Author : Ki GrayMortgage rates dropped this week from 4 87 to 4 82 They did not drop below the all time low of 4 78 that they hit two weeks ago For the last month, for the most part, we have not seen a lot of movement and instead have just seen the 30 year mortgage rate just bouncing around near all time lows

The 15 year mortgage did reach new all time lows this week dropping from 4 54 to 4 48 The previous low was 4 52 that was reached last week The 5 Year ARM dropped from 4 93 to 4 88 This was also a new all time low but since the 5 year ARM is still above the rate for the 30 year fixed the 5 Year ARM is seeing very little interest The 1 Year ARM oddly hit the highest level we have seen in a month The 1 year ARM is now the highest of the four major mortgage products Below are mortgage rates for the major mortgage products for the last few weeks

Apr 16, 2009
30-yr 4 82 15-yr 4 48 5-yr ARM 4 88 1-yr ARM 4 91

Apr 09, 2009
30-yr 4 87 15-yr 4 54 5-yr ARM 4 93 1-yr ARM 4 83

Apr 02, 2009
30-yr 4 78 15-yr 4 52 5-yr ARM 4 92 1-yr ARM 4 75

Mar 26, 2009
30-yr 4 85 15-yr 4 58 5-yr ARM 4 96 1-yr ARM 4 85

Mar 19, 2009
30-yr 4 98 15-yr 4 61 5-yr ARM 4 98 1-yr ARM 4 91

In addition to mortgage rates we also wanted to look at actual mortgage payments We took a 200k mortgage and translated into what a mortgage payment would be based on today’s rates We did the same thing with rates from last week and rates from 6 months ago

Apr 16
30-yr $1051 74
15-yr $1527 94
5-yr ARM $1059 02
1-yr ARM $1062 66

Apr 09
30-yr $1057 8
15-yr $1534 07
5-yr ARM $1065 1
1-yr ARM $1052 96

Oct 16
30-yr 1258 87
15-yr 1702 87
5-yr ARM 1217 16
1-yr ARM 1093 28

We have not seen much movement in the last week But compared to 6 months ago a mortgage on a 200k house has come down $207 13 or 16 45 percent

So what else are we seeing in the mortgage market? While mortgage rates are low banks are being more restrictive about who they give out loans to Banks are looking for high credit scores In addition, they are more stringent when they are appraising properties So it’s pretty difficult to get loans on rough properties even if they are relatively cheap

So what is our advice? Even if you just bought in the last 6 months it might be a good idea to investigate refinancing If you plan on buying in the next few months I would look into your credit score now so you have time to fix any problems that might show up on your credit report

So what do we expect to see moving forward? While the economy remains down we expect rates to continue bouncing around a current levels But once the economy recovers rates should move up, perhaps as high as 15 percent So we might see the highest and lowest all time rates in a period of less than 3 years Ki maintains a website that covers the Austin Texas real estate market. His site has information on mortgage rates along with a free mortgage calculator.

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Author : Ki GrayIs the glass half full or half empty? Or maybe that analogy doesn’t work in this economy because people really just want to know if we’ve reached the bottom of this bitter drink of bad banks, busted housing markets and layoffs The answer seems as hard to come by as a good analogy

However, the current stock rally started with good banking news last month and that trend seems to be continuing Wells Fargo & Co said last week that it expects to post a record profit for the first quarter of 2009 This week will bring reports from other major banks like Citigroup Inc , Goldman Sachs Group Inc and JPMorgan Chase & Co

Wells Fargo received $25 billion in government bailout funds, which is less than the other big banks The bank credits its strong quarter to a roaring mortgage business The Associated Press reported that “Wells Fargo received about $190 billion in mortgage applications, a 64 percent jump from the previous quarter More than 40 percent of that volume came in March ”

So this looks to be good news for both the banking and housing industry Though most of the applications were for refinancing, 25 percent is reported to be from customers wanting to purchase new homes Wells Fargo’s CFO, Howard Atkins, told the AP that the government’s efforts to lower interest rates and other programs aimed at the beleaguered housing industry has helped Yet he was reluctant to sound too optimistic “It’s premature to conclude the economy has turned,” said Atkins “All I can tell you is we’re seeing a lot of business ”

