Present
Market Conditions
Attributed
to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac. “The housing
market is getting a boost with mortgage rates hovering at or near record lows.
For instance, existing home sales averaged an annualized pace of 4.94 million
over the first three months of this year, the most since the fourth quarter of
2009. More impressively, new home sales topped 424,000 during the first
quarter, which was the strongest since the third quarter of 2008. The sales
pickup is helping to support house-price gains. For instance, the Federal
Housing Finance Agency reported that February marked the thirteenth consecutive
month that it has recorded an annual rise in its U.S. house price index, which
rose by 7.1 percent in the twelve months through February, the most since May
2006. Even with these gains, this U.S. index is still 13.6 percent below its
peak set in April 2007."
Expectations
This
week will be very busy with regards to major economic news. The Fed will be
meeting Wednesday. From this meeting Investors will be looking for updates on
the state of the economy and hints about the future bond buying program. Next
on the agenda is the ECB meeting scheduled for Thursday. Many investors
anticipate the ECB to announce a rate cut or a new stimulus program. The most
important economic report this week will be the Employment data released on
Friday. As always, this data shows the number of jobs, the Unemployment Rate,
and wage inflation. This is the most highly anticipated economic data of the
month. Prior to the employment data, the schedule will be packed with ISM
Manufacturing, Core PCE inflation, Pending Home Sales, and many other reports
throughout the week.
Guidance
With
rates still at very low levels, the housing market is beginning to heat up. Now
is the best time to meet with me, your mortgage professional, to discuss a
mortgage solution to meet your financial goals.
My
blogtastic friends tell me that no one wants to read my posts because they
aren't "personal" enough. I am too "business." Well here is
my personal note for this post: My Web Master friend Chelsea Knott talked me into
starting a running program this week & then she tried to back out last night.
BUT I made her go. It wasn't as bad as we anticipated. We are going to complete
the program because we have each other for accountability. Posting online for
everyone to see - how is that for accountability? This is kind of how we feel
about it....
Maybe soon we will be
running crazies like Charlotte Law (a blogtastic friend - check it out HERE)
Haha LOVE it! Too bad I hurt my knee and can't run a race this weekend :(
ReplyDeletehahahahahaha embarrassing
ReplyDelete