Category Archives: Uncategorized

Home Design Deals

Posted on February 23, 2015 | Leave a comment

From Consumer Reports: These sites meet CR requirements for privacy, contact-info disclosure and service.

ZaraHome.com http://www.zarahome.com/us/en-us/ Free shipping, line of home accessories and furniture.

Charish.com https://www.chairish.com/ “Craigslist minus the half broken Ikea furniture” gently used furniture décor items come with high-style pedigrees.

Hem.com http://hem.com/ Original furniture and home accessories from hot designers, strives to make chic style affordable.

Disclaimer: for information and entertainment purposes only.

Lenders Easing Requirements for Mortgages

Posted on February 22, 2015 | Leave a comment

WASHINGTON — A closely watched index that tracks mortgage credit availability — lender requirements on credit scores, down payments and other key loan terms — has some good news for potential homebuyers: Things are finally loosening up.

After years of progressively tighter rules on borrower eligibility in the wake of the housing bust, banks and mortgage companies have begun modestly easing their requirements and even expanding the types of mortgages they offer. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s latest credit availability index reported improvements in all four of its loan categories during January. The improvements mainly reflect positive lender responses to government efforts to ease regulations and improve affordability in the housing market — all of which means an improved environment for mortgage shoppers.

Among the initiatives: Giant investor Fannie Mae’s allowing of purchases of conventional mortgages with as little as 3 percent down. Freddie Mac, another major investor, is planning to begin similar 3 percent down loan purchases for mortgages closed on or after March 23. According to Mike Fratantoni, chief economist for the mortgage banker’s group, “roughly 40 percent of investors” already have begun offering the Fannie 3 percent down program. The guidelines for the Freddie Mac program are in lenders’ hands and there’s likely to be a strong rollout for it.

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Fed in no hurry to raise interest rates

Posted on February 19, 2015 | Leave a comment

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials struggled last month to assess when economic data might prompt them to raise interest rates from record lows — and how best to convey their intentions to investors.

Minutes of the Fed’s Jan. 27-28 meeting released Wednesday suggest that policymakers aren’t ready to start raising rates anytime soon, with some expressing concerns about excessively low inflation, lingering weakness in the U.S. job market and economic threats overseas.

The Fed’s benchmark interest rate has been near zero since December 2008.

Many officials “observed that a premature increase in rates might damp the apparent solid recovery in real activity and labor market conditions,” said the minutes, released after a customary three-week delay.

Analysts said they believed the minutes made a June rate hike less likely, given the concerns expressed by various Fed officials about the state of the economy.