The year is half-over. It’s an opportune time to take stock of analyst predictions made at the start of the year, and to recognize that the “experts” can be wrong as often as they are right. Maricopa real estate

For as much experience and authority an expert brings to the conversation, though, nobody can accurately predict the future.

As such, there’s often disagreement.

Looking back to December, some housing analysts called for a market rebound this year; while others called for a fall. With respect to mortgages, some said rates had nowhere to go but up; while others expected more dips.

As a layperson, how do you know who will be right?

In short, you can’t.

Predictions are a tricky business because they’re guesses about the future based on the world as it exists today. When the predictions listed earlier were made, the world was a different place.   

A lot has changed since January:

• Slowing job growth has suggested to slower U.S. economic growth
• Food and energy costs have spiked, adding inflationary pressures to the economy
• Eurozone debt issues have grown, punctuated by a near-Greek default
• Tsunamis have caused widespread damage in Japan
• Earthquakes, floods and volcanoes have harmed economic output

None of these events had occurred as of December, when the original predictions were made. Yet, each of these developments has made a deep impact on housing, and on the economy.  

So, what’s a Casa Grande homeowner to do? Think of the present instead.

First, mortgage rates are low today — extremely low by historical standards. Second, home values have been slow to rebound through most U.S. markets. Combined, these factors have made homes more affordable than it any time in recorded history. It’s not only cheap to buy a home right now, it’s cheap to refinance one, too.

Analysts are saying the home prices will rise this year, and mortgage rates will, too. Those predictions may ultimately be proven true. Until the future arrives, though, those predictions are just guesses. If you are looking for Maricopa real estate please visit www.pru1re.com for more information about the city of Maricopa and the great state of Arizona.

The interest rate differential between fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages continues to widen and has now reached historic levels.

There’s never been a better time to lock an ARM.

According to Freddie Mac’s weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey, homeowners in Casa Grande who lock their mortgage rate today will save 129 basis points on rate, on average, by choosing a 5-year ARM as their mortgage product as compared to a 30-year fixed rate loan.

The average 30-year fixed rate is 4.51%. The average 5-year ARM rate is 3.22%.

It’s the biggest interest rate spread between fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgage rates in Freddie Mac’s recorded history; a gap which is the result, in part, of the 5-year ARM dropping to all-time lows this week.

Rates for the 5-year ARM are even lower than during last year’s historic Refi Boom.

Putting today’s “spread” in action against a hypothetical $250,000 loan size, a homeowner that chooses an ARM over a fixed-rate loan would save $184.30 monthly, and would have $500 fewer closing costs.

That’s a 5-year savings of $11,558 — nearly triple what you would have saved just 2 years ago.

The main reason why today’s adjustable-rate mortgages are priced so aggressively relative to comparable fixed-rate loans is that Wall Street expects the economy to drag for the next several quarters, after which it expects an acceleration.

ARMs tend to reflect short-term expectations for the U.S. economy which is why short-term mortgage rates are dropping.  Fixed products, by contrast, take a longer view and expectations for an economic rebound are pulling fixed-rate mortgage rates up.

For now, mortgage applicants can exploit the difference — especially those who plan to move within the next 5 years — but adjustable-rate mortgages aren’t right for everyone. ARMs carry particular risks about which you should be aware before locking.

Before you choose an ARM, therefore, talk it through with your loan officer.

Your home’s windows look best when they’re clean on both the inside and the outside. It’s a quarterly housekeeping chore, at minimum, and should coincide with seasonal changes.

But washing windows can be a drag on the environment. Most homeowners use multiple rolls of paper towels to finish the job, and many commercial window cleaners are chemical-loaded.

Fortunately, there’s a way to wash your windows, be environmentally conscious, and still get great results. Here’s how to do it.

First, wait for a cloudy day. Cloudy days are best for cleaning windows because sunny days create more streaking; the sun can dry the windows before you’ve had a chance to polish them.

Next, make your cleaning solution. 

If this is your first time cleaning your home’s windows, in a spray bottle, mix 8 parts water with 1 part each of white vinegar and environmentally-friendly dish detergent. The dish detergent is a necessary additive because it removes waxy buildups from prior washings with commercial cleaners.

Then, for washings beyond the initial cleaning, in the spray bottle, mix 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar for each cup of water instead.

Next, using reusable microfiber cloths, wash one side of the window with horizontal strokes, and the other with vertical strokes. This way, if there’s a streak, you’ll know on which side of the window it is.

Lastly, rinse your cloths often in cold water and be sure to wash top-down.

When you’re finished, your windows will be clean, and you’ll have made a near-zero environmental impact. And remember — you don’t have to wash your windows all at one. You can spread it out over time if that’s easier. If you are looking for Maricopa real estate visite www.pru1re.com.

