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Mortgage News
Housing Market Highs and Lows |
Whether in the market for a new home or thinking about a refinance, homebuyers and homeowners have a lot to wade through. New and Existing Home Sales Up in Much of U.S.March Existing Home Sales were up 1.5 percent from a year prior, the National Association of REALTORS ® reported. From February to March 2016, Existing Home Sales also jumped 5.1 percent after a decline in February. Sales rose in all four regions of the country. Meanwhile, a sharp decline in the West sent New Home Sales lower by 1.5 percent in March. Across the country, sales in the East were unchanged while sales rose in the Midwest and South. Year-over-year sales were up 5.4 percent from March 2015. The New Home Sales report measures the number of newly constructed homes with a committed sale during the month. Current sales inventory of existing and new homes is running lower than normal. That inventory gap might not be filled by new construction. Building Permits, which are a sign of future construction, declined 7.7 percent from February to March 2016, hitting a 12-month low. And Housing Starts (when excavation begins on a home) declined 8.8 percent in March from February. Despite the month-to-month decline, Housing Starts are up 14.2 percent in March 2016 from a year ago. Loan Rates Temper Rising Home PricesHome prices rose 6.8 percent from February 2015 to February 2016, according to housing analytics firm CoreLogic. The firm projects a 5.2 percent overall price increase for 2016. While home prices continue to rise, home loan rates have hovered near 52-week lows this spring, which is good news for homebuyers and homeowners considering a refinance. If you have any questions about home financing, please let me know. Be sure to watch for next quarter's issue of Homes & Money Newsletter coming to you in August.
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Did You Know?
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Honoring fallen soldiers is a long-standing tradition. One of the earliest known "Memorial Days" was in 431 B.C., where Athenian leaders honored the sacrifice and valor of soldiers who fell in the Peloponnesian War.
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Finance News
Understanding Promotions by Wireless Carriers
By Lisa Gerstner, Kiplinger.com |
Lease a phone for a dollar a month! Switch carriers and slice your bill in half! The wireless companies push promotions to entice new customers to their plans or to encourage current customers to try something new. Here's what you need to know. If you're getting a temporary rate on a phone or service plan, find out what the terms will be once the deal expires. When the latest iPhone was released last fall, for example, Sprint let new or current customers trade in a phone and lease a 16GB iPhone 6s for a bargain $15 a month (or as little as $1 monthly for 21 months if you traded in an iPhone 6). But if customers trade up to the next iPhone, the rate rises to $22 a month for the remainder of the lease; after the lease expires, the rate stays at $22 on a month-to-month basis until the next phone upgrade or purchase. Carriers regularly offer to pay up to several hundred dollars to cover the remainder of your device payment plan (or an early-termination fee, if you still have a two-year contract) when you switch to their network. But such deals come with stipulations. To qualify, you typically have to trade in your current phone in good condition and lease or buy a phone from the new carrier. And you may be eligible only if you're moving from one of the major carriers. Before you switch to a new carrier, investigate its network coverage in your region; a discount isn't very satisfying if your service is spotty. Ask neighbors, coworkers and friends about their experiences, and check the map at www.rootmetrics.com to compare performance among carriers in your area.  Reprinted with permission. All Contents ©2016 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. Kiplinger.com.
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Quote of the Day
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 The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.– Chinese Proverb
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Shrimp With White Beans and Couscous(Serves 4)
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- 1 10-ounce box of couscous
(1 1/2 cups)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 2 garlic gloves, chopped
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, chopped
- 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 15.5-ounce can white beans, rinsed
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Boil 2 cups of water in a pan, then add couscous and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic, scallions and jalapeno and cook 30 seconds. Add shrimp and cook, stirring until they begin to turn pink (approximately 3 minutes).
Stir in beans, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Serve with the couscous.
