the daniel hayes team: FHA Largely to Be Spared 'Sequester'
- 02/27/13 12:47 AM
The across-the-board budget cuts enacted into law in 2011 to reduce the federal deficit take effect Friday, March 1, absent additional action by the government. Some $85 billion, split between defense and domestic discretionary programs, is scheduled to be cut over the balance of 2013. In all, about $1.2 trillion is to be cut over the next 10 years.
Not counting the economic impact on housing demand, the cuts are expected to have minimal impact on federally backed mortgage finance programs because the sequester applies to program dollars, not loan guaranty authority. For that reason, loans backed by the FHA, the VA, and … (0 comments)
the daniel hayes team: Mortgage delinquencies hit lowest level since 2008
- 02/22/13 01:07 AM
Unless you live in a state where courts handle foreclosure proceedings, don't expect a flood of distressed properties to relieve for-sale inventory shortages anytime soon. Both the share of U.S. mortgage loans in delinquency and those in the foreclosure process hit their lowest levels since 2008 last quarter, according to the latest national survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association. The share of loans on one- to four-unit residential properties that had missed at least one mortgage payment fell to a seasonally adjusted 7.09 percent in the fourth quarter, down from 7.4 percent in the third quarter and 7.58 percent in fourth-quarter 2011. … (1 comments)
the daniel hayes team: Block Parties Aren't Just for Summer -Connect With Neighbors Any Time
- 02/16/13 12:33 AM
With today's fast and hurried pace, we need a greater sense of community not only within our families, but in our neighborhoods as well. That can be easy to achieve during the summer, when people are sitting on their porches or the kids are playing in the yard. But how do you maintain that sense of community during the winter, when people are hunkered inside by their fireplace, avoiding the cold? One great idea is to throw an indoors neighborhood block party, which can be a blast for all involved, planners and partiers alike. You're sure to make new friends among … (0 comments)
the daniel hayes team: How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off for Auto Repairs
- 02/16/13 12:25 AM
Victoria Rumsey felt as if she was being taken for a ride. The brake warning light on her 2000 Volkswagen Jetta was on, so when she was getting her oil changed at the dealership, she asked the shop to look into it. She was told she needed a new suspension, brake pads and rotors. Rumsey didn't want to put a lot of money into the car, so she told the shop to skip the suspension. Then she got a call from the dealership's used-car division telling her that the service department mentioned she might be in the market for a car … (1 comments)
the daniel hayes team: FrontDoor turning over listings management to Zillow
- 02/15/13 08:23 AM
HGTV's listings website FrontDoor will phase out its own agent marketing platform, including featured listings and agent profile pages, as Zillow takes over exclusive responsibility for "powering" all listings on the site in April. Zillow -- which last week entered the home-remodeling space with the launch of Zillow Digs -- will provide for-sale and rental listings to FrontDoor. FrontDoor will drop its own 4 million for-sale listings, and hone its focus on highlighting "amazing houses and great places to call home," the company said. Agents who currently purchase local advertising with Zillow will get enhanced exposure on FrontDoor in April. FrontDoor … (1 comments)
the daniel hayes team: Blizzard hammers Northeast, nine dead, 700,000 lose power
- 02/09/13 11:50 AM
A blizzard packing hurricane-force winds hammered the northeastern United States on Saturday, cutting power to 700,000 homes and businesses, shutting down travel and leaving at least nine people dead. The mammoth storm that stretched from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic dumped more than 3 feet of snow across the Northeast, the National Weather Service said. Coastal blizzard and flood warnings were in effect, but Massachusetts and Connecticut lifted vehicle travel bans as the storm slowly moved eastward on Saturday evening. Stratford, Connecticut, Mayor John Harkins said he had never seen such a heavy snowfall, with rates reaching 6 inches an … (0 comments)
the daniel hayes team: New Rules of Refinancing Your Home
- 02/09/13 01:27 AM
According to Kiplinger.com, "With the 30-year fixed mortgage rate flirting with 3%, a lot of homeowners should be able to cut their mortgage payments by hundreds of dollars a month. But despite an uptick in refinancings in 2012, the number is lower than in past booms, according to CoreLogic, a mortgage data firm. Inertia accounts for some of the reduced traffic to loan officers—after all, if you snagged a 5% rate three years ago, you’re probably still patting yourself on the back. But a lot of borrowers face serious obstacles to lowering their rate. Six years after the housing bust, mortgage … (2 comments)
the daniel hayes team: Should you save or pay off debt?
