The Fed publishes meeting minutes 8 times annually – three weeks after each scheduled Federal Open Market Committee get-together. The Fed Minutes summarizes the FOMC meeting.
The Federal Reserve released the minutes from its August 9, 2011 Federal Open Market Committee meeting Tuesday.
The Fed Minutes contained no surprises and, as a result, mortgage rates across Ohio and nationwide have idled.
Although it gets less press attention, the Fed Minutes is every bit as important as the more highly-publicized, post-meeting statement from the FOMC. With its detailed record of conversation, the Fed Minutes highlights the discussions and debates that shape our nation’s monetary policy.
For example, here is some of what was said at the Fed’s August 2011 meeting :
On growth : Economic growth had been slower than the committee expected
On housing : The market “remains depressed”. Underwriting standards are “tight”.
On rates : The Fed Funds Rate will remain low until mid-2013
In addition, the Fed talked about whether a third round of asset purchases should be announced. Ultimately, that plan was rejected by consensus.
The FOMC’s next meeting is a 2-day meeting, scheduled for September 20-21. The meeting was originally scheduled for just one day, but Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke chose to extend it to two. Wall Street believes that the extension was made so Fed members could discuss new forms of economic stimulus.
Depending on the form of said stimulus — if it should even occur — mortgage rates may rise or fall. We can’t know for certain unti the size and scope of the Fed’s plan is known.
For now, mortgage rates remain rock-bottom. There’s more room for rates to rise than to fall. If you’re shopping for a loan and the rate looks right, therefore, consider locking on it.
After 3 straight months of gains, the Pending Home Sales Index slipped 1 percent in July. The monthly report is published by the National Association of REALTORS® and measures the number of home under contract to sell nationwide.
The Pending Home Sales Index is closely watched by Wall Street and analysts because it’s a forward-looking housing market indicator. Unlike most housing market data, though, Pending Home Sales forecasts a future housing market event. In this case, the Existing Home Sales report.
In its methodology, the Pending Home Sales Index states that 80% of homes under contract close within 2 months, with most of the remaining home going to closing within Months 3 and 4.
We would expect home sales data to taper into the fall buying season, but this year, they may taper more than normal. This is because, in a separate report, the National Association of REALTORS® said that contract cancellation rates are running high.
As compared to a 4 percent contract cancellation rate in May 2011, June and July both registered 16 percent. This means that fewer homes tallied as part of July’s Pending Home Sales Index will show up as “closed sales” this fall.
Contracts can be canceled for any number of reasons including more stringent mortgage guidelines, appraisals falling short of the purchase price, and changing mortgage loan limits.
For home buyers in Cincinnati , the Pending Home Sales Index may represent an opportunity. Not only are fewer homes going under contract nationwide, but with cancellation rates spiking, sellers may be more willing to “make a deal”.
Note, though, like all real estate, the pace at which homes go under contract is a “local” statistic; you can’t assume national data applies to all markets equally. Your home market, for example, may out-perform — or under-perform — the national average.
For a closer look at what’s happening on your street including the speed at which homes are selling, talk to a local real estate agent.
With seasons changing, it’s a good time to look at weatherizing your home. Whether you live in a single-family home, a multi-family property, or a condominium, your home has windows and, through those windows, air escapes.
Even with your windows closed.
In this brief tutorial from Lowe’s, you’ll learn how to use caulk to seal the gaps between your windows and doors and their respective framing to keep your home’s inside air in, and the outside air out.
As shown by the video, there are no technical skills required to repair and replace your home’s caulking. It may require a little bit of elbow grease, however. And, depending on your windows’ locations, use of a ladder may be required.
If you’d like professional help weatherizing your home, please ask me for a referral in Cincinnati.
Low mortgage rates are terrific — if you can get them.
One week after posting its lowest mortgage rate in 50 years, Freddie Mac reports that the 30-year fixed rate mortgage rose by an average of 7 basis points nationwide this week to 4.22%. To get the rate, you’ll pay an average of 0.7 “points”.
This week’s rise in the 30-year fixed rate mortgage pulled rates off their all-time lows so either you locked last week’s rock-bottom rates, or you missed it.