Source: Health.com |
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Home News
Simple, Nontoxic Garden Defense |
If you'd like a happier, healthier garden, try these nontoxic tips for garden protection: Prevent root rot and white mold with raised beds. This will make weeding easy, too! Wither weeds with white vinegar. An undiluted spray will burn weeds, though roots will stay intact. Repeat the application on resprouting weeds. Mites and aphids dislike dishwashing liquid. Add a few drops in a spray bottle filled with water and give plants a spritz. Stop slugs with beer. Pour beer into a shallow dish and set level into the soil. Slugs will be enticed by the fermenting yeast. Upturned citrus shells lure snails and slugs, which like to hide underneath in dark spaces. Just before night fall, when they become active, relocate them outside your garden. Ward off wildlife with cayenne pepper. Apply directly to plants to deter squirrels, moles, gophers and deer from nibbling. Sources: This Old House, HGTV
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Book Review
"Triggers: Creating Behavior That Lasts"
By Marshall Goldsmith |
Environment can influence behavior in surprising ways, making us do things we often end up regretting. For example, we inexplicably lose all resolve for a healthy diet once the smell of fresh donuts wafts through the office; or we lose our manners when an irritating co-worker gets under our skin once too often. These "triggers" can throw us off track, no matter how in control we think we may be. Marshall Goldsmith is an executive coach and best-selling author who received his Ph.D. from UCLA's Anderson School of Management. In "Triggers," Goldsmith gives us an inside look at the strategies he uses to coach the world's top executives to personal mastery, by detailing the six "engaging questions" that can help retain discipline in the face of personal triggers and regain control over growth. Now a New York Times and Wall St. Journal best seller, you can find "Triggers" on Amazon or by visiting your favorite local bookseller. |
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Street Smarts
Save a Bit on Getting Fit |
Joining a gym is a great way to get in shape, but memberships can be expensive. Here are some great ways to save: Check the Web for online specials. Gyms often offer exclusive discounts if you sign up online. You may also be able to find some great deals on Groupon or LivingSocial. Negotiate your rate. Try to start in summer when sign-ups are slow. Or try the end of the month when gyms are trying to meet quotas. If membership includes services you don't intend to use (e.g., childcare, classes, pool), ask for a reduced rate. Refuse to pay "initiation fees" especially if you're signing a contract. If the salesperson is unable to grant the request, ask a manager. Be prepared to walk away. They will probably call you later and agree to your terms. (Just make sure they have your number!) Pay in advance, and you may be able to get a discount. And if you ever want to cancel, there's no credit card on file to charge. Join with a group. Gyms usually offer friends and family discounts. You can also ask your employer to help you secure a group rate. Call your health insurance member services number to see if your plan offers gym discounts. Sources: TODAY, Consumer Reports
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Facts & Figures
May Days |
An abundance of interesting facts and historical figures are associated with the final full month of spring: Minnesota, South Carolina, Rhode Island and Wisconsin all became states in May. In May 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark began their trip westward up the Missouri River and reached the Pacific Ocean in November 1805. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Meriwether Lewis Clark, grandson of explorer William Clark, was instrumental in organizing the first Kentucky Derby, which took place on May 17, 1875. Mother's Day has been celebrated on the second Sunday of May ever since Woodrow Wilson proclaimed it a national holiday in 1914. Charles Lindbergh successfully piloted the Spirit of St. Louis on the first solo non-stop flight over the Atlantic Ocean, from New York to Paris in May 1927. In May 1931, the Empire State Building was officially opened. Amelia Earhart made the first solo flight by a woman across the Atlantic Ocean in May 1932. Memorial Day was observed on May 30 for many years. Then Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1968, moving Memorial Day to the last Monday in May. The change became effective in 1971. Sources: History.com, CNN, KentuckyDerby.com
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Trivia Challenge
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Match these movie and television stars to the titles of their books.
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- Bossypants
- Why Not Me?
- Troublemaker
- Seriously...I'm Kidding
- My Mother Was Nuts
- Oh Myyy!
- The Rose That Grew From Concrete
- Born Standing Up
- Stories I Only Tell My Friends
- So That Happened
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- Ellen DeGeneres
- Jon Cryer
- Leah Remini
- Penny Marshall
- Steve Martin
- George Takei
- Tina Fey
- Tupac Shakur
- Mindy Kaling
- Rob Lowe
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For answers, see below.
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Thank You
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As always, we wish to thank our clients who have been kind enough to refer business to us. We appreciate the opportunity to provide excellent service to your family, friends and co-workers.
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Trivia Answers
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A-7, B-9, C-3, D-1, E-4, F-6, G-8, H-5, I-10, J-2
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