Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
esp with the weather! CBC News - Consumer Life - More Canadians work from home offices http://ping.fm/xgveI
Friday, December 10, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
2010 colouring contest hey kids join today! RE/MAX Clearview 705 428 4500 for all your real estate needs http://ping.fm/dFTAB
Monday, December 6, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
this is important for You - Collingwood Real Estate - House Price Index - Newsletter http://ping.fm/4HRRV
Monday, November 22, 2010
THIS IS PRETTY AWESOME! U.S. utilities scramble to ready grid for electric cars - thestar.com http://ping.fm/07cPJ
Friday, November 19, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Pension investors unveil environmental real estate index - 28 January 2010 11:45 http://ping.fm/38UxS
Friday, November 12, 2010
really entertaining .. don't click if your ears are tender & you dont't like the truth http://ping.fm/B8YyZ
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Untitled
Monday, November 1, 2010
3 yr old Collingwood bungalow for sale: Georgian Meadows 3 bedroom (Listed 2010-10-27)#viewdetail#viewdetail http://ping.fm/6FJwJ
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
3 matthew CRT 425k - Wasaga Sands - Wasaga Beach, Ont., Canada House for sale, - http://ping.fm/BInMR
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
RE/MAX CIE - 45th & Ramblewood Commercial CONDOS @ Ramblewood Place - Wasaga Beach, Ontario http://ping.fm/CHI4m
Monday, October 11, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
LoopNet - Ramblewood Place, Office Condo, 14 Ramblewood Drive, Wasaga Beach, ON http://ping.fm/YNbpF
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
YouTube - Travel Canada -- Ontario Getaways: Creemore, Collingwood and Thornbury http://ping.fm/zXRvu
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Calculated Risk: Existing (U.S.) Home Sales lowest since 1996, 12.5 months of supply http://ping.fm/803CF
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
looking for a new career that's a challenge is very rewarding a invloves woking with people?
http://ping.fm/W0mi5
http://ping.fm/W0mi5
Friday, August 13, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Résidence | The TuLyons | Residence | 1903 Chemin du Bord-du-Lac Road, L'Île-Bizard/Sainte-Geneviève Montréal# Property Listing: MLS# 8340618 http://ping.fm/luoyL
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
What is happening in Canadian Real Estate? call click or dropin to find out local info _ http://ping.fm/8puQj
Friday, July 16, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Good News For Sellers : Housing Starts Fall To 1-Year Low In May 2010
Single-family housing starts plummeted to a one-year low in May, just 30 days after soaring to a 20-month high. It's no wonder home builders are confused.
Against a revised April figure, Housing Starts fell 97,000 units in May, a figure representing almost one-fifth of the total market size.
It's the worst showing for Housing Starts since May 2009, a surprise to builders and economists alike.
Furthermore, single-family Building Permits plunged in May, too -- down 10 percent from April. A permit is a certification from local government that authorizes home construction.
Housing permits are a precursor to Housing Starts with 82% of homes starting construction within 60 days of permit-issuance. Fewer permits, therefore, directly reduces the number of new homes coming to market in the coming months.
For home buyers in Collingwood , this should create a sense of urgency.
Home prices are based on supply and demand and supply appears to be falling about the same time that economists predict a surge in home demand. It could spell rising home prices and a complete loss of negotiation power with home sellers.
For now, though, home affordability remains high with properties cheap and mortgage rates near all-time lows. If you plan to buy a home later this year, the May 2010 Housing Starts data may be a reason to move up your timeframe a bit.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Loan Application Alert : Conforming, Interest Only Mortgages Guidelines Change Next Week
If you plan to finance your Wasaga Beach home with a conforming interest only mortgage, get your loan application submitted no later than this Friday, June 18.
Starting next week, Fannie Mae is clamping down on the popular loan product.
An "interest only" mortgage is exactly what its name implies -- a mortgage for which the monthly payments consist entirely of interest with no principal reduction. Because there's no amortization, payments are less costly on a month-to-month basis.
For example, assuming principal + interest payments at 5 percent, a $250,000 mortgage carries a monthly payment of $1,342. The payment on a comparable interest only mortgage, however, drops to $1,042.