There was mixed news in the job sector last week, with jobless claims falling more than expected, but there are still a record number of people receiving unemployment benefits According to the AP, both economic analysts and the Federal Reserve expect this trend to continue into year as companies adjust to the changing economy

Retail sales, on the other hand, showed some signs of stabilizing According to the AP, discount retailers, like Wal-Mart Stores Inc , continue to show a modest increase in profits Although sales have fallen for other retailers, the decrease has been less than expected

So is the bottom of the bitter drink in sight? “In hard economic times, Americans turn to numbers to see whether things are getting better Gauging the mood of the republic is not as quantifiable,” said AP National Writer Ted Anthony recently

It’s even harder to quantify when the numbers give different stories and no one seems to want to stick his neck out and be the one to announce the end of the recession While Anthony conceded there are subtle signs that things are getting better, he was only willing to say things could be getting “less worse ”

According to Anthony, “Numbers from Gallup’s Consumer Mood Index were up 6 points for the week ending April 5, the fourth consecutive week they rose The index is now as high as it’s been in over a year — buoyed, perhaps, by the upward-creeping stock market And an AP-GfK poll showed the number of Americans who think the country is heading in the right direction more than doubled between October and February — to 40 percent Not that it’s all good, mind you Just, well, less worse “Ki developed a clearinghouse website of Austin MLS listings. On his site buyers are able to do customizable searches for Austin real estate. His site also has up to date information on mortgage rates.

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Author : Shaun ParkerWell it may be bad news at the moment for all those looking to sell their property and we may well be seeing estate agents falling left right and centre due to the crash of the property market but for one group of people, the recession has been a bit of a godsend!

Letting agents are currently seeing a huge influx of those needing property to rent No longer can people source or secure mortgages, especially those without huge deposits so it’s now harder than ever for a whole generation of people to get on the property ladder This has led to more and more people becoming tenants as opposed to owners

This country has long experienced a prosperous time and it has become an expected state of affairs that as you move through the teenage years and into adulthood that you will soon be owning a home of your own - or at least one with a mortgage on it It’s been a long time since the UK saw a recession like the one we are currently in and its hit hard Mortgages are scarce and the deposit required to secure one is extreme

On top of this there is the concern over job security Due to the biting recession, companies are at least cutting back on staff, if not losing the company altogether This has led to huge insecurities and massive job losses up and down the country which, in turn, has a knock on effect to those wishing to buy or sell property

Letting agents are finding that more and more people are looking to rent out their homes to at least secure some sort of income from it as opposed to having is sit there, unable to sell it

However, it’s not just us mere mortals that are finding the situation difficult Imagine being the letting agents for the properties of the stars and how much commission you might be likely to earn on, say, Leonardo DiCaprio’s property which is being let for a mere 17,000 pounds per month How many letting agents would give their right hand to be drawing in the commission on celebrity properties, many of which have had their sale price reduced by at least a million pounds but due to a lack of interest are now being let out to tenants? Of course, you’d still need a fair old pay packet to afford the rent on them!

Renting a property is now becoming the norm for many families Out of necessity simply for a roof over their heads, people are turning to renting a home instead of buying Of course, this doesn’t give them the security of owning bricks and mortar and neither does it give them anything to leave to their families but it does give them a level of comfort

When renting a property, maintenance costs are covered by the landlord Maintaining the building and the land around it are not the tenants responsibility which lightens the load somewhat of the cost of living You are liable to keep the place in good order as far as you can but the expensive bits are usually down to the landlord

Of course, being a landlord yourself has its ups and downs On the one hand, you have a regular income that is often guaranteed, particularly if you let to those on housing benefit You can relax in the knowledge that your mortgage is being covered every month and you still retain that investment which you first laid out

The drawbacks are that you can never be sure how someone else will look after your property You will also have to pay a fee to a letting agent for finding the tenant and possibly a monthly fee for managing the let

There are fors and against for landlords and tenants but one things for sure - in today’s climates more properties are needed for renting and more tenants are needed for filling them At least that way, we can all stay afloat Shaun Parker is a current affairs specialist with many years of experience in the property industry. Find out more about letting agents at http://www.haart.co.uk

