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Altamonte Springs, FL Real Estate News

By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  Mortgage lending appears to be loosening. At least for now. In its quarterly survey of member banks, the Federal Reserve asks senior loan officers around the country whether their "prime" residential mortgage guidelines had tightened within the last 3 months. A prime borrower is one with a well-documented credit history, high credit scores, and a..... Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Mortgage Guidelines Starting To Loosen?
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  In December, home sales reached an 8-month high, recovering from the losses of last summer. Market momentum is positive across Florida , but that doesn't mean every home is selling quickly -- only some of them are. So, if you're a home seller and want (or need) to get your home sold quickly, take a listen to this 3-minute interview from NBC's The Today Show. It's loaded with practical sales advice for ...... Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Practical Advice : How To Help Your Home Sell Faster
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  Another day, another strong report for housing. The Pending Home Sales Index climbed 2 percent in December, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. A "pending home sale" is an existing home under contract to sell, but not yet closed. Pending Home Sales are up for the fifth time in 6 months. The December reading is now its highest since the federal home buyer tax credit's April 2010 contract deadline, and the figure is......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Pending Home Sales At The Highest Levels Since April 2010
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  It doesn't take much effort to stand over a pot and "stir continuously", as called for in some recipes. It can be tedious, though, and once a chef stops stirring or leaves a pot unattended, the recipe is sure to ruin. Enter the automatic stirrer. With its self-adjusting, self-centering blades, the Ardenté Gourmet Stirrer latches on to the side of most kitchen bowls, and does that stirring for you. The machine's constant blade-turning protects your.......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Use An Automatic Stirrer To Keep Foods From Burning And Pots From Scorching  
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
For homeowners interested in making some property improvements without tapping into their savings or investment accounts, the two main options are to either take out a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC), or do a cash-out refinance. According To Wikipedia: A home equity line of credit is a loan in which the lender agrees to lend a maximum amount within an agreed period, where the collateral is the borrower's equity. A HELOC differs from a conventional home equity loan in that the borrower is not advanced the entire sum up front, but uses a line of credit to borrow sums that total no more than the credit limit, similar to a credit card. HELOC funds can be......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Should I Refinance or Get a HELOC For Home Improvements?                      
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  Sales of new homes rose sharply in December, posting a 17.5 percent gain from the month prior. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, New Home Sales climbed to 329,000 in December, besting November by close to 50,000 units on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis. Last month's reading is an 8-month high for New Home Sales, and the latest in a series of signals that housing is improving in Orlando and around the country. Note that December's Existing Homes Sales and......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: New Home Sales Reach 8-Month High
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  Today, the Federal Open Market Committee voted 10-to-0 to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within its target range of 0.000-0.250 percent. In its press release, the FOMC noted that since December's meeting, economic growth is ongoing, but at a pace deemed "insufficient" to make a material impact on the jobs market. In addition, the Fed said household spending "picked up" late last year, although it continues to be held back by joblessness, tight credit and lower housing wealth. This is similar to the language used in......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: A Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (January 26, 2011 Edition)
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  Home values were reported unchanged in November 2010, on average, according to the Federal Home Finance Agency's Home Price Index.  We say "on average" because the government's Home Price Index is a data composite for the country. The index doesn't measure citywide changes in places like Orlando , nor does it get granular down to the neighborhood level to measure places like The Crossings. Instead, the Home Price Index groups state data in 9 regions with each regions having as few as.....   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: The Home Price Index Shows Flat For November
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  The Federal Open Market Committee begins a 2-day meeting today in Washington D.C. It's the group's first meeting of 2011 -- one of 8 scheduled for the year. The Fed meets every 45 days, on average. Its last meeting was December 14, 2010. Rate shoppers and home buyers should make a note. Mortgage rates and home affordability could change dramatically beginning tomorrow afternoon. Because Wall Street watches FOMC meetings closely, so should you. The meetings provide insight on......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: The Fed Meets Today. What It Means To Mortgage Rates.