That's a payment difference of $300 and the size of the cost savings, not surprisingly, is the biggest reason why Fannie Mae is making its changes.
In its official announcement, Fannie Mae says it wants the give the interest only option to "borrowers who are in a position to choose it as a financial management tool" rather than allowing homeowners use it as an affordability tool for their budgets.
Going forward, there are new minimum standards for interest only home loans.
- Applicants must have a 720 credit score or better
- Applicants must have at least 24 months of reserves
- The property type may not be a 2-unit, 3-unit or 4-unit
- The property must be a primary residence, or vacation home
Furthermore, only purchase and rate-and-term refinances are eligible. Cash out refinances are prohibited.
Interest only home loans aren't for everyone, but if you plan to finance with a Fannie Mae mortgage and interest only is your preference, get your loan application submitted as soon as possible. Starting Monday, approvals will be tougher to come by.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Shopping And Paying Bills Online? Here's Methods To Protect Your Online Financial Identity
In May 2010, Retail Sales at non-store retailers -- a category that includes Amazon and eBay -- topped $29 billion, up 16 percent from May 2009. Clearly, Americans are doing an increasing amount of shopping online. And we're paying our bills online, too.
But how well are we protecting our identities?
In this 5-minute piece from NBC's The Today Show, you'll learn the basics of online fraud and methods to minimize the likelihood of identity theft. Furthermore, the tips go beyond the basic "choose a challenging password". For example, you'll hear about:
- Why you shouldn't pay bills from a coffee shop
- Who might be hiding behind an unprotected public wifi network
- The dangers of storing credit card numbers with an online retailer
And, although, at one point, the interviewee goes over the top with respect to spyware and anti-phishing prevention, the point being made is a good one -- you can't be too careful with your online financials and common sense goes a long way.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Change Your Air Filters Monthly (But Don't Go Cheap)
As the mercury rises into the summer months, don't forget to change your home's air filters regularly. It not only extends the life of your HVAC unit, but can help keep your energy costs down, too.
Not all air filters are created alike, however. Don't go cheap.
Your local hardware store carries a variety of air filters ranging in price from less than a dollar to $20 or more per filter. They're all purported to do the same job, but after watching this 1-minute video, you'll see why cheaper isn't necessarily better.
Airborne particles are smaller than most mesh filters. Pleated filters are recommended instead.
Most high-quality air filters start around $11 and can be purchased in bulk from Amazon at discounts of up to 20 percent. 3M's Filtrete line of products is a popular, well-selling brand and can last up to 3 months.
If your home has shedding pets or is dust-prone, consider changing them monthly.
Friday, June 11, 2010
FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums Approved To Triple In Cost
Starting sometime later this year, the monthly cost to carry an FHA-insured mortgage is expected to rise.
In a near-unanimous vote, the House of Representatives gave the FHA power to raise the monthly mortgage insurance premiums it charges to its borrowers.
Currently, monthly mortgage insurance premiums are 0.55% of the unpaid loan balance, divided by 12. The recently approved Federal Housing Administration Reform Act provides for an increase in monthly premium of up to 1.55 percent, among other details of the bill.
Despite the ability to charge 1.55 percent, FHA officials say an increase to 0.90 percent would be sufficient to self-insure its loans.
In everyday terms, assuming a $200,000 mortgage, the math to a homeowner looks as follows:
- Current Premium (0.55%) : $91.67 monthly mortgage insurance premium
- Expected Increase (0.90%) : $150.00 monthly mortgage insurance premium
- Maximum Increase (1.55%) : $258.33 monthly mortgage insurance premium
A increase in monthly mortgage insurance premiums will reduce home affordability for buyers in Clearview and strain household budgets.
The news isn't all terrible, however.
Because higher monthly insurance premiums are expected to pad the FHA coffers sufficiently, the FHA has said it plans to reduce its upfront mortgage insurance premium paid at closing from 2.25 percent down to 1.000 percent.
On the same $200,000 mortgage, a move like that would reduces closing costs by $2,500.