Mortgage rates are rising.
As a refinancing homeowner or home buyer in Cincinnati , rising mortgage rates are something to watch. This is because, as mortgage rates rise, so do the long-term interest costs of giving a mortgage, increasing your homeownership costs.
For example, if you failed to lock a rate last week when rates were bottomed, and then decided to lock-in only after rates had climbed 0.25 percent, at the new, higher rate, over the life of your loan, you would have responsibility for an extra $5,300 in interest costs for every $100,000 you borrowed.
Rising mortgage rates can be expensive.
For home buyers, rising mortgage rates pose a second problem — they erode your purchasing power. A home that fits your budget at today’s rates may not fit your budget at next week’s rates. And because mortgage rates change quickly, you can sometimes feel ilke you’re racing the clock.
The hard part about mortgage rates, though, is that we can never know what they’ll do next. On some days they rise, on some days they fall, and on some days they stay the same. Instead of trying to “time the bottom”, therefore, a good strategy can be to lock the first, low rate that fits your budget. Then, if rates are lower in the future, you can look to refinance at that time.
Mortgage rates remain at historical lows. It’s a good time to lock a rate.
The annual survey is based on data from Onboard Informatics. Using Quality of Life factors such as education, crime and “town spirit”, and focusing on towns with between 8,500 and 50,000 residents, the CNNMoney survey ranks the country’s best “small towns”.
To be eligible, towns must be have a median household income greater than 85 percent, and less than 200 percent of the state median income; must not be a categorized as a “retirement community”; and must be racially-diverse.
From a list of 3,570 eligible towns nationwide, Louisville, Colorado was ranked #1.
The complete Top 10 Best Places to Live as cited by CNNMoney, and their respective average home listing prices :
Louisville, Colorado ($383,569)
Milton, Massachusetts ($577,008)
Solon, Ohio ($291,162)
Leesburg, Virginia ($486,018)
Papillion, Nebraska ($218,520)
Hanover, New Hampshire ($643,500)
Liberty, Missouri ($177,678)
Middleton, Wisconsin ($347,770)
Mukilteo, Washington ($345,487)
Chanhassen, Minnesota ($418,607)
Rankings like these can be helpful to home buyers nationwide, but it’s important to remember that the Best Place To Live survey is subjective. You may find none of the above towns to be to your liking.
You may also find the lowest-ranked city to be your favorite.
In other words, before making a decision to buy, connect with a real estate agent who has local market knowledge. That’s the best, most reliable way to make sure you get the housing data that matters to you.
Sales of newly-built homes slipped in July, falling 1 percent as compared to June. Home buyers closed on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized 298,000 units, the lowest reading since February.
The supply of new homes, however, remained flat.
July’s 6.6 months of supply equaled June’s tally and remains near the multi-year low of 6.5 months set in May of this year. The figures suggest a new home market that’s finding its balance.
Builders are building to meet demand, and not much more.
The New Home Sales report may have read differently if not for the Northeast Region which doubled its sales units in July. The gains buoyed the broader data, re-affirming the importance of looking past national data and focusing on what’s local; the national market is not reflective of any given town
Broken down by region, July New Home Sales fared as follows:
Northeast Region : +100.0% from June 2011
Midwest Region : +2.4% from June 2011
South Region : -7.4% from June 2011
West Region : -5.9% from June 2011
However, as with most months, it’s important that we recognize the New Home Sales data’s margin of error.
Although New Home Sales showed a 1 percent drop in July, the reported margin of error was ±12.9%. This means that the actual reading could have been as high as +11.9 percent, or as low as -13.9 percent. Because the range includes both positive and negative values, the Census Bureau assigned its July data “zero confidence”.
New Home Sales appear to be stable, despite falling sales figures. Supplies remain flat and builder confidence does, too. The good news for buyers in Cincinnati , then, is that lower mortgage rates are making homes more affordable.
According to the National Association of REALTORS®, Existing Home Sales nationwide fell to 4.67 million units on a seasonally-adjusted annualized basis last month. It’s the fourth straight month below the 5 million mark, and the report’s lowest reading since November 2010.
