Just listed this little GEM!   3 Bedroom rambler that sits on a corner lot in River Falls, WI Over 1500 square feet finished. Attached and detached garage make for great storeage! Bay window...Concrete driveway and so much more! Call us today to set up a showing 651-967-4101 or visit us on the web at www.realestatewimn.com For more infor and photo click on the address 400 W Park Street River Falls WI 54022 Marketed by Ferguson & Howard Real Estate Team Keller Williams Realty  Hudson, WI 54016 12/03/2013

"I just want something good to come out of what happened to my daughters."- Jessica Schaffhausen  What a powerful statement form a women who has been through so much.  Her mother's heart is to build something beautiful for her daughters to be remembered by.  Let's make that happen! Tri- Angels Art Show and Sale Grand Opening: Friday, August 9th from 4 to 8 p.m.* Location: Gallery 120 at 120 North Main Street, River Falls, WI 54022 *Art will be on display Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. through mid August.   http://www.kare11.com/news/article/1034812/391/Jessica-Schaffhausen-sells-daughters-artwork-for-playground-in-their-honor   08/09/2013

New Listing!: 158 Sunwood Valley Lane River Falls, WI 54022 Spacious 4000+ sq ft. home in a great neighborhood. Close to schools & shopping. 4 bedrooms on 1 level, 4 full bathrooms, gas fireplace, central vac, hardwood floors & deck. See Complete Listing Details on 158 Sunwood Valley Lane River Falls, WI 54022 See Virtual Tour Here   01/15/2013

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, refinance activity rose 2.0 percent last week, reaching its highest level since April 19, 2009. The increase followed a 22 percent surge the week before and pushed the refinance share of total mortgage activity up to 81 percent. But, despite the gains in refinance demand, the Market Composite Index, which measures total mortgage loan application volume, was up just 0.9 percent due to a 3.0 percent drop in the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances was unchanged, resting at 3.74 percent. It is the second consecutive week that average mortgage rates were at all-time survey lows. 07/26/2012

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, refinance demand surged last week as mortgage rates fell to yet another survey low. The Refinance Index rose 22 percent from the week before and is near its highest level this year. Michael Fratantoni, MBA’s vice president of research and economics, said refinance application volume increased to near peak levels as mortgage rates dropped due to growing concern about the economy. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances fell to 3.74 percent from 3.79 percent the week before. Because of the spike in refinance activity, the Market Composite Index, which measures total mortgage loan application volume, was up 16.9 percent from one week earlier. The seasonally ... 07/20/2012

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, the Market Composite Index, which measures both refinance and purchase loan application volume, fell 2.1 percent last week. But, though the Refinance Index suffered a 3.0 percent decline from the previous week’s levels, the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased by the same amount, gaining 3.0 percent from the week before. Mortgage rates, on the other hand, hit new all-time lows. The average contract interest rate for 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances fell to 3.79 percent from 3.86 percent. In June, the average loan size for home purchase was $240,897. Last week’s results contain an adjustment for the Fourth of July holiday.  07/18/2012

  Fannie Mae interviewed approximately 1,000 survey respondents for its May National Housing Survey. Most Americans interviewed by Fannie Mae believe home prices will increase at least 1.4 percent over the next 12 months, the government-sponsored enterprise said.   Of those who responded, 34 percent — the highest level since March 2011 — said home prices will rise over the course of the next 12 months. In addition, 41 percent of respondents believe home mortgage rates will likely go up over the course of the next year, an increase from the previous month.   To read more visit:  http://www.housingwire.com/content/average-americans-expect-14-increase-home-prices   06/28/2012

Mortgage Rates End Streak of Record-Setting Lows Average fixed-rate mortgages ended their recent streak of record-setting lows, according to Freddie Mac's weekly mortgage survey. Still, mortgage rates remain near historic lows, helping to keep homebuyer affordability high and providing an incentive to refinance. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.71 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending June 14, up from the week prior when it averaged 3.67 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.5 percent.       To read more visit:   http://www.housingwire.com/content/mortgage-rates-end-streak-record-setting-lows   06/21/2012

  First Trulia.com and now Realtor.com!  Is this move really in the best interest of Edina Realty's clients?  I don't think I would be very happy about this move if I were a Realtor under Edina Realty.                                                Edina Realty is pulling its listings from Realtor.com, the second relationship it has ended with a national website.   The Twin Cities-based brokerage says its decision to part ways with Realtor.com and other major sites is part of an effort to better control the quality and marketing of its listings and the commissions that are paid when a property is sold. Already, Edina Realty has severed ties with Trulia.com, a controversial decision that some expected would affect the reach of its listings.   "Edina Realty agents and home sellers will mi... 05/24/2012

  Why Should You Get a Property Manager?   A guest post by Gabriel Knight, Mortgage Fit, Chicago, IL   While rental property investment might look like a rewarding and positive venture, managing both tenants and properties can be overwhelming. As such, you may need to hire a professional property manager to make your life easier. This is an especially good idea for rental property owners who have no experience or don’t want to spend their time managing a rental property on their own. With a property manager, you’ll be able to ask mortgage questions if you run into any trouble with your property. Here are some reasons why you should hire a residential property manager to manage your residential property properly.   Set the right price – You can look online to see what the other landlords... 05/23/2012

