Discover Yahoo! With Your Friends

Explore news, videos, and much more based on what your friends are reading and watching. Publish your own activity and retain full control.

To get started, first

YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Homes.org Releases Mortgage Rates Update - Interest Rates Drop Despite Economic Improvement

    Homes.org releases new weekly analysis of mortgage rates shows that interest rates fell this week which wasn't what analysts were expecting. The mortgage report explains the current rates for 30-year and 15-year fixed mortgage, how economic improve is affecting interest rates and what's likely to affect mortgage interest rates in the coming days and weeks.

    (PRWEB) February 18, 2012

    The Homes.org weekly mortgage rate report shows that interest rates fell this week, which wasn't what many analysts were expecting. The decrease of four basis points brings mortgage rates down to new record lows. Traditionally, when the economy improves, which this week's economic reports continue to suggest, interest rates will rise. But the Fed's actions to keep base rates at near zero and uncertainty in Greece, which is affecting the Eurozone's economy, are helping to suppress rising mortgage interest rates.

    Current interest rates are:

             4.10% - average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage


             3.35% - average rate for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage

    This week there are a number of economic reports coming out that may have an effect on interest rates. The reports include:


    •     Tuesday - January Retail Sales report

    •     Thursday - Producer Price Index
    •     Thursday - Consumer Price Index
    •     Thursday - Jobless Claims report
    •     Thursday - New Housing Starts report and the Jobs report
    •     Friday - Consumer Sentiment report for the first week of February

    The economic reports started off well for the U.S. economy this week with the January Retail Sales report showing a gain of 0.4%. Auto sales fell but spending was up in other areas including home and garden supplies. The Producer Price Index also showed very modest improvements going up by only .01%.

    The bigger economic news was the unexpected drop in jobless benefit claims last week which was at its lowest level in four years. There were 13,000 less claims, that's below even the lowest economist expectations and further suggests that the jobs situation is improving in the U.S.

    The other report that will have the biggest impact on the housing market is the Housing Starts report. The report showed a 1.5% increase in housing starts in the month of January. Building permits were also up from the previous period.

    Homes.org is forecasting that given the better than expected economic reports this week and the already record low mortgage interest rates, we're likely to see a slight increase next week.

    To find more information on mortgage rates, the newest home listings and local real estate agents, please visit: Homes.org

    About Homes.org

    Homes.org is a fast growing real estate search portal that offers users much more than MLS listings. Homes.org gives users access to a rich collection of resources, including but not limited to, real estate listings, home owner finance tools and home service tools. Homes.org brings buyers, sellers and renters important information about the current markets and intelligent tools by partnering with real estate professionals from around the country. Homes.org is a subsidiary of Star Nine Ventures, Inc. headquartered in Austin, TX.

    About Star Nine Ventures®

    Star Nine Ventures® is an Austin-based, marketing-driven venture creation company targeting a wide range of national business-to-consumer online marketplaces. Star Nine's core mission is to build businesses that provide exemplary consumer experiences and unparalleled customer service.

    ###

    Ace Elliott
    Homes.org
    512-538-2215
    Email Information


     

    There are no comments yet

    [ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]
    [ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]