An “existing home” is a home that’s been previously occupied or owned.
In addition, the Existing Home Sales report showed home supplies rising nationwide. At the current pace of sales, in other words, the complete, national “For Sale” inventory would be exhausted in 9.4 months. This, too, is the worst reading since November 2010.
On a units basis, however, the number of homes for sale actually fell in July. As compared to June, home resale inventory dropped 65,000 units to 3.65 million.
From these figures, we can infer that, despite low mortgage rates and lagging home values, buyer activity is slowing in Ohio and nationwide. This may be seasonal, or it may be a long-term trend.
Either way, there’s opportunity for today’s home buyers.
With mortgage rates at all-time lows, home affordability is peaking. More households can afford housing payments than during any time in history and with the fall season approaching, buyers in Cincinnati may find contracts negotiations to be more “friendly”.
This can mean lower sale prices and larger concessions from sellers — the hallmark of a Buyer’s Market.
It’s a good time to look at your options. Talk to your real estate agent and see what’s out there for you. Low home prices may persist, but low mortgage rates likely won’t.
Labor Day is nearing; the unofficial end of summer across Ohio. If you’re among the many Americans planning an end-of-season barbecue, you’ll want to make sure your grill is clean.
A clean grill makes better tasting food.
There are several ways to clean a grill but, for owners of gas grills, the first step always is to disconnect the gas source.
Next, open your grill and remove its metal pieces. This includes grates, trays and flame guards. Take these pieces to your kitchen. If the oven has a self-cleaning mechanism, place the items in your oven and let it “self-clean”. As the temperature reaches 900 degrees or more, residue will literally fall off your grill parts.
Be sure to wipe clean your oven once the cycle completes.
If your oven is not self-cleaning, wash the grill parts in your sink using hot water and detergent. You’ll want to soak the parts in soapy water if they’re especially dirty. Once clean, allow the parts to air dry.
Then, return to your grill and using a wire brush, scrape the residue from the sides, top and bottom of the appliance. Again, using a soapy hot water mixture, wash and wipe down the inside of the grill. Rinse it clean once the residue is removed.
Re-assemble your grill.
Lastly, reconnect the gas source (if applicable) and allow the grill to burn for 5 minutes. This will burn off any lingering residue from the cleaning process, including soap and detergent.
And that’s it!
Plan on cleaning your grill at least twice annually with heavy use.
Last week, at its 5th scheduled meeting of the year, the Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate in its target range near zero percent.
The Fed Funds Rate has been near zero percent since December 2008 and, in its official statement, the FOMC pledged to leave the Fed Funds Rate untouched for at least another 2 years.
This doesn’t mean mortgage rates will be untouched for 2 years, though.
Mortgage rates and the Fed Funds Rate are two different interest rates; completely disconnected. If mortgage rates and the Fed Funds Rate moved in tandem, the chart at right would be a straight line.
Instead, it’s jagged.
To make the point more strongly, let’s use real-life examples from the past decade.
June 2004, 529 basis points separated the Fed Funds Rate and the 30-year fixed mortgage rate
June 2006, 168 basis points separated the Fed Funds Rate and the 30-year fixed mortgage rate
Today, the separation between the two benchmark rates is 407 basis points.
1 basis point is equal to 0.01%.
Between now and mid-2013, when the Fed may begin changing the Fed Funds Rate, the spread between rates will change based on economic expectation — not Fed action (or non-action). If the economy is expected to improve, mortgage rates in Cincinnati will rise and the spread will widen.
Should mortgage rates cross 6 percent before the Fed starts raising rates, it will create the widest interest rate spread in history, surpassing the 615 basis point difference set in August 1982.
At the time, the Fed Funds Rate was 10.12% and mortgage rates averaged 16.27%.
On the other hand, if the economy shows signs of a slowdown for late-2011 and beyond, mortgage rates are expected to drop.
Shopping for a mortgage can be tough — especially in a volatile environment like the current one. Mortgage rates move independent of the Fed Funds Rate. Make sure you’re watching the proper market indicators. It’s your best chance to lock the lowest rate possible.