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  Granite is a popular "finishing choice" for homeowners in Longwood because of its good-looks and its strength. A well-maintained granite counter-top boasts natural beauty and outlasts most other finishes. But granite is also natural rock, mined from the earth. It's porous and highly absorbent. Therefore, if your home features granite in its kitchen, its bathrooms, or other living spaces, you'll want to make sure the counter-tops are cared for to prevent staining and/or clouding over time.  The first step is to.......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: How To Keep Your Granite Countertops From Getting "Cloudy"
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
The FHA Mortgage Insurance Premium is an important part of every FHA loan. There are actually two types of Mortgage Insurance Premiums associated with FHA loans: 1.  Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium (UFMIP) - financed into the total loan amount at the initial time of funding 2.  Monthly Mortgage Insurance Premium - paid monthly along with Principal, Interest, Taxes and Insurance Conventional loans that are higher than 80% Loan-to-Value also require mortgage insurance, but at a relatively higher rate than FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums. Mortgage Insurance is a very important part of.......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Understanding the FHA Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP)  
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  Existing Home Sales surged 12 percent last month, closing 2010's housing market with strength. An "existing home" is a home that cannot be categorized as new construction; a resale. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, seasonally-adjusted, annualized Existing Home Sales figures climbed by more than a half-million units in December as compared to November. It's the 3rd straight month of home resale improvement nationwide. Sales volume is now as......   Read the complete BLOG POST HERE: Home Supplies Plummet, Putting Pressure On Prices To Rise
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  Each month, in conjunction with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Census Bureau releases its New Residential Construction report. The report is comprised of several sections, one of which counts the number of homes that have "broken ground" in Florida and nationwide. They're called "Housing Starts" and, by most measures, they faded quickly as 2010 came to a close. According to the Census Bureau's report, Housing Starts of.....   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Building Permits Surge In December; Signals A Strong Spring Housing Market
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  Homebuilder confidence held firm for the second straight month this month, according to the National Association of Home Builders. The monthly Housing Market Index registered 16 out of a possible 100. January's reading is three points higher than the 2010 low-point, set in September, and in-line with last year's average reading. According to the NAHB, the market for newly-built, single family homes remains relatively weak "following a.......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Home Builders Slowed By Economy, But Seeing More Foot Traffic  
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By Alex F, Central Florida, Realtor
(Charles Rutenberg Realty)
Recently Sold Homes in Altamonte Springs December 2010   Altamonte Springs, Florida consists of zip codes 32714 and 32701 located in Seminole County. The results of this report are separated by the two area codes and by property style. The statistics do not include properties sold "For Sale Buy Owner" nor custom built new homes. These are only past month results, in order to get a better understanding of the market it is suggested to use a compilation of several months results.   Zip Code: 32714 Single Family Homes Sold 20 Townhome/Condos Sold 28 Average List Price $118,693 Average List Price $50,828 Average Sales Price $108,855 Average Sales Price $48,683 Average Days on Market 165 Average Days on Market 76 Lowest Priced home Sold $12,000 Highest Priced home Sold $219,000 $12,000, 3 Be...
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  Home remodeling projects can add function to a home, but don't always add value. Consider the latest report from Remodeling Magazine.  In it, the average cost of 35 projects are evaluated for the value they retain at the time of resale. Function beats flash, it seems, in today's housing market. Expansive kitchens and custom vanities are returning less value to homeowners in Longwood  on a......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Is This Home Renovation Going To Be Worth It?
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  Timing the market for the best possible opportunity to lock a mortgage rate on a new loan is certainly a challenge, even for the professionals. While there are several generic interest rate trend indicators online, the difference between what's advertised and actually attainable can be influenced at any given moment by at least 50 different variables in the market, and with each individual loan approval scenario. Outside of the borrower's control, the mortgage rate marketplace is a dynamic, volatile, living and breathing animal. Lenders set their rates every day based on......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Top Five Market Factors That Influence Mortgage Rates
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  According to foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac, the number of foreclosure filings nationwide dropped for the second straight month in December. After falling 21 percent in November, filings were down by an additional 2 percent in December. "Foreclosure filing" is a catch-all term, comprising default notices, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions. Like most months, a small number of.....   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Foreclosure Activity Falls For The Second Straight Month, Drops To 30-Month Low
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  Consumers keep spending, the economy keeps growing. Mortgage rates are easing lower this morning on just-released, slightly worse-than-expected Retail Sales data from December 2010. Excluding motor vehicles and auto parts, December's sales receipts were $1.5 billion higher from November. Analysts had expected a number north of $2 billion. Despite falling short of estimates, however, December's reading is the highest in Retail Sales history, surpassing the previous record set in July 2008, set during the recession. In addition, December's strong numbers helped 2010's year-over-year numbers go......   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Retail Sales Weak In December; Home Affordability Gets A Boost  
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By Chris Brown- Florida Home Loan Specialist | Certified Mortgage Planner, Chris Brown 407.367.2974
(Chris Brown | Certified Mortgage Planners)
  For some homeowners, electing to take an adjustable rate mortgage over a fixed rate one can be matter of budgeting. ARMs tend to carry lower mortgage rates and, therefore, lower monthly mortgage payment as compared to a comparable fixed rate loan. Relative to fixed rate mortgages, current ARM pricing is excellent. Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey puts the 5-year ARM mortgage rate lower than the 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate by 1.02 percent. On a $250,000 home loan, a 1.02 differential yields a.....   Read the COMPLETE BLOG POST HERE: Comparing Mortgage Rates For Adjustable- And Fixed-Rate Mortgages
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