The bill awaits companion legislation in Senate and final approval into law, but considering the House's lopsided vote Thursday, it could happen rather quickly. If you're planning to buy or refinance a home using an FHA mortgage, you may find that waiting to take the next step could be a costly one, long-term.
The FHA insured close to a quarter of all mortgages made in the first three months of 2010.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Bank Reposessions Reach Record Levels For The Second Straight Month
According to foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac.com, bank repossessions reached record levels for the second straight month in May, topping 93,000 properties nationwide.
As compared to May 2009, all 50 states now show an increase in annual REO activity.
Data like that won't surprise today's active home buyers in Clearview. Foreclosed homes are prevalent, available and accounted for one-third of all home resales made in April.
Furthermore, total foreclosure actions -- the sum of REO, default notices, and foreclosure auctions in May -- topped 300,000 for the 15th straight month.
Foreclosures remain a huge influence on the housing market.
However, two interesting trends emerged in the data:
- 9 of the top 10 metro areas for foreclosure posted annual activity decreases
- Each of the top 4 states for Foreclosures per Household posted annual activity decreases
We can infer, therefore, that foreclosure activity may be in permanent decline in the areas hardest hit through 2007, 2008, and 2009. In 2010, the data shows, foreclosures are waning.
This is reason for optimism -- especially as FHA delinquencies slow nationwide. As fewer homeowners go delinquent, the pace of foreclosures will slow further and that should help boost home values on every block in the country.
If you've been considered bank-owned homes for your own purchase, give a look at the RealtyTrac foreclosure report. It's provides insight on a state-by-state level, and in the nation's largest metropolitan areas.
Then, to complement your research, talk to your real estate about the foreclosure market and what opportunities may exist. Competition for bank-owned homes can be fierce at times, but there's plenty of "deals" out there.
You just have to know where to look.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Another info blog --- we service Creemore and there are some awesome deals on the market
http://ping.fm/u7VzP
http://ping.fm/u7VzP
Conforming Loan Costs Are Rising, Says Freddie Mac
Mortgage rates may be dropping, but mortgage costs are not.
According to Freddie Mac, the average required discount points on a conforming mortgage rate are higher by 0.1 percent since early-May.
A "discount point" is prepaid mortgage interest; an up-front fee paid by a borrower in exchange for a lower mortgage rate. In most cases, discount points are tax-deductible.
Tax-deductible or not, though, rising costs are rising costs and Freddie Mac glosses over it. In its weekly press release, the government group offers mortgage rate comparisons to weeks prior, but doesn't do the same for required points.
The press fails to mention discount points entirely.
An increase of 1/10 percent in discount points costs homebuyers and refinancing households in Clearview an extra $100 per $100,000 borrowed.
The hike reminds us that there's more to a mortgage than just its rate -- costs matter, too. And if you've only been watching the headlines, you would have missed how costs are rising.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Fannie Mae's Loan Quality Initiative : Repulling Your Credit Just Before Closing
A new loan quality initiative from Fannie Mae is making it harder for Collingwood home buyers and refinancing homeowners everywhere to close on a mortgage.
Beginning June 1, 2010, with all new applications, Fannie Mae wants lenders to verify that borrowers have not taken on new debt during the underwriting phase of the mortgage.
If new debts are found, the mortgage is subject to a re-underwrite and a possible turndown.
For Fannie Mae, the goal is to reduce the number of loans that go bad because of new, non-disclosed debt. Lenders have the freedom to verify in whatever manner they wish, but in most cases, the verification process will amount to a credit re-pull made just prior to closing.
The underwriters will be looking for 3 things in particular -- even after your loan is approved.
First, your updated credit report will show your current credit card bills and minimum monthly payments. Those numbers will replace your original numbers made at the time of application. If the debts exceed a certain threshold, your loan will be denied.
Second, underwriters will be looking at your updated credit score. If your FICO has dropped below minimum lending standards, your loan will be denied. Or, you may be subject to a new loan-level pricing adjustment.
Loan level pricing adjustments are mandatory loan fee based on your credit score.
