It’s important for buyers to know what your closing costs and mortgage payments are going to be when you start to look for a home and get pre-qualified. I’ve prepared a Buyer’s Estimated Closing Costs Pro-Forma: 80% FRM Loan, 6.5% Int., 10-21-07 (pdf) based on a specific scenario that shows total proposed closing costs, estimated […]
Mortgage Interest Rate Survey – November 4, 2007
In this week’s Mortgage Interest Rate Survey, Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist said, “October’s consumer confidence fell to its lowest level since October 2005 as mortgage rates continued to decline this week to their lowest level in almost six months. Continued market concerns about weaker economic growth and further declines in […]
Mortgage Interest Rate Survey – October 21, 2007
In this week’s Mortgage Interest Rate Survey, Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist said, “Both economic indicators and mortgage rates came in mixed this week. While retail sales were stronger in September, consumer confidence fell below market expectations in October. Moreover, both the core consumer price index and producer prices for September […]
Florida Property Tax Reform – FAR Perspective for Special Session June 12-22, 2007
Florida Property Tax Reform – FAR Perspective for Special Session June 12-22, 2007 – Florida legislators have been working diligently for the last several months to come up with a plan to reduce Florida’s tax burden. An agreement could not be reached during the regular session, but the stalemate between legislators is getting closer to […]
Green Building is Poised to go Mainstream in Florida
Florida has lagged the burgeoning national ‘green building trend’, but it is now poised to go mainstream with increasing commercial retail and office buildings going to the process of green or LEED certifications. As of 2006 there has not been any residential homes that have received LEED certification in Florida although homes may have been […]
Mortgage Interest Rate Survey – June 1, 2007
In this week’s Mortgage Interest Rate Survey, according to Freddie Mac rates jumped another 5 basis points or .5/100%. “The interest rates on fixed-rate mortgages increased further following stronger growth in orders for durable goods,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. “Recent reports have indicated that economic growth outside of the […]
South Florida “Subprime” Mortgage Market
South Florida “Subprime” Mortgage Market – the area has much at stake in the furor over the quality of its so-called “subprime” mortgages. How do South Florida’s numbers compare to the national average and other areas of the country? The latest twist – were half of the subprime borrowers ripped off? Did they actually qualify […]
3 Palm Beach County High Schools in Top 50 of Nation’s Best
Palm Beach County Top 3 High Schools Three high schools in Palm Beach County made the Top 50 in NEWSWEEK Magazine’s list of the Top 1,200 Schools in the Nation. Suncoast High in Riviera Beach (5), Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach (17) and Atlantic High in Delray Beach (37) also […]
Mortgage Interest Rate Survey – May 25, 2007
In this week’s Mortgage Interest rate survey, according to Freddie Mac, rates jumped 10 basis points or 1/100%, as investors sold bonds on the market – the law of supply and demand causes bond prices to go down. When bond prices fall, bond yields rise, and mortgage rates follow the trend. Freddie Mac released its […]
Insurance reform attracts new insurers to Florida
Florida’s property insurance market is becoming more welcoming to new insurers thanks to recent changes in the insurance regulation laws that are helping them financially. Four new homeowners insurance carriers have entered the Florida market since the state passed legislation in January to lower premiums and entice new carriers to write policies. Another three companies […]