- 02/09/13 01:11 AM
If you're lucky enough to have some "extra" money in the form of a recent raise, unexpected gift or freelance earnings, you might be wondering how to spend it. Should you put it toward paying off debt, save it or splurge? The savings-versus-debt debate is a common one, so let's take a closer look at which option makes the most sense. Here's a five-step guide to making the smartest money moves: No. 1: Do you already have an emergency savings account? We all need an emergency fund, even if we still have high-interest credit card debt to pay off. That's because … (4 comments)
the daniel hayes team: Blizzard watch for Northeast as 'powerful' winter storm approaches
- 02/06/13 10:38 PM
According to MSN, "A blizzard watch was issued by the National Weather Service early Thursday as a powerful winter storm threatened to dump up to 2 feet of snow across Boston and other parts of the Northeast on Friday night and into Saturday. Snow and strong winds will intensify across New England and travel “may become nearly impossible with blowing and drifting snow” as the weekend begins, the NWS said in an alert issued at 3:30 a.m. ET. Gusty northeasterly and northerly winds may approach 50 mph during the height of the storm, added NBCConnecticut.com meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan. But while there … (2 comments)
the daniel hayes team: Nashville's Rhythm Condos at Music Row Surge in 2012
- 02/06/13 10:30 PM
Call it a sign of the times, but the Rhythm condos at Music Row have prices that are climbing faster than any high-rise condo in Nashville. A brief timeline: The Rhythm condos began construction at the beginning of 2007 and were completed in 2009. Pre-sales efforts took place during this entire process and condos were sold for an average of $365.17 per square foot. Approximately 75% of the 105 total condos were pre-sold, but when the building opened, only half of the original buyers closed. Clearly, 2009 was a difficult economic time for the country and the Rhythm was not … (0 comments)
the daniel hayes team: Monopoly reveals newest game token (and the one kicked out of the box)
- 02/05/13 10:51 PM
The results are in! Over the past month, hundreds of thousands of Monopoly fans worldwide voted for which new token should replace one of the iconic ones being retired after countless journeys past Go. After a hard-fought campaign, representatives revealed the newest game piece Wednesday morning on TODAY. (Drum roll, please.) Monopoly’s newest token is… The cat! To rally players to show their support for their favorite tokens, Hasbro launched a Facebook app. While the results among the 250,000 votes on a Today poll were close, the feline edged out its competition: the robot, diamond ring, helicopter and guitar. It’s sad … (2 comments)
In its December 1999 issue, Popular Science previewed an unusual new product. In addition to standard call functions, the “thin and rich” Ericsson R380 cellphone boasted a black-and-white touchscreen, built-in modem for web browsing, and a whopping 2 megabytes of RAM. The smartphone was born. Fast-forward to 2013 and the smartphone may well be the most important productivity tool in--and out of--the office. This year an estimated 200 million workers will tap into mobile business apps to … (0 comments)
the daniel hayes team: Fannie, Freddie to let some underwater homeowners walk away
- 02/03/13 01:07 AM
At least 10 million homeowners aren't feeling the love of the housing market's recovery -- that is, they still have underwater mortgages where they owe more than their homes are worth. But some borrowers were thrown a life raft this week. Mortgage heavyweights Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have announced a bailout program for struggling homeowners who are current on their payments. If there's a pressing need to leave their property, they can just walk away. To explain how it will work, we turned to Julia Gordon, director of Housing Finance and Policy at the Center for American Progress. What are … (0 comments)
the daniel hayes team: Dow Closes Above 14,000 For 1st Time Since Financial Crisis
- 02/02/13 02:42 AM
The Dow stock market index closed above 14,000 for the first time since before the financial crisis rocked the world economy. Propelled by strong auto sales and optimism about U.S. jobs, the Dow Jones industrial average crossed the line early Friday and continued flirting with the mark all day. The other major stock indexes also rose. The Dow was up 149 points to 14,010. It's gained 6.9 percent this year. The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 15 to 1,513. The Nasdaq composite index added 37 to 3,179. The government jobs report that pushed stocks forward was mixed. The U.S. said … (1 comments)
