Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Nominee Janet Yellen to head the Fed


This is a News Article from CNN MONEY written by Annalyn Kurtz and CNN' Senior White House Correspondent, Jim Acosta, contributed to this report.  (If you have any questions regarding this report  please go to CNNMONEY) or If you have questions regarding Loans, Financial Information, buying or Selling your Home or Real Estate. Please give me a call  My group of network Professionals are looking forward to helping you with your needs. 
 
Thank you
Joseph D’Ambrosio
Joseph D'Ambrosio
Real Estate Consultant / Realtor
West USA Realty
623-204-2138

Nominee Janet Yellen to head the Fed
 
President Obama will nominate Janet Yellen to serve as the next chair of the Federal Reserve, a senior White House official said Tuesday.The announcement will be made on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m., the official said.
If Yellen is confirmed by the Senate, she will be the first woman to head the central bank in its 100-year history.
Yellen got the nod based on a robust résumé, including more than a decade in various Federal Reserve roles. She currently serves as Fed vice chair and has pushed for the central bank to stimulate the economy to address high U.S. unemployment. Her views are considered to be closely aligned with current Chairman Ben Bernanke, and for that reason, the leadership transition is expected to be smooth once his term ends in January.
Prior to her current role, Yellen served as president of the San Francisco Fed, and transcripts show that during that time, she foresaw the housing crisis better than many of her colleagues.
In the late 1990s, Yellen served as chair of President Clinton's Council of Economic Advisors. She has also taught economics at the University of California, Berkeley and the London School of Economics. She has her bachelor's degree from Brown University and her Ph.D. in Economics from Yale.
Related: Federal Reserve says no taper
The chair of the Federal Reserve is arguably one of the most powerful jobs in the world, and this nomination comes at a critical moment. The central bank is considering reducing its current bond-buying program, and further down the road, the new Fed chair will also have to grapple with the complicated task of unwinding five years of monetary stimulus.
Since late 2008, the Fed has accumulated more than $3 trillion in Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities, in its bid to support the U.S. economy. Yellen already knows the ins and outs of those policies, given she was on the team that implemented them.
The confirmation process could take months, but Yellen already has key Senate Democrats on her side. In the summer, when it seemed likely that President Obama was ready to nominate former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers to the job, Democrats wrote a letter urging the president to choose Yellen instead.
In that letter, they praised her "impeccable resume," focus on unemployment and her "solid record as a bank regulator."
Summers pulled his name from consideration, writing that he "reluctantly concluded" the confirmation process would be "acrimonious and not serve the interests of the Federal Reserve, the Administration, or ultimately, the interests of the nation's ongoing economic recovery."
"She's an excellent choice and I believe she'll be confirmed by a wide margin," said New York Senator Charles Schumer on Tuesday night.
"I commend President Obama on his selection of Dr. Yellen to be the first woman to serve as Federal Reserve Chairman," said Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Johnson. "She has a depth of experience that is second to none, and I have no doubt she will be an excellent Federal Reserve Chairman."
Female economists: Pick Janet, but leave gender out of it!
Economists -- and female economists in particular -- were largely supportive of Yellen over Summers. Many emphasized that her accomplishments alone made her the best candidate for the job, not her gender.
"At the highest levels of central banking, there are very few women," Yellen said earlier this year. "But I am pleased that the representation of women is increasing a lot at other levels... I really think this is something that's going to increase over time, and it's time for that to happen."
CNN' Senior White House Correspondent, Jim Acosta, contributed to this report.

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Joseph D'Ambrosio
Joseph D'Ambrosio Cell: 623-204-2138
Real Estate Consultant / REALTOR 
West USA Realty
Email: joseph_dambrosio@westusa.com
Email: ArizonaHomeBuying@gmail.com

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Country Club Living Your Pace, Your Style, Your Way...

New Arizona Home Buying Video...
Anthem Country Club Living Your Pace, Your Style, Your Way...
 
This is a New Arizona Home Buying Video - Country Club Living Your Pace, Your Style, Your Way if you have any questions regarding this Video or Loans, Financial Information, buying or Selling your Home or Real Estate. Please give me a call  My group of network Professionals are looking forward to helping you with your needs. 
 
