It’s not that kitchen island that offers more entertainment space for those weekend gatherings. And it’s not the relaxing master bathroom with two (count ‘em, TWO sinks) that drive millennials into taking the mortgage plunge. It’s their dogs.   A 2017 Harris Poll conducted by Sun Trust Mortgag...

The three major stock market indexes plus mortgage bonds ended the week modestly lower after strong economic data elevated fears of higher interest rates.  The week’s solid economic data sent the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note up to 3.12% on Thursday, its highest level in seven ye...

If the adage about rising tides lifting all boats is true, then it comes as no surprise that rising incomes have been helping to offset recent increases in mortgage rates, offering a boost to housing affordability in the first quarter of this year, the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Far...

The stock market registered solid gains for the week propelled by solid corporate earnings reports, economic news, and geopolitical events.  In fact, the S&P 500 Index recorded its best weekly advance in two months, closing above its 100-day moving average for the first time since the middl...

Never underestimate the power of words. Sellers evidently care about who they sell their homes to. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, using data provided by Seattle-based brokerage Redfin, one of the most effective ways to win a bidding war is to write the seller a letter....

The stock market seemed to lack conviction this past week as investors had to wade through a plethora of corporate earnings, including technology giant Apple's quarterly report, in addition to the latest monetary policy decision from the Fed and the Employment Situation report for April.  As a ...

Opinions abound about selling your house, and like noses, everyone’s got one. There are myths that have been circulating literally for decades that Realtors still have to debunk, and we aim to name a few of them.   Selling your home is taking a dive into the deep unknown for many people. There ...

http://player.cnbc.com/p/gZWlPC/cnbc_global?playertype=synd&byGuid=7000016472&size=530_298How to use your home as a source of cash from CNBC.

Market action in stocks and bonds was driven by a combination of 1 ^st Quarter earnings reports, economic news, and geopolitical news of a historic meeting between the leaders of North and South Korea, who agreed on Friday to work to remove all nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula and, within t...

f you’re already a homeowner, do you wonder why you keep getting unsolicited snail mail asking if you have any interest in selling your home? Wonder no more. The gains in home prices are getting bigger as the supply of homes for sale gets leaner, and buyers and their agents are hoping-hoping-hoping ...

Is cash still king? While it may feel powerful to have that all-cash ace up your sleeve as you look for the perfect property, thinking home sellers swoon over all-cash offers (which they do), it’s wise to go into a purchase of this kind with your eyes wide open. Why? Unlike other home buyers out the...

Stock market traders responded with a “relief rally” to the previous Friday’s air strike on Syria when they realized it was limited in scope and after it did not trigger a military response from Russia.  Additionally, crude oil prices continued to rally with West Texas Intermediate crude moving...

http://player.cnbc.com/p/gZWlPC/cnbc_global?playertype=synd&byGuid=7000014845&size=530_298

Rising interest rates may slow down home buyers from CNBC.

   

Welders. Electricians. Machinists. Framers. Skilled tradesmen and women are at their most lacking ever, according to the Manpower Group. But just wait a few years. The skills gap is likely to become more pronounced.   Because these jobs are more physically demanding than the typical job, it com...

The stock market continued its gains today while the long end of the yield curve (10s, 20s, 30s and MBSs) also improved. The 10 finds technical support when it has moved up to 2.90% area and equally resistance when it has moved below 2.80%. Since April 2nd when the 10 rate fell to 2.72% its rate had...

The stock market bounced back this past week as concerns about a possible trade war with China faded after several U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping downplayed talk of a retaliatory trade war.  In fact, Xi Jinping stated in a speech at...

 

Home sales are still going strong and the National Association of Realtors says they could have been even higher if there were more homes for sale. Seems there is a critical shortage of listings, especially in higher price ranges. And out in the trenches, homebuilders are struggling to k...

For all the fanfare about how millennials were poised to be the biggest home buying generation yet, there are still a few things that have to happen to get them out of their parents’ basements or shared rentals. Interest in buying, however, is not the issue. According to new data from Apartment Lis...