Last week, the Federal Reserve pledged to leave the Fed Funds Rate near 0.000 percent until at least mid-2013. For credit card holders in Ohio who carry a monthly balance, this is good news. Because of the Fed’s call, credit card rates are unlikely to rise before mid-2013.
But cardholders can save on more than just interest costs, as you’ll learn from this two-and-a-half minute piece with NBC’s The Today Show. In the interview, you’ll hear about “built-in” perks offered by most credit cards and ways by which you can save on everyday goods and services.
For example, did you know your everyday credit card might offer:
Travel perks : Automatic trip cancellation protection and car rental insurance.
Shopping perks : Discount admission to concerts and museums; free shipping from overseas.
Consumer perks : Price protection against a drop in price; insurance against theft; extended warranties.
And it’s not just “high end” cards that offer these options, either. Credit cards of all types do what they can to improve consumer loyalty. Offering free perks is just one way in which they try.
Most credit cards offer websites detailing cardmember perks and benefits. Visit the site of your favorite card and see where you might save on everyday items.
Two months after posting their worst confidence reading of 2011, home builders say they foresee no improvement in the immediate- or medium-term market for new homes nationwide.
The HMI is a monthly housing survey, published by the National Association of Homebuilders. It’s scored on a scale of 1-100 with readings over 50 suggesting favorable home builder conditions. Readings under 50 suggest unfavorable conditions.
The Housing Market Index has been below the 50-point benchmark since 2006.
To calculate the HMI, home builders are asked 3 separate questions, each addressing the different element of the new home sales business.
How are today’s market conditions for the sale of new homes?
How do you expect market conditions to be 6 months from now?
How are the current foot traffic of prospective buyers?
Based on the August answers to these questions, builders are witnessing an improvement with the current market, partially fueled by low mortgage rates, but expect momentum to fade into early-2012.
As a home buyer in Cincinnati , this may bode well for you. If you can wait to buy a home, you may find builders more willing to concede on price or upgrades.
The other side of that conversation, though, is that while you may save money on the home, you may lose it in your monthly payments. Rising mortgage rates can quickly zap your savings — adding tens of thousands in interest costs to your budget long-term.
For now, home prices remain low and mortgage rates do, too. Home affordability is at an all-time high. Take advantage of what the market gives you.
The ranks of the landlords are growing. Along with an increasing number of “accidental landlords”, real estate investors now account for close to 20 percent of all home resales, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.
If you plan to buy a rental property in Cincinnati , or to convert your current residence for long-term rental, make sure your home is properly insured.
A traditional homeowners insurance policy may be unsuitable for landlords.
A landlord insurance policy typically covers the home itself; the owner’s possessions in the home; structures on the land including garages and sheds; and, minimal liability coverage in the event of injury or lawsuit.
It’s common for landlords to increase that minimal liability coverage, adding an umbrella policy for $1,000,000 or more. Umbrella policies protect your home from an unfavorable lawsuit related to just about anything — housing-related or not.
Optionally, a policy may includes provisions for “lost rental income”.
Annual premiums for a landlord insurance policy are often 20% more costly than for a standard homeowners policy. This puts the average landlord insurance premium near $950 per year.
Premiums vary by state, too. The top 3 most expensive states in which to insure a rented home are:
Texas : $1,752 per year
Florida : $1,668 per year
Louisiana : $1,386 per year
At $464 per year, Idaho is the least expensive state in which to hold a landlord insurance policy.
Talk with your insurance agent about your insurance options as a landlord. There are tens of choices and coverages from which you can choose. Let a professional help you pick the best choice.
According to RealtyTrac, a national foreclosure-tracking firm, the number of foreclosure filings nationwide fell 35 percent as compared to July 2010, a statistic suggesting that the housing market continues to improve.
“Foreclosure filing” is a catch-all term encompassing default notices, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions.
Filings fell to a 44-month low in July 2011.
For all the improvement, though, activity remains concentrated in just a few states. More than half of all bank repossessions last month occurred in just a handful of states.
In July, 6 states accounted for 52% of activity.
