Bob's Coto Blog

The Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged today within its target range of 0.000-0.250 percent.  The Fed also reiterated its plan to support the mortgage market to the tune of $1.5 trillion. In its press release, the FOMC noted that the economy may still be co...

The Federal Reserve adjourns from its two-day meeting this afternoon.  It's one of 8 scheduled meetings each year for the Federal Open Market Committee. Like all FOMC get-togethers, the purpose of the meeting is to discuss financial and economic conditions in the U.S., and to make new policy to ...

Monday, mortgage markets improved with news of new Swine Flu cases.  It's a classic example of Safe Haven buying and today's rate shoppers will see the benefits. Mortgage rates improved about 0.125 percent Monday. It's not an official term, but "Safe Haven buying" describes the trading patterns i...

There's a right way and a wrong way to transfer a home posthumously.  The right way requires having a documented plan.  The wrong way could stick your loved ones with a tax bill so large they may have to sell the home just to cover it. With just 4 minutes for the segment, The Today Show rushes t...

Here's an excerpt from the latest Orange County Market Report from my friend Steven Thomas, of Altera Real Estate.  It addresses the so called "shadow inventory" of foreclosure properties.  "Isn't there going to be a wave of foreclosures coming on the market? ( The "Shadow Inventory")  I am often...

The days of rock-bottom housing prices may be reaching an end. According to the National Association of REALTORS, the number of Existing Home Sales fell by a modest 140,000 units last month. It's the fifth straight month in which home sales straddled the 4.5 million mark. The national housing inv...

If falling home values is what prompted Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to tighten mortgage guidelines in 2007 and 2008, America's mortgage applicants may get their long-awaiting loosening within the next 18 months. According to a government report, the values of homes financed with conforming mortgag...

National real estate data helps economists identify trends in the housing market. It shapes policy and influences markets. For active home buyers and home sellers, though, national real estate data is irrevelant.  This is because national data says nothing for the factors determining home prices ...

The Federal Reserve meets next week for a policy-setting meeting.  It's one of 8 scheduled Fed meetings this year in which the Federal Open Market Committee votes on whether to raise, lower, or leave unchanged the Fed Funds Rate. Based on data compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, W...

Sure, you've got a fire extinguisher at home, but if you ever had a fire, would you know what to do with it? Like any tool, reading the directions can only get you so far.  If you've never "pulled the pin" and discharged a fire extinguisher before, fighting an actual fire can be a frightening int...