Thank you
Joseph D’Ambrosio
Joseph D'Ambrosio
Real Estate Consultant / Realtor
West USA Realty
 



 
 
 
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 Would you like to know what is happening in your neighborhood?

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"Opening The Door To Opportunity and Your Future Home..."

Thank you
Joseph D'Ambrosio
Joseph D'Ambrosio Cell: 623-204-2138
Real Estate Consultant / REALTOR 
West USA Realty
Email: joseph_dambrosio@westusa.com
Email: ArizonaHomeBuying@gmail.com
New Arizona Home Buying Video...
 
 
This is a New Arizona Home Buying Video if you have any questions regarding this Video or Loans, Financial Information, buying or Selling your Home or Real Estate. Please give me a call  My group of network Professionals are looking forward to helping you with your needs. 
 
Thank you
Joseph D’Ambrosio
Joseph D'Ambrosio
Real Estate Consultant / Realtor
West USA Realty


 
 
 
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Just Reply and let me know.

"Opening The Door To Opportunity and Your Future Home..."

Thank you
Joseph D'Ambrosio
Joseph D'Ambrosio Cell: 623-204-2138
Real Estate Consultant / REALTOR 
West USA Realty
Email: joseph_dambrosio@westusa.com
Email: ArizonaHomeBuying@gmail.com
September Market Report... 

 
This is September's Market Report if you have any questions regarding this report or Loans, Financial Information, buying or Selling your Home or Real Estate. Please give me a call  My group of network Professionals are looking forward to helping you with your needs. 
 
Thank you
Joseph D’Ambrosio
Joseph D'Ambrosio
Real Estate Consultant / Realtor
West USA Realty

Report overview This report includes MLS data for the past 36 months in Maricopa County only as provided by the FlexMLS system.  Please note that searches fluctuate daily when running these reports; these figures were obtained on 9/7/2013.

A reminder that you need to meet with a real estate professional to see how statistics impact the area where you are considering selling or buying – blended statistics will not be as accurate as a more detailed report that your real estate professional can provide to help you with your decision making.

(click any graph for larger image)
 


Closed Sales Report Analysis:

Sellers:

The month of August showed a significant decrease of 9.3% in the number of closed sales. The statistics show that we had 6,260 residential homes sell during August in Maricopa County.  This compares to the 6,904 sold in the month of July.  This is the third month in a row that we have seen this number decrease.  It also is NOT typical for the month of August.  In the past 36 months, we have normally seen the number of closed sales increase during August.

Buyers:

Fewer buyers were able to find and successfully close on a home last month when compared to prior months.  As prices, interest rates, and inventory continue to rise, buyers need to make sure they don’t get priced out of buying their home.


 


New Listings Analysis:

Sellers:

The month of August saw 8,721 new homes enter the market, an increase of 7.5% compared to the month of July. Sellers should monitor this new inventory to see how it might impact the sale of their home – this increase means there are more homes on the market competing for buyer activity. If your home is not selling in this aggressive market, it is more than likely a pricing issue as buyers continue to look for the best value possible.

Buyers:

Buyers pay attention! August brought you 8,721 more choices. Although buyers do have more options, the other statistics in this report reveal that well priced homes are not staying on the market very long. More than ever, it is essential that you take advantage of this new inventory.  Spend time with and listen to your real estate professional to develop your strategy for succeeding in a market that is constantly changing.



 


List to Sales Price Ratio Analysis
 
Sellers:

This is the ratio a seller receives when selling his/her home as compared to the price where the home was listed. The higher the number, the closer the final sales price is to the listing price.  Last month saw this number increase slightly from 97.69% to 97.87%.  This is the second highest the number has been since October of last year and it means sellers ARE, on average, getting almost 100% of the price that their home was listed. Continue to watch this trend, as it will continue to impact how homes should be priced in the current market in order to appeal to the buyers.