Earlier today, 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 10-0 — the third straight meeting after which the FOMC vote was unanimous.

In its press release, the FOMC noted that since its March 2011 meeting, the economic recovery is proceeding “at a moderate pace” and that labor markets conditions are “improving gradually”. Household spending and business investment “continue[s] to expand” but the housing sector remains “depressed”.

Furthermore, the FOMC’s statement discussed the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate of (1) Managing inflation levels, and (2) Fostering maximum employment. The statement acknowledged recent inflation pressures on the economy, but it expects those pressures — because they’re related to oil and food prices — to be “transitory”. Unemployment remains “elevated”.

The FOMC statement also re-affirms the group’s plan to keep the Fed Funds Rate near zero percent “for an extended period” of time, and to keep its $600 billion bond market support package — more commonly called “QE2″ — intact.

The statement’s verbiage suggests that a third support package may be created after QE2 ends in June 2011, depending on the needs of the economy.

Mortgage market reaction to the FOMC statement has been positive thus far. Mortgage rates in Casa Grande are unchanged, but leaning lower. And, as always, market sentiment could shift quickly. If you like today’s mortgage rates, consider locking in.

The FOMC’s next scheduled meeting is a 2-day event, June 20-21 2011.  If you are looking for casa grande real estate visit www.pru1re.com.  If you need an Arizona mortgage click here.

After posting an all-time low in February, New Home Sales rebounded strongly last month. This is good news for the Maricopa real estate market. 

Based on joint research from the Census Bureau and HUD, 300,000 new, single-family homes were sold on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis in March. It’s an 11 percent improvement from February, and right in-line with the 6-month average.

The supply of available new homes improved, too, in March, falling by close to a full month.

At the current pace of sales, the entire new home housing stock would be sold in 7.3 months. This is the second-best reading in a year, a statistic partially-supported by the relatively small number of new homes on the market. In the city of Maricopa new homes supply falls right in line with that reading.  As a matter of fact,new homes and reasle real estate is about 7 months of real estate inventory.

There are now just 183,000 new homes available for sale across Maricopa and the country. That’s the smallest reading since the Census Bureau started to keep New Home Sales records beginning in 1995.

However, it should be noted that the March New Home Sales data is suspect. The reading’s margin of error exceeds it actual measurement by almost double. It’s possible that sales volume fell in March instead of rising, therefore. The Census Bureau says as much in its footnotes:

The change [in new home sales] is not statistically significant; that is, it is uncertain whether there was an increase or decrease [in March 2011].

We won’t know for certain until future data revisions are made.

If you’re a home buyer , though, and want to stay ahead of the market, you won’t want to take chances. If the Census Bureau finds its data to be accurate after revisions are made, new home prices will already have started to rise.

You may get your best home value by buying sooner rather than later. If you are looking for Maricopa real estate, visit www.pru1re.com.  For real estate mortgages

Foreclosure activity is much slower this year than last. That is a great sign for home owners in the Maricopa real estate market.  Of course Arizona is leading the way along with other states in the foreclosure market, but a slow down in foreclosures at the national level is a good sign.

According to foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac, the number of national foreclosure filings plunged 35 percent in March 2011 as compared to March 2010, a statistic that reflects a more healthy housing market and more robust outlook for 2011.

A “Foreclosure filing” is defined as any of the following : a default notice, a scheduled auction, or a bank repossessions. Foreclosures filings were down in all but 8 states last month.

Activity remains concentrated, too. More than half of all bank repossessions can be tied to just a handful of states.

In March, 6 states accounted for 51% of activity.

1. California : 15% of all repossessions
2. Florida : 9% of all repossessions
3. Arizona : 7% of all repossessions
4. Michigan : 7% of all repossessions
5. Texas : 6% of all repossessions
6. Nevada : 5% of all repossessions

At the other end of the spectrum is Vermont. With just 5 repossessions for all of March, Vermont accounted for 0.008% of repossessions nationwide.

Distressed homes remain in high demand among today’s home buyers, accounting for almost 40% of all home resales. It’s no wonder, either. Distresses home typically sell at a steep, 15 percent discount as compared to non-distressed properties.

Buying foreclosures can be a great “deal”. However, make sure you’ve done your homework.

Buying homes from banks is different from buying a homes from “people”. Contracts and negotiations are different, and homes are often sold with defects.

If you plan to buy a Maricopa foreclosure, therefore, make you you speak with a licensed real estate professional before submitting a bid. You can research a home online and learn a lot of the process, but when it’s time to purchase, put an experienced agent on your side. If you are looking for Maricopa real estate or need an Arizona home mortgage please visit www.pru1re.com.

