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Rates Do Not Fall In Election Years – It’s A Myth – Until Now?

Whenever we are in or near an election year, I hear everyone, including my dogs Steve and Mike, say that “rates will fall because it is an election year...” Steve and Mike can be forgiven of...

December 8, 2023 3 min read
Rates Do Not Fall In Election Years- It's A Myth - Until Now

Reasons to LOVE ADUs, In-Law Units, Granny Units, Au Pair Units, Guest Houses, Garden Cottages, Casitas… and Whatever Else You Call Them

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) come with many names, as the title of this blog implies. They are more popular than ever now as a solution to solve the affordable housing shortage and to provide...

December 7, 2023 3 min read
Reasons to LOVE ADUs, In-Law Units, Granny Units, Au Pair Units, Guest Houses, Garden Cottages, Casitas... and Whatever Else You Call Them

2024 Loan Limits For Texas Homebuyers

The 2024 loan limits in Texas present a diverse landscape for homebuyers and investors. With higher loan limits set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the absence of loan limits for VA loans, the...

December 6, 2023 6 min read
2024 Loan Limits For Texas Homebuyers

Crashing Crude Oil, Yellen’s Yellin’ “Neener Neener,” and Zombie Companies Could Eat America!

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has been trash-talking recently, telling the world that soft landing/no recession skeptics are now “eating their words…” Unfortunately for Janet, the crude oil...

December 6, 2023 3 min read
Crashing Crude Oil, Yellen’s Yellin’ “Neener Neener,” and Zombie Companies Could Eat America!

Understanding DSCR Loans in Oregon

DSCR, or Debt Service Coverage Ratio loans, are becoming a game-changer in the real estate investment sector. But what exactly is a DSCR loan? These loans focus on the property's ability to generate...

December 5, 2023 7 min read
Understanding DSCR Loans in Oregon

BOTH Stocks and Bonds Soar In November; Confusion or Goldilocks Economy?

We saw something very unusual in November: both stocks and bonds had record months! This Reuters article – Average 60/40 portfolio has best month in November since 1991 – BofA […]

December 4, 2023 4 min read
BOTH Stocks and Bonds Soar In November; Confusion or Goldilocks Economy

Why Do We HATE Each Other So Much? And Why Does It Matter For Housing?

America has not been this contentious or polarized since the Civil War – as most readers know. Many people blame social media for this polarization. The ability to post online without being...

December 1, 2023 4 min read
Why Do We HATE Each Other So Much And Why Does It Matter For Housing

Inflation Eases/Rates Up – WHY? Delayed Closings; “Walls-In” Insurance for Condos; ADUs NOT Part of Square Footage

A key inflation report, Personal Consumption Expenditures (the Fed’s “favorite”) was released today, and it showed that inflation continues to cool. But, despite that, rates went up. This...

November 30, 2023 2 min read
Inflation Eases Rates Up – WHY Delayed Closings; “Walls-In” Insurance for Condos; ADUs NOT Part of Square Footage

2024 Conforming Loan Limits Way UP – At the Expense of Your Kids; Fed Lost Control of Bond Market?

The FHFA (the agency that regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) just announced its new conforming loan limits, and the new limit for “high-cost” areas is now $1,149,825! This means that...

November 29, 2023 3 min read
2024 Conforming Loan Limits Way UP - At the Expense of Your Kids; Fed Lost Control of Bond Market

Understanding Short Sales in Real Estate

Short sales in real estate can often seem like a labyrinth of complexities, both for homeowners struggling with mortgage payments and for prospective buyers eyeing the housing market. We're here to...

November 29, 2023 6 min read
Understanding Short Sales in Real Estate

What Makes the Commoditization Of Mortgages Terrifying? Why Consumers Think Mortgages Are Like Corn, Oil, Soybeans & Copper; Why It Matters

The perceived commoditization of mortgages terrifies mortgage lenders for several reasons: low margins, high-cost structures, the necessity of high-touch service, just to name a few, so what's a...

November 28, 2023 5 min read
What Makes the Commoditization Of Mortgages Terrifying

2024 Conforming Loan Limits Just Announced!

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has announced an $40,350 increase in the baseline conforming loan limit for mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to $766,550 in 2024. This...

November 28, 2023 5 min read
2024 Conforming Loan Limits Just Announced!

Rates Fell 3/4% Since Mid-October – Defying Predictions Of “Rate-Ageddon”

Mortgage rates fell almost 3/4% since mid-October – while the 10 Year Treasury yield fell about 6/10%. We’ve seen rates fall before, so who cares? 

November 22, 2023 3 min read

How Much House Can I Afford? A Guide to Home Buying

Wondering how much house you can afford? Dive into our comprehensive guide covering everything from mortgage basics and down payments to credit scores and debt-to-income ratios. Gain the knowledge...

November 21, 2023 10 min read
How Much House Can I Afford? A Guide to Home Buying
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