And, lastly, underwriters will be looking at your credit report's Credit Inquiry section. The goal is to see if you've been applying for credit elsewhere. Underwriters can use this information at their discretion.
Fannie Mae's Loan Quality Initiative is just one more way that the government-backed group is trying to improve its loan pools. Unfortunately, it'll mean more turndowns for mortgage applicants.
Therefore, take extra care of your credit between the time of application and the time of closing. Don't buy new cars, don't buy new appliances, and -- most definitely -- don't open new credit cards. Be extra safe with your credit because a mortgage application that's supposedly cleared-to-close can be revoked at the eleventh hour.
When in doubt, talk to your loan officer about what may or may not trigger the Loan Quality Initiative. Your loan approval is at stake.
Fannie Mae's Loan Quality Initiative : Repulling Your Credit Just Before Closing
A new loan quality initiative from Fannie Mae is making it harder for Clearview home buyers and refinancing homeowners everywhere to close on a mortgage.
Beginning June 1, 2010, with all new applications, Fannie Mae wants lenders to verify that borrowers have not taken on new debt during the underwriting phase of the mortgage.
If new debts are found, the mortgage is subject to a re-underwrite and a possible turndown.
For Fannie Mae, the goal is to reduce the number of loans that go bad because of new, non-disclosed debt. Lenders have the freedom to verify in whatever manner they wish, but in most cases, the verification process will amount to a credit re-pull made just prior to closing.
The underwriters will be looking for 3 things in particular -- even after your loan is approved.
First, your updated credit report will show your current credit card bills and minimum monthly payments. Those numbers will replace your original numbers made at the time of application. If the debts exceed a certain threshold, your loan will be denied.
Second, underwriters will be looking at your updated credit score. If your FICO has dropped below minimum lending standards, your loan will be denied. Or, you may be subject to a new loan-level pricing adjustment.
Loan level pricing adjustments are mandatory loan fee based on your credit score.
And, lastly, underwriters will be looking at your credit report's Credit Inquiry section. The goal is to see if you've been applying for credit elsewhere. Underwriters can use this information at their discretion.
Fannie Mae's Loan Quality Initiative is just one more way that the government-backed group is trying to improve its loan pools. Unfortunately, it'll mean more turndowns for mortgage applicants.
Therefore, take extra care of your credit between the time of application and the time of closing. Don't buy new cars, don't buy new appliances, and -- most definitely -- don't open new credit cards. Be extra safe with your credit because a mortgage application that's supposedly cleared-to-close can be revoked at the eleventh hour.
When in doubt, talk to your loan officer about what may or may not trigger the Loan Quality Initiative. Your loan approval is at stake.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Untitled
http://ping.fm/Ww2hI
.... for more information commentary and perspective... click the prompts and get your real estate dreams underway - today. JJK
.... for more information commentary and perspective... click the prompts and get your real estate dreams underway - today. JJK
via Ping.fm
http://ping.fm/Ww2hI
.... for more information commentary and perspective... click the prompts and get your real estate dreams underway - today. JJK
.... for more information commentary and perspective... click the prompts and get your real estate dreams underway - today. JJK
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
FW: Cottage inheritance: What could go wrong?
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Residential Real Estate News - Tuesday, May 25 2010
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Coming EventsCanadian Restaurant Investment Summit Wed May 26 2010 to Thu May 27 2010 Real Estate Institute of Canada Annual Conference Wed Jun 02 2010 to Sun Jun 06 2010 BOMA Canada National Conference and Exhibition Tue Sep 14 2010 to Thu Sep 16 2010 Canadian Apartment Investment Conference Wed Sep 15 2010 to Wed Sep 15 2010 Tue Oct 05 2010 to Thu Oct 07 2010 Tue Oct 19 2010 to Mon Oct 25 2010
Market Trends and ResearchColdwell Banker Real Estate Consumer Survey Multi-family Market Report for Greater Vancouver Canadian Housing Trends - 2010 Royal LePage Market Survey Forecast New Housing and the Harmonized Sales Tax: Lessons from Ontario Canadian household debt is 'Defying Gravity' CREA Increases 2009 Housing Sales Estimate $110-million to study mentally ill on streets | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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