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, the Market Composite Index, which measures total mortgage loan application volume, was up 9.2 percent last week due to a 13.0 percent surge in the Refinance Index. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index, however, fell 2.4 percent from the previous week. Michael Fratantoni, MBA’s vice president of research and economics, said the increase in refinance activity was due to a spike in the conventional sector and not because of rising government loan demand. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances fell to another new low, dropping to 3.96 percent from 4.01 percent the week before. 05/17/2012

Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes rose five points to 29 in May, according to the National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index. The improvement brought the index to its highest level since May 2007. Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the NAHB, said builders are reporting a pickup in sales and traffic after a pause in April. According to Rutenberg, it’s a sign that the upward trend in confidence that began earlier this year has resumed and that stabilizing prices and excellent affordability are encouraging people to purchase homes. Each of the component indexes measuring current sales, traffic, and expectations for the next six months rose in May after declining in April. 05/17/2012

Fannie Mae’s April 2012 National Housing Survey finds Americans’ attitudes toward homeownership, the economy, personal finances, and home prices continuing to improve. A large majority of respondents say now is a good time to buy a house and an increasing number say it’s a good time to sell. Doug Duncan, vice president and chief economist of Fannie Mae, said after flat lining at depressed levels for more than a year, the growing number of consumers who feel it’s a good time to sell suggests rising optimism for the housing market. Among the other highlights of the survey, the number of respondents who expressed confidence in the economy’s direction hit a two-year high in April and Americans expect home prices to rise by 1.3 percent over the next year. Also, 23 percent of Americans say th... 05/15/2012

New data from Freddie Mac finds 79 percent of homeowners who refinanced their mortgage during the first quarter of 2012 reduced or maintained their principal balance. The number of borrowers who were able to maintain about the same loan amount after refinancing was the highest in the 26 years Freddie Mac has been tracking the data. Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s vice president and chief economist, said the typical borrower reduced their mortgage rate by 1.5 percent which, on a $200,000 loan, would save them nearly $3,000 over 12 months. Also, HARP loans accounted for 20 percent of Freddie Mac’s refinance fundings during the first quarter. According to Nothaft, it was the highest share of HARP loans since the inception of the government program and was largely due to recently adopted enhan... 05/14/2012

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, the Market Composite Index, which measures both refinance and purchase loan activity, rose 1.7 percent last week from the week before. The increase was due to growing demand for conventional rather than government loans. Demand in the government market was down last week but, despite the dip, the Purchase Index rose 3.4 percent and the Refinance Index increased 1.3 percent. The refinance share of all mortgage activity was 72.1 percent. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell to 4.01 percent from 4.05 percent the week before. It was the lowest 30-year rate recorded in the history of the survey. 05/14/2012

The National Association of Home Builders’ Improving Markets Index held steady at 100 in May, down from 101 in April. The number of represented states was also virtually unchanged from the month before at 35. The index determines improving housing markets based on metropolitan areas that have had at least six consecutive months of improved housing permits, employment, and home prices. In May, 17 new metros were added to the list, while 83 cities carried over from April. Barry Rutenberg, NAHB’s Chairman, said the fact that there are 100 markets across 35 states that are improving illustrates that the health of the housing market is determined by individual metropolitan areas more than national data. 05/14/2012

Speaking at an economic conference in Washington, Shaun Donovan, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, said the housing market has turned a corner. Donovan cited sales statistics, the number of signed contracts, and the decreasing number of households falling into foreclosure as evidence that the market has made progress over the past few years. Donovan’s remarks echo the increasingly positive forecasts being released by industry insiders and market analysts. For example, Fitch Ratings’ most recent outlook says housing starts should see a 10 percent increase in 2012, with new home sales up 8.0 percent. And Capital Economics’ Paul Diggle expects housing to become a boost to economic growth in the near future.  05/08/2012

Gallup’s Job Creation Index rose another two points in April, increasing to 20 from 18 in March. The index, which began tracking job growth in January 2008, is at its highest level since July of that year and is approaching the highest score ever recorded by the index. Regionally, the Midwest and South led in job creation, with the West and East close behind. The West led all regions in year-over-year improvement, rising nine points from a year ago. Gallup’s survey also found that private-sector job growth continues to perform better than government employment. The Job Creation Index for the private sector was at 25 in April, while government job growth has been in negative territory since late last year.  05/04/2012

The March Mortgage Monitor report from Lender Processing Services shows foreclosure starts down more than 31 percent from last year, despite a month-over-month increase. But even with the increase from February, the total number of foreclosure starts in March was much lower than the monthly totals from much of last year and the three years previous. The monthly increase was due, in part, to an acceleration in states where paperwork and procedural problems stalled the number of foreclosures being processed. According to the report, foreclosure inventory is nearly 2.5 times higher in judicial states, as opposed to non-judicial states where inventory is at 2.45 percent. Also, delinquencies are slowing, reaching their lowest level since August 2008. 05/03/2012

The National Association of Realtor’s Home Price Monitor is a monthly review of several respected measurements of house values. The monitor tracks trends and fluctuations in prices and provides an analysis of the current environment, as well as a forecast for future price performance. April’s report finds most measurements showing month-over-month growth in prices and a trend toward smaller year-over-year declines. These stabilizing trends should be supported by low inventory, declining delinquencies, and growing demand from prospective buyers. The report also cites high affordability, an improving job market, and rising rent as evidence that positive trends in home prices will continue.  05/01/2012