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : October 26, 2009

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.

Government : Home Prices Edged Lower In August

Chris Brown | Florida's #1 FHA Mortgage Broker — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:56:46 -0500

According to the government, home values edged lower last month.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency's Home Price Index report shows values down by 0.3 percent from the month prior -- the index's first down month since April.

The Home Price Index is based on the value of homes financed via Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and, in this sense, the FHFA Home Price Index is more of a "national" real estate index that its private-sector cousin, the Case-Shiller Index.

But like the Case-Shiller, the HPI is as notable for what it specifically excludes as for what it includes. Most notably, the Home Price Index doesn't account for homes meeting any of the following descriptions:.......

Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE:

Government : Home Prices Edged Lower In August

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Chris can be found at
Orlando FHA Loans,
Chris[at]OrlandoMortgagePro[dot]com,
or by calling 407.377.0500 x 210

The FHA Mortgage Pro

that FHA Mortgage Pros go to

when they need an FHA Mortgage Pro.

Orlando FHA Loans | MortgageChiliBlog.com.