the daniel hayes team: 10 things that will torpedo the value of your home
- 02/02/13 02:00 AM
I recently read an acrticle on Yahoo! Homes that I felt was worth sharing. Buyers have the upper hand when purchasing a home in a down market. Sellers need to make the best possible impression to appeal to these picky buyers. When possible, sellers should avoid making changes that will devalue their home or cause buyers to pass on purchasing it. Before you decide to list your home for sale look at these 10 ways homeowners devalue their homes and consider how to fix these if necessary:
Curb appeal. (Photo: Freshome) 1. Lack of Curb Appeal The first thing any … (0 comments)
the daniel hayes team: Etch A Sketch inventor dies at 86
- 02/01/13 08:39 AM
The inventor of the beloved Etch A Sketch toy, Andre Cassagnes, has died at age 86, the toy’s manufacturer confirms to NBC News. Cassagnes died Jan. 16 in France. “Etch A Sketch has brought much success to the Ohio Art Company, and we will be eternally grateful to Andre for that,” said Larry Killgallon, president of The Ohio Art Company. “His invention brought joy to so many over such a long period of time.” Cassagnes, a French electrician, created the product in the late 1950s when he “stumbled upon the idea of creating a drawing toy with a joystick, glass and … (2 comments)
the daniel hayes team: The Best Apps for Real Estate Foreclosures
- 02/01/13 05:06 AM
I wanted to share this article that I recently read in Realty Biz News and I felt was invaluable for ActiveRain readers/subscribers. "With the current state of the economy, it’s not big secret many properties are going into foreclosure. While for many this is a devastating thing, for others its a business opportunity to purchase real estate at a cheaper cost. If you’re a go-getter and looking to buy a first home at a steal, there are also some great apps that you can use to help you start the process. Foreclosure Search by USHUD.com @ iTunes Foreclosure Search If you search for … (1 comments)
the daniel hayes team: Thinking About Hiring a Nanny?
- 01/25/13 06:13 AM
Blythe Lipman, author of Help! My Baby Came Without Instructions, shared her wonderful checklist for finding the perfect preschool for your baby. Read on to see Blythe's wonderful checklist for choosing the perfect nanny. Parents, below are questions and discussion points you can use during your interviews with potential nannies. Remember, the goal is to find the person you think will be the best caregiver for your child–someone you really trust–so you want to be as thorough as possible. Nanny Checklist What kind of infant care experience do you have? Please provide me with job history and performance. Please supply me with … (1 comments)
the daniel hayes team: How to Earn Money by Sharing Information Online
- 01/25/13 04:40 AM
Not worried about sharing your shopping habits with strangers? You can make a few bucks by filling out surveys and doing your online shopping through rewards sites. There are dozens of sites to choose from, including Swagbucks, Rewards1, CreationsRewards and MyPoints. The sites typically provide "points" for participating in an array of activities, from watching videos and reading e-mailed advertisements to playing games and signing up for free trial offers. The sites generally require that you use your real name, address and e-mail and that you promise not to spam-filter away their advertisements. If you take the surveys offered by site … (0 comments)
the daniel hayes team: How to Pick the Best Credit Card for You
- 01/23/13 10:58 PM
When looking for a credit card, use these points as a guide before you apply. Interest rates. A single credit card may have a lower annual percentage rate for customers with the strongest credit profiles. Some cards offer an introductory or teaser rate of 0% that expires after six to 18 months. Fees. Some rewards cards have an annual fee of $75 or more. If you expect the value of your earnings to exceed the fee, it may be worth paying. Traveling abroad? Pick a card with no foreign transaction fee, which is often about 3% on each purchase. Moving debt from a … (0 comments)
The across-the-board budget cuts enacted into law in 2011 to reduce the federal deficit take effect Friday, March 1, absent additional action by the government. Some $85 billion, split between defense and domestic discretionary programs, is scheduled to be cut over the balance of 2013. In all, about $1.2 trillion is to be cut over the next 10 years.
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