California : 19% of all repossessions
Georgia : 8% of all repossessions
Florida : 7% of all repossessions
Texas : 6% of all repossessions
Michigan : 6% of all repossessions
Arizona : 6% of all repossessions
At the other end of the spectrum is Vermont. With just 11 repossessions for all of July, Vermont accounted for 0.016% of repossessions nationwide.
Distressed homes are in high demand with today’s home buyers. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, they account for 30% of all home resales. That’s no surprise, either.
Distressed homes typically sell at 20 percent discounts as compared to non-distressed ones.
But, if buying a foreclosure is in your agenda, be sure to do your homework. Buying bank-owned homes is different from buying from “people”. The contracts are different, the negotiations are different, and the homes are sometimes sold with defects.
If you plan to purchase a foreclosure in Cincinnati , therefore, be sure to speak with a licensed real estate agent first. There’s plenty of available information online but when it’s time to buy, have an experienced agent on your side.
The latest Non-Farm Payrolls survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 117,000 net new jobs were created in July, thumping analyst estimates and surprising Wall Street investors.
In addition, May and June’s originally-reported figures were both revised higher:
May 2011 was revised higher by 28,000 jobs
June 2011 was revised higher by 28,000 jobs
The national Unemployment Rate slipped to 9.1 percent.
The jobs report’s strong readings would typically be a boon to stock market and a threat to mortgage rates. This is because more employed Americans means more disposable income spent on products and services; and more taxes paid to governments at the federal, state and local level.
This combination fuels consumer spending and supports new job growth, a self-reinforcing cycle that spurs economic growth and often to draw investors into equities.
This month, however, the market reaction has been decidedly different.
Since the Friday release of the July Non-Farm Payrolls report, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has lost close to 6 percent of its value. Furthermore, mortgage bonds — which typically sink on a strong jobs figure — have thrived.
High demand for mortgage-backed bonds have pushed mortgage rates below their all-time lows set last November; the biggest cause of which is Standard & Poor’s credit downgrade of U.S. government-issued debt.
Ironically, the credit rating downgrade sparked a surge of safe haven bidding that has been tremendous to rate shoppers and home buyers in Cincinnati and nationwide. Bond buyers are flocking to the U.S.
If you’ve been shopping for a mortgage, therefore, or recently bought a home, use this week’s action to your advantage. Call your lender and ask about rates. You may be surprised at what you find.
Tuesday, the Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within its current target range of 0.000-0.250 percent.
The vote was 7-3 — the first time in 5 meetings that the nation’s Central Bank was non-unanimous and the first time since 1992 that the FOMC adjourned with as many as three dissenters.
In its press release, the FOMC had little good to say about the U.S. economy, noting that since its last meeting in June:
Growth has been “considerably slower” than expected
Labor market conditions have deteriorated
Household spendng has “flattened”
The Fed also noted that the housing sector remains depressed.
On the positive side, the Fed said that business investment in equipment and software continues to expand, and that energy costs have dropped and no longer contribute to inflationary pressures on the economy.
In fact, the Fed worries that inflation may be running too low for the country’s good.
To that end, the Federal Reserve has pledged to keep the Fed Funds Rate in its current range near 0.000 percent “at least until mid-2013″. This is a departure from prior statements in which the Fed gave no such date.
Mortgage market reaction to the FOMC statement has been positive this afternoon. Mortgage rates in Ohio are improving, but note that sentiment can shift quickly — especially in a market as uncertain as this one.
If today’s mortgage rates look good in your household budget, consider locking in a rate.
After 3 straight months of gains, the Pending Home Sales Index 
CNNMoney recently released its 
Home resales slipped in July.
Labor Day is nearing; the unofficial end of summer across Ohio. If you’re among the many Americans planning an end-of-season barbecue, you’ll want to make sure your grill is clean.
Last week, at its 5th scheduled meeting of the year, the Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate in its target range near zero percent.
The ranks of the landlords are growing. Along with an increasing number of “accidental landlords”, real estate investors now account for close to 
Foreclosure activity continues to slow.
More Americans are getting back to work.
Tuesday, the Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within its current target range of 0.000-0.250 percent.