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Author : Pat StedlingA public criminal record search has become increasingly easy during the past few years, especially easy since about 2008 Advances in computing power, database efficiency, and information sharing web technology created a synergism of sorts, making public records checks virtually instant The number of websites offering these services is staggering, and the information those websites allow access to includes numbers in excess of 300 million criminal records alone Further, this number can only be expected to grow between the hard times upon us, and America’s ever increasing appetite for feeling secure

Just to put this in perspective, allow me to share a little personal history in regard to the growth of the public record search industry During the period leading up to and for a couple years after the events of 9-11, I worked with a series of contractors doing airport maintenance projects in both the public and military sectors Prior to 2001, we as contractors and employees who were to have access to secure areas submitted a stack of paper and references for our criminal and background information checks Quite honestly, I recall that though it was all taken very seriously, the tasks of research and verification were handed off to a row of office workers with access to what must have been some of the largest phone bills of that time In short, what information that was available on-line was expensive and full of holes, and seemed borderline primitive compared to what was to come in the next few years

By 2003 and 2004, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and America’s and much of the World’s policy and resource were thrown at the now top-of-mind desire to know who was the person next to you, and what background did they have By the Summer of 2004, the stack of paper and references had shrunk, as had the size of the office staff to process background checks What once took two to three weeks when checking a background, could be accomplished for a fee with a few keystrokes, and to a degree of accuracy that found many an applicant in the follow-up stack, with a personal interview and explanation of something as simple as a one month discrepancy in address history two or three years prior Fast forward to 2008-2009, and we have access in minutes to a nationwide criminal background check on virtually anyone, from anywhere, about nearly anything that they have done that could be considered Public Record

For example, just one supplier of these searches boasts they have handled criminal records searches for over 500,000 customers in the last two years searching a database of over 300 million records All that is needed are a Paypal or charge card, and a first and last name to begin the search The more information that can be provided, the tighter the search results, but it all happens in seconds and minutes now And just as a side note, that 500,000 customers doesn’t count the 20 or so other search categories they offer not related to criminal records

So who are all these customers doing the searches? Almost anyone with a security interest of any kind could be included Security for one’s family or finances when hiring domestic help or contractors use these services Even the dating world has caught on to check out that new flame, or as part of the marriage screening process Employers who must be bonded or need bond-able employees, commercial drivers, people who handle hazmat under license, teachers, landlords, all of these groups and more are discovering just how easy it is to limit risk and exposure that can come with a criminal background

The concept and process of a public criminal record search has come a long way in a few short years, and appears to be here to stay With an Internet connection, a few dollars, and some basic information, a public criminal record search is easy Criminal records checks, background checks, public records checks, and reverse directories are available to the public, with over 300 million criminal records, and one billion public records to be searched. Find out more at Criminal Records Background Checks. Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

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Author : Pat StedlingOnline criminal record checks are a relatively new tool for bringing peace of mind in many areas of life During the last 5 or so years, online criminal record checks have evolved into nearly instant in speed and are highly accurate given some simple search information A first and last name, add a middle initial, maybe some current and prior address information, and we can conduct a fast and discrete criminal record check on virtually anyone How are they used?

Consider the following (fictional) scenario As a small business owner, you have worked and grown your business to the point of adding employees As the owner, you have pretty much always been at your place of business whenever employees were present, and managed to handle your receipts on your own But now for whatever reason, you will be called away from your normal routine for a few days You have three equally qualified employees, but can you put your faith in one or any of them with your business revenue while you are away?

You have grown to know each of them in the past few months, or at least so you think One of them is kind of a loner, and never really talks about his past, but is a tireless worker that never complains The second seems to be quite a friend both at work and in your personal life as well, and has actually become quite good friends with even your family And the third one seems amazingly gifted at dealing with the public and is quick with a smile and eager to please But her story never seemed to add up when she talked about her past What can you do? Cancel the trip? Close the store for a few days? Roll the dice and go with your instincts? As the owner, this business is your life The answer could be just a few dollars and a few computer clicks away

Today we can find in seconds what once took days or even weeks of mail, phone calls, and faxes Also, today’s data is far more complete and accurate as well, with the ability to drill down to state and local levels, or to cast a nationwide net in your criminal record research So later at home you surf over to one of the websites offering online criminal record checks, and nervously enter the names of your three employees