Buyers:

Buyers need to pay attention. As this average remains very close to 100% on lower priced/highly desirable properties, buyers are still finding homes in the lower price ranges where they may have to pay above list price AND they are competing with investors who are bringing cash to the transaction. Since a home must appraise in order to obtain a loan, underwriters are still looking very closely at prices and making sure that homes are selling at or below market value. This could mean that investors have an advantage if they are willing to pay higher than the list price.
Make sure your real estate professional helps you understand the competitiveness of the list price of the home you want to purchase. Pay attention as well, to sales activity in the area where you want to buy and how the offer you are making competes with the market AND with trends relative to the price where homes are selling in that area.


 



Distressed Sales Analysis
 
A bank owned/foreclosure home is one that the seller no longer owns – it has been taken over by the lender(s) who had a note on the home. Short sales are homes where the seller is negotiating with the bank to “forgive” a portion of the debt in order to avoid foreclosure.

The market remained fairly steady last month.  Bank-owned sales increased slightly from 8% to 8.4% of closed sales, and short sales decreased from 12.7% to 10.5%.  We also saw a slight increase in the number of traditional sales from 79.3% to 81.1%.  Sellers and buyers need to monitor this trend to see how the market continues to respond to the current inventory.

STOP!

 Would you like to know what is happening in your neighborhood?

Would you like to know the value of your home?

Do you need help deciding whether to sell or would you like to know if now is the right time to buy?

I would be very happy to get you that information.
Just Reply and let me know.

"Opening The Door To Opportunity and Your Future Home..."

Thank you
Joseph D'Ambrosio
Joseph D'Ambrosio Cell: 623-204-2138
Real Estate Consultant / REALTOR 
West USA Realty
Email: joseph_dambrosio@westusa.com
Email: ArizonaHomeBuying@gmail.com

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Market Update

This is a Market Update from Greg Gale of The Gale Group from Nova Home Loans.
Greg and his Team are part of my Network of Professionals I work with. If you have any questions regarding Loans, Financial Information, buying or Selling your Home or Real Estate Please give us a call. We are looking forward to helping you with your needs. 

Thank you
Joseph D’Ambrosio
Joseph D'Ambrosio
Real Estate Consultant / Realtor
West USA Realty


Mortgage bond prices were higher this week, which pushed mortgage rates lower. Rates improved Monday after reports that Fed Vice Chair Yellen looked like the clear choice to replace Chairman Bernanke when he steps down. The positive movements were erased Tuesday and Wednesday morning as traders positioned themselves for the tapering announcement by the Fed Wednesday afternoon. That did not materialize and rates improved Wednesday after the Fed meeting. We lost some of the improvements late in the week. St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said Friday that, "This was a close decision here in September" and this reignited the tapering concerns. Mortgage interest rates finished the week better by about a .25% despite the extreme volatility.
 
Fed Not Done

The Federal Reserve shocked the financial markets this week with the announcement that the asset purchases will continue. The majority of analysts believed the Federal Reserve would announce a tapering of the bond buying program at the conclusion of the two day meeting.

The Committee indicated they will continue to purchase “mortgage-backed securities at a pace of $40 billion per month and longer-term Treasury securities at a pace of $45 billion per month….these actions should maintain downward pressure on longer-term interest rates, support mortgage markets, and help to make broader financial conditions more accommodating, which in turn should promote a stronger economic recovery and help to ensure that inflation, over time, is at the rate most consistent with the Committee's dual mandate.”

The majority of officials indicated they would prefer the first rate hike in 2015. They cut the forecast for 2013 GDP growth and kept the forecast for core inflation unchanged. This was overwhelmingly favorable for mortgage interest rates in the short term. Now is a great time to take advantage of the recent dip in mortgage interest rates. The tapering issue looms over the financial markets. A cautious approach to float/lock decisions would be wise in this environment.
Lastly, I wanted let you know of our upcoming classes.  We have a class with Dane Briggs on RPR, the NAR backed software that is FREE for agents and creates phenomenal CMA reports.  This class will also have Tina Tamboer from The Cromford Report, keeping us up to date on current market trends.
 
 
If you want to grow your business and finish the year with more closings, RSVP today to Shelli.Smith@novahomeloans.com
 
** See Attached for dates, times, and location **
Please give us a call if you have any financial questions or if you need a second opinion on a loan scenario.

