Don Grimes's (grimesd) Blog

Mortgage Rates - And Home Affordability - At The Whim Of The Federal Reserve  The Federal Open Market Committee starts a two-day meeting today, the third of its 8 scheduled meetings this year. The FOMC is a special, 12-person committee within the Federal Reserve. It's led by Fed Chairman Ben Bern...

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : April 18, 2011   Mortgage markets improved last week, buoyed by two days of out-sized gains. Mortgage rates bounced off their 8-week highs on much weaker-than-expected inflation data, and debt concerns abroad. It's an abrupt change in mortgage rate mome...

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : April 11, 2011  Mortgage markets worsened last week as energy costs remained high, and jobs data looked strong. The safe haven buying that characterized the March mortgage market has subsided. it's driving mortgage rates higher across Michigan. Conformi...

Military Members : You Have 3 Weeks To Buy A Home, Claim Up To $8,000 In Tax Credits If you're an eligible federal employee or qualified military personnel, you have 3 weeks from this Saturday to use the federal home buyer tax credit, and to claim up to $8,000 in federal income tax credits.  Acco...

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : April 4, 2011   In a volatile week of trading, mortgage markets closed unchanged last week. Despite economic data proving stronger-than-expected - a situation that tends to lead mortgage rates higher - concern for persistently high oil prices tempered W...

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : March 28, 2011   Mortgage markets worsened last week as nuclear meltdown concerns eased across Japan, and the war within Libya moved closer to a potential finish. Wall Street voted with its dollars, and a return to risk-taking emerged. "Safe haven" buyi...

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : March 21, 2011   Mortgage markets improved again last week despite an inflation-acknowledging statement from the FOMC and stronger-than-expected jobless data. Usually, events like this would lead mortgage rates higher, but violence in the Middle East an...

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : March 14, 2011   Mortgage markets improved last week in a week of few economic releases. The one major data point - Retail Sales - showed stronger-than-expected, but markets reacted mildly. The report's strength was whispered in advance of the actual re...

Military Personnel Can Still Claim The $8,000 Homebuyer Tax Credit   For certain members of the military, and for certain federal employees, there's just 2 months remaining to get use the federal home buyer tax credit. Eligible persons include members of the uniformed services, members of the For...

FHA : Monthly Mortgage Insurance Premiums To Rise April 18, 2011   For the third time in 12 months, the FHA is changing its mortgage insurance costs.  Effective for all FHA case numbers assigned on, or after, April 18, 2011, annual mortgage insurance premiums (MIP) will increase 25 basis points. ...