First you check the customer service star, and in a few seconds you find out why she seems to have three different stories for the same period in her life All three of her stories date from serving time for check fraud that stretched over a period of years, and in a state she never mentioned Next, feeling just a bit guilty about checking up on a friend, you type in the name of number two Your jaw practically hits the desk as you confirm that there have been three arrests, albeit no convictions, for various complaints of sexual advances toward minors As you look at your daughters’ pictures on your desk, you wonder if you should even have any employees anymore, and contemplate how few times in the future this guy will be visiting your home You check the loner just to make the task complete, and head up to bed

The next morning seems like any other At lunch-time, you call the loner into your office and close the door As you level your eyes on the quiet, imposing man across from your desk, you take note of the scarring along one side of his face, and the distant look in his eye even as he stares back You muster up some fortitude and decide it’s now or never “Tell me about three years ago ” in as commanding a voice as possible The loner’s eyes become quickly clear and focused, with anger, shock, surprise? “you only asked about the last two years on the app’, I didn’t lie to you That was another time, someone else ” His eyes sink downward “I’m not saying you did lie,” you snap back, “but any man that takes on three gangsters defending some gas station attendant the same day he rotates out of the service, and then has the bum luck of being arrested for excessive force due to training?” You pause, “Look, if you’re going to be my store manager whenever I’m gone, I’ve got to know ”
Criminal records checks, background checks, public records checks, and reverse directories are available to the public, with over 300 million criminal records, and one billion public records to be searched. Find out more at Criminal Records Background Checks. Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

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Author : Ki GrayThe stock market rally has many economists hopeful that the end of the recession is near, but the recent unemployment numbers may have dashed those hopes According to Associated Press reports, the nation’s unemployment rate jumped to 8 5 percent in March, the highest in 26 years “It’s an ugly report and April is going to be equally as bad,” predicted Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s

The number of unemployed people climbed to 13 2 million in March and that doesn’t include the number of people who are now working part-time due to having their hours cut Economists predict that these trends in job loss and hours cut will continue for the rest of the year

This seventeen-month long recession is the longest since World War II
Some recent positive economic activity had given many hope that the end of this recession was in sight U S factory orders rose in February, ending a six straight months of declines Plus there were better-than-expected reports on construction spending and pending home sales Last week a report showed that consumer spending, an extremely important economic indicator, also rose in February and January The brightest sign of all is the stock market, with the Dow industrials over 8000 for the first time in a couple of months

“Everyone is in a buying mood,” said Eric Ross, director of research at brokerage Canaccord Adams “Everyone is feeling good A lot of this is simply confidence ”

Yet, the layoffs continue It doesn’t look like everyone is in a hiring mood Some economists say this is not a bad sign as jobs are one of the last sectors of the economy to recover However, other analysts say that the economy won’t recover until job losses stabilize Construction, retail and factory jobs are cut at the rate of 100,000s per month and the unemployment rate is predicted to hit 10 percent before the end of 2009 According to the AP, economists say the job market may not get back to the normal 5 percent unemployment rate until 2013

Fortunately, the news continues to be better in Texas, which actually had a drop in jobless claims Companies like Valence Technologies Inc are waiting to see what will happen with the stimulus money while making plans to build a $760 million battery manufacturing plant in Central Texas According to the Austin-American Statesman, the Austin company has applied for a low-interest government loan from a program designed to encourage the development of next-generation autmobiles

President Obama’s stimulus package continues to offer a bright spot on the horizon for many hoping to take advantage of the $787 billion available for public works programs and other initiatives in the areas of energy and education The package will also help ease some of the burden of unemployment claims on local governments, although Texas has signaled that it may refuse to accept money for temporary programs

In other government efforts to help the ailing economy, the Federal Reserve has cut a key interest rate to nearly zero in an effort to jump-start lending, as well as other initiatives to inject billions of dollars into the financial system Is the end near? It depends if the good news can continue to outpace the bad in this on going battle of conflicting economic numbers Ki has worked with Austin real estate for almost 10 years. He has sold to a variety of buyers. His site offers listings directly from Austin MLS along with a a mortgage widget.

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