 

We look forward to serving you



STOP!

 Would you like to know what is happening in your neighborhood?

Would you like to know the value of your home?

Do you need help deciding whether to sell or not or would you like to know if now is the right time to buy?

I would be very happy to get you that information.
Just Reply and let me know.

"Opening The Door To Opportunity and Your Future Home..."

Thank you
Joseph D'Ambrosio
Joseph D'Ambrosio Cell: 623-204-2138
Real Estate Consultant / REALTOR 
West USA Realty
Email: joseph_dambrosio@westusa.com
Email: ArizonaHomeBuying@gmail.com

Friday, September 20, 2013

Quick Tips To Beat Out Cash Buyers

Quick Tips To Beat Out Cash BuyersYou’ve been searching for the perfect home for quite a while, and finally, you’ve found it! You get all of your finances in order and place an offer on the house.
However, you’re not the only one that loves the home, because there are multiple offers — and one of them is cash.
Cash buyers are seen as desirable because they’re almost always a guaranteed quick close.
They don’t have to borrow money from a bank therefore won’t have any financing hang-ups, which is where a large portion of offers fall through. Don’t worry; not all hope is lost.
Follow the steps below to beef up your offer and get your foot in the door.
Less Expensive Homes
If you’ve put offers in on homes at the asking price and are continually beat out by buyers that are paying more, then you might want to consider looking in a lower price range. This is an especially smart strategy for those living in fast-selling markets. By looking at less expensive homes, you can be the one that puts in an offer over the asking price.
20 Percent Down Payment
Save up a higher down payment for the price range of homes you’re considering. If you can come up with 20 percent, then you’re in a position to wave the appraisal contingency for financing with the bank. The more you have in cash, the better.
Take-It-Or-Leave-It Home Inspection
This means that based on the home inspection, you’ll take the property with all its issues, or you’ll walk away. What you won’t do is ask the seller to waste more of their time and money fixing every little problem that’s found.
Fees
Waive the seller concessions, such as closing costs and the home warranty, and pay your real estate broker’s fees. These extra costs add up in the mind of the seller and will show that you really want the property.
Going up against cash buyers can be extremely discouraging. But, just because they’re dealing in cash doesn’t mean they’ll get the property. Many investors think they can put in a low offer because they’re dealing in cash.
So show you’re serious about a property, follow the steps above and put in your best offer. You’ll be a homeowner soon enough!

STOP!

 Would you like to know what is happening in your neighborhood?

Would you like to know the value of your home?

Do you need help deciding whether to sell or not or would you like to know if now is the right time to buy?

I would be very happy to get you that information.
Just Reply and let me know.

"Opening The Door To Opportunity and Your Future Home..."

Thank you
Joseph D'Ambrosio
Joseph D'Ambrosio Cell: 623-204-2138
Real Estate Consultant / REALTOR 
West USA Realty
Email: joseph_dambrosio@westusa.com
Email: ArizonaHomeBuying@gmail.com

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Don’t Overlook These Important Factors When Buying A New Home

Don't Overlook These Important Factors When Buying A New HomeMost of the time when buying a property, there are a few obvious factors that you will consider – such as the location, the number of bedrooms, the accessibility to schools or your workplace, the need for repairs and any interior features. However, there are a few things that might not have crossed your mind during your house hunting but are still quite important.
Water Quality
Most home buyers don’t even think about the water quality at the property until they get to the inspection stage. However, if you find out that the home has hard water this will dull your clothes when you wash them and irritate your skin.
Hard water will also create calcium deposits within your showers and faucets and even inside your washing machine and dishwasher. Have the water tested so you know its quality and can look into options for a water purification system.
Cell Phone Reception
When looking at a house, don’t forget to pull out your cell phone and check to make sure that you get good reception. There are a number of “dead zones” throughout the country and you don’t want to buy a house where you can’t make a phone call on your cell.
If you have found your dream house but it has poor phone coverage, there is the option to buy a wireless cell phone signal booster.
Lead, