Positive Economic Data Fuels Mortgage Rise

Mortgage rates have surged upwards for the second consecutive week in response to better-than-expected economic reports, particularly in the growth of private-sector jobs.

“Fixed mortgage rates increased this week following stronger-than-expected economic data releases,” Frank E. Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist, said in a statement.

“Private companies added 215,000 new jobs in November according to the ADP employment report, well above the consensus. In addition, revisions added 54,000 jobs in the prior month.”

The average rate for 30-year fixed mortgages rose to 4.46 percent this week, up from 4.29 percent last week, according to the latest Freddie Mac mortgage survey. The average was 4.16 percent a month ago and 3.34 percent a year ago. The 30-year-fixed average has not surpassed 4.5 percent since late September.

The average rate on a 15-year fixed mortgage also saw a sharp increase this week, climbing to 3.47 percent  from 3.30 percent last week. The 15-year-fixed average was 3.27 percent a month ago and 2.67 percent a year ago.

In addition to the positive economic data, Nothaft reported an uptick in home sales during October.

“[N]ew home sales rose 25 percent in the month of October to a seasonally adjusted 444,000 annual pace, though this followed a weaker-than-expected September report and downward revisions over the summer months,” Nothaft said.

The increase in home sales is a sign that, despite the recent increase in rates, fixed-rate mortgage loans remain affordable for many home buyers.

Averages on hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage loans were mixed. The five-year ARM saw a slight increase of 0.05 percentage point over the last week and settled at 2.99 percent. The one-year ARM fell by 0.01 percentage point to 2.59 percent.

In the latest Mortgage Rate Trend Index by Bankrate.com, 55 percent of the loan experts polled said they expected mortgage rates will continue to climb.

“I believe that rates are likely to rise in the coming week as solid employment data are likely perceived as increasing the chances of the Fed making a December tapering announcement,” opined John Walsh, president of Total Mortgage Services.

Source: Click Here

Until Next Time and Have a Wonderful Week!

Ebbie

Buy new or remodel?

The decision to buy new or remodel depends on a number of factors, some financial and some not — and ultimately, only you can decide what answer makes the most sense for you. That said, I'm leaning towards the new purchase.

Let's look at some of the issues to consider:

1. Cost per square foot: Although figuring the cost per square foot is an imperfect exercise at best, since it doesn't account for variations in floor plans and materials, it's worth doing the math (price divided by square footage). The bigger house is less expensive at $143.47 per square foot, versus $147.36 per square foot for the smaller one (after it's been expanded to 1,900 square feet).

What's your home worth?

2. Transaction and moving costs: You need to compare the costs of refinancing — and perhaps renting a place to stay while the remodeling takes place — versus the costs of buying new and moving. An online calculator can help you compare these expenses. An interesting one that not only allows you to compare costs but also asks questions to help you sort out your "gut feelings" towards remodeling versus moving can be found at RemodelOrMove.com.

Keep in mind that costs for loans and moving tend to fall into line with budget projections, while remodeling costs often exceed them, swelled by change orders, delays in delivering materials and unexpected problems that crop up during construction, like leaky pipes that are discovered when the drywall is removed.

3. Age and obsolescence: Although you don't say how old each house is, you need to take their relative ages into account, because that can make a difference in the eyes of future buyers. How much depends on the actual age of each house. For instance, if the larger house is 15 years old, and your current house is 20 years old, there may not be much of a qualitative difference between the two in most buyers' eyes. But if you only plan to put an addition on your home, it won't be competitive with a house that's five years old or less, and won't appreciate as quickly. A house that's new will have an updated floor plan, a current kitchen and bath, and materials, fixtures and finishes that have yet to see much wear and tear — well worth the $50 extra you'll pay per month on the loan.

4. The economy: You may get bargain rates from remodelers trying to keep their businesses in the black during a tough economy (though $33 a square foot for a 750-square-foot addition seems awfully low). But as home prices continue to fall, many people are seeing their home-equity lines of credit shrink or get cut off — so don't expect them to be reliable sources of money for a renovation. What's more, most of the measures the government is currently considering to stimulate housing, including mortgage rate buy-downs and tax credits, are targeted towards people who are purchasing homes, not those who are refinancing or remodeling.

The bottom line: If you remodel your house instead of moving, you'll be able to get exactly what you want and will have total control over the final result. But given the costs, uncertainties and hassles of remodeling — and the fact that you have a buyer in hand for your current home — if I were you, I'd trade up.

By June Fletcher, The Wall Street Journal

Until next time,

Ebbie

RE/MAX Real Estate Symposium last Thursday generated a little more excitement than usual

• CBRE, Inc. imageThe plans for Towne Harbour near the Grand Glaize Bridge calls for two hotels and a broadwalk shopping area.
  
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  The annual Re/Max Real Estate Symposium last Thursday 
  generated a little more excitement than usual when developer
  Kent Nixon announced plans for a major hotel and retail 
  center in Osage Beach.
  Nixon said he plans to build Towne Harbor on the former 
  Kalfran Resort property off Jeffries Road at about the 
  19.5 miler marker of the Main Channel. The major stumbling 
  block, he said, was the success of a Tax Increment Financing 
  (TIF) application he has yet to file with the city of Osage Beach.
  Nixon said his vision is for an “entertainment district” that 
  would include two hotels, a boardwalk of retail shops, restaurants 
  and bars and other facilities. It would be built in two phases, 
  with the first getting underway by next summer.
  “It all depends on the success of the TIF application,” he said. 
  “There won’t be anything quite like this at the lake.”
  Nixon plans to have the letters of intent ready by the end of the
  year and begin the TIF application process at the beginning of 2014.
  
  The project would be the first major hotel resort/entertainment center
   at the lake since Tan-Tar-A and the Lodge of Four Seasons were built. 
  A similar hotel resort planned by John Q Hammons near the Grand Glaize 
  Bridge failed to materialize several years ago after its TIF application 
  was delayed by a lawsuit, followed by Hammons’ poor health and eventual 
  death.
  Nixon said the entire project would take about four years to complete, 
  with the first phase finished about two years after a TIF application 
  is approved by the city of Osage Beach. One of the hotels would be 
  located on the water, while the other would be closer to the Osage Beach
  Expressway.
  Nixon said he decided to unveil the plan here because the entertainment
  and hotel segment of the market is beginning to show some age.
  “The public expects a lot, and we seen an opportunity to create a game 
  changer, to swing the lake’s pendulum in the proper direction,” he explained.
  
  “The lake needs to work on increasing its static population so it doesn’t 
  have to rely on only seven or eight months of income,” he said. 
  “It needs to be more of a year-round retail center.
  While the city of Osage Beach is aware of the development, there has not 
  been an application for a TIF filed.
  City Planner Cary Patterson said Nixon has visited with the city but so 
  far, there has not been any development plans filed with Osage Beach.
  Zoning is not an issue for the proposed development. The current zoning 
  would allow for a development of this type, he said.
  
  More to read on this at original source: 
  http://www.lakenewsonline.com/article/20131021/NEWS/131029887#ixzz2jDZUpzbJ
  
  
  
  

  
  

How's The Market?

This is our newest feature on Ebbie's Blog from lake of the Ozarks. It's called "How's The Market" with Ebbie Bogema. A short glimpse into the monthly state of the Real Estate market here at the Lake of the Ozarks.

 

Ebbie will be keeping you updated on all of the current statistics on a monthly basis. We hope you enjoy this new feature and really welcome your feedback.

 

If you are looking for Real Estate at the Lake of the Ozarks please call the Spouses Selling Houses team. Until next time. Ebbie :)