Inflation pressures are mounting in the United States. And, Friday, the Consumer Price Index should prove it.

More commonly called “The Cost of Living Index”, CPI measures cost changes in the typical items bought by American households. Among others, CPI measures goods and service in apparel and recreation; medical care and education; and housing and transportation.

The March CPI data is expected to show an increase in the cost of living for the 17th straight month — a reading that would take CPI to an all-time high.

If you’ve filled your gas tank, sent a child to school, or shopped for groceries, you’re likely not surprised. Household budgets have been squeezed from all angles lately. The dollar’s purchasing power is waning.

This is inflation, defined. And a weaker U.S. dollar is bad for mortgage rates. 

The connection between the U.S. dollar and mortgage rates is direct. When inflation pressures rise, mortgage rates in Casa Grande tend to rise, too, because mortgage rates are based on the price of mortgage-backed bonds — a security bought, sold and paid in U.S. dollars

Inflation, in other words, renders mortgage bonds less valuable to investors, all things equal, so investors sell them as inflation pressures grow. More sellers leads to lower prices which, in turn, causes mortgage rates to rise.

It’s why March’s Cost of Living data is so important to rate shoppers and home buyers. Higher levels of CPI can harm home affordability, and stretch your household budget uncomfortably.

As Memorial Day approaches, gas prices are projected to spike, offering little relief from the inflationary pressures in the economy. It’s one reason why mortgage rates should trend higher over the next few months.

If you’re wondering whether to lock or float your mortgage rate, consider locking in. At least today’s rates are a sure thing. Tomorrow’s rates could be much higher.

Consumer spending is alive and well, it seems — unwelcome news for today’s home buyers. 

Wednesday, the Census Bureau will release its March Retail Sales figures and the report is expected to show higher sales receipts for the 9th straight month. A strong reading like that should spell higher mortgage rates in Casa Grande and nationwide.

The connection between Retail Sales and mortgage rates is fairly tight. Retail Sales are “consumer spending” and consumer spending accounts for the majority of the U.S. economy. The U.S. economy, of course, is a dominant force in setting the direction in which mortgage rates are headed.

For example, in 2010, it was a weak economy and murky outlook that helped drive mortgage rates to all-time lows. Since last year, however, the jobs market has started its recovery, monthly receipts have returned to all-time highs, and the Federal Reserve is revising growth estimates for 2011.

Not surprisingly, mortgage rates have reversed, too.

As compared to 6 months ago, conforming rates are higher by 0.750%. Home affordability across Arizona is taking a hit. Plus, the stronger the economy appears to be, the more likely for mortgage rates to climb more.

It’s why tomorrow’s Retail Sales report is so important. 

If you’re under contract for a home, or even evaluating the merits of a refinance, there’s a lot of risk in “floating” your mortgage rate. The more prudent plan is to find a rate at which you’re comfortable with the payment, and lock it in.

And you may want to take that lock sooner than you had planned — if only to protect your monthly payments. Once tomorrow’s Retail Sales report hits, it may be too late. Especially if receipts rise for the 10th straight month.

The Retail Sales report is due for release at 8:30 AM ET.

Whether you barbecue for friends or family once annually, or through all 4 Queen Creek seasons, it’s important to keep a clean gas grill. A well-maintained grill will help your food taste its best — no matter what you’re cooking up.

Cleaning a gas grill is simple and should be performed at least once every 12 months for light use, and once every 6 months for heavy use. You’ll need the following tools:

1. A drop cloth
2. Aluminum foil
3. A regular scrub brush plus a wire brush
4. An active garden hose
5. Dish detergent
6. A soft sponge
7. A bucket
8. Rubber gloves

With these tools in-hand, follow these basic steps.

First, disconnect the propane tank and move the grill onto the drop cloth. Open the grill and remove its grates and the flame guards (the v-shaped metal pieces on top of the burners). Then, disconnect the igniters and remove the burners. Soak the grates in hot water if they’re excessively dirty.

Set the pieces aside for cleaning.

Next, clean out any loose debris from the bottom of the grill. Use the detergent to make a soapy mixture and scrub the bottom of the grill, including its grill pans and grease trays. Clean the grates at this time, too.

Gently brush the outside of the burners with the wire brush, then allow running water from the garden hose to flow through the tubes to clean out the insides. If the burners appear to be cracked, replace them according to the grill manufacturer’s instructions.

Allow all of the above cleaned pieces to air dry, then reassemble the grill.

Next, clean the outside of the grill using a soapy mixture and a soft sponge, treating early-stage corrosion with some cooking oil applied like car wax. If your grill has a stainless steel exterior, wipe with the grain to minimize streaking. And that’s it!

Cleaning a gas grill can be time-consuming, but better tasting food is worth it. Plus, your grill will last longer.