DAILY NEWS & ADVICE FROM REALTY TIMES/ 03/21/2008

Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.87 percent with an average 0.5 point for the week ending March 20, 2008, down from last week when it averaged 6.13 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.16 percent. FULL STORY->

	NEW JERSEY ESTATES Paul Stillwaggon & Pat Cornish 908-561-5492 March 2008 LINKING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY TO OLD FASHIONED SERVICE Copyright © 2008 Realty Times All Rights Reserved. Daily News And Advice Updated 01:00 AM CDT Today  Today's Feature Stories Investor Report: Timber Property According to data compiled by Timber Mart-South, a research foundation at the University of Georgia, rising global demand for certain timber products pushed prices for hardwood pulpwood up by 33.6 percent from the third quarter of 2006 through the third quarter of 2007. FULL STORY-> Hot Market: Topeka, KS Weathering Housing Storm The strength of home prices in Topeka, Kansas are reflective of what's been happening around the state in the last 12 months -- weathering an economic storm while other states have not been as lucky. FULL STORY-> Realty Viewpoint: Newspapers Shoulda Been Nicer To Realtors Newspapers have been crummy to the real estate industry for years. Now they're laying off editors, cutting down the size of their print product, and wondering why they weren't nicer to their advertisers while they had the chance. FULL STORY-> Regional Report: Northeast Though the economy for the entire nation is sluggish now, many economists are expecting a rebound by the second half of next year. FULL STORY-> Long-Term Mortgage Rates Plummet Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.87 percent with an average 0.5 point for the week ending March 20, 2008, down from last week when it averaged 6.13 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.16 percent. FULL STORY-> A Better Way To Help Those Caught In The Mortgage Crisis? Millions of homeowners need help and are facing possible foreclosure but not many are reaching out for it. In fact, it's estimated that 60 percent of borrowers will never establish communication with their lender prior to losing their homes. FULL STORY-> Headlines Real Estate Outlook: Fed Rate Cut There's no other way to put it: Things got pretty tense in the financial markets earlier this week - with the Federal Reserve's dramatic steps to inject billions of dollars of liquidity on Wall Street, plus the failure of giant investment bank Bear Stearns. So what might all this mean for home buyers and sellers? FULL STORY-> Interest Rate Update Today's Interest Rates from Realty Times are based on a 30 year amortization rate, with good credit and no origination fees. Mortgage bonds have been on a rally as of late, driving interest rates lower. FULL STORY-> Regional Report: West The real estate market in the West of the United States has certainly seen its share of troubles over the past 18 months. Foreclosures and short sales are rampant in California, the veritable epicenter of the mortgage meltdown. FULL STORY-> Realty Viewpoint: Feds Unclog Mortgage Drain The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have agreed to a $200 billion bottle of Drano that will help to unclog the gunk clogging lending pipelines, but will it be enough to save the spring selling season? FULL STORY-> Market Conditions: Southwest Missouri Ardie Hawkins, our market expert for Southwest Missouri and North Central Arkansas, says there are some tremendous opportunities in the residential market right now. FULL STORY-> How are Property Taxes Assessed? askrtdaily FULL STORY-> People Buy Outcomes When prospects begin thinking about buying a home, they first try to imagine themselves enjoying the home in the future. They start fantasizing about the possible benefits of living in it. These fantasies are influenced by past experiences they've had with other homes they've owned, rented or visited. FULL STORY-> Location Can Dictate Maintenance Chores Where a home is located will often dictate some of the home maintenance chores you can expect to perform. A home inspection can help ferret out those chores. FULL STORY-> What Do I Need to Know about the Plumbing? Columnist Brett Kayzar gives a helpful overview of your home's plumbing and what to be on the lookout for. FULL STORY-> Is It Time For A Mortgage Product Recall? If we can recall lead-covered toys and autos that are defective, why not toxic loans? Columnist Peter G. Miller looks at the case for mortgage product accountability. FULL STORY-> Condo Trends: Slow Housing Market Good for Rentals Realty Viewpoint: Paulson's Sweat Drenches News Over Sharp "Down-cline" Regional Report: South Market Conditions: Sugar Land, Texas Mortgage Moment: Pre-Payments Save on Interest Can I Deduct Mortgage Interest From Taxes? Developing Supplemental Revenue Streams in a Down Real Estate Market Painting Your House San Diego Real Estate Market in 2008 - Just When You Thought The Worst Was Over! Ask the HOA Expert Counselors Say Lenders Foreclose Rather Than Modify Mortgages New Homes: Pools for All Seasons Realty Viewpoint: USA Today Names Sexiest Economic Forecasters Alive Market Conditions: Coastal Georgia What's the Difference Between Single Family Attached and Detached? Working with Buyers of Distressed Real Estate Audit Red Flags: The Ones You Don't Want to Wave How to Avoid Being a Victim of Fraud Washington Report: VA Loans for Veterans Overlooked Wild, Wild West: San Jose's Solar Home Sales Sizzle Investor Report: New Opportunities from Rates Downswing Real Estate Outlook: A Looming Recession? CURRENT MORTGAGE RATES Interest Rate Watch 30 yr fixed: 6.13% 15 yr fixed: 5.60% 1 yr adj: 5.14% (U.S. Daily Averages) LIBRARY Buyers Advice Sellers Advice Homeowners Advice Advice for New Homes Advice For Borrowers Rental Advice Homeowner Association News NAR News         - Back - Paul Stillwaggon & Pat Cornish 908-561-5492, Luxury Custom New & Pre-Owned Homes E-mail: njestates@earthlink.net Web: http://www.newjerseyestates.net/ 908-561-5492 (Paul) 908-310-1358 (Cell) 908-561-6499 (Pat) 908-578-0890 (Cell) Weichert Realtors New Jersey Estates 908-561-5400 55 Stirling Road, Watchung, N.J. 07069 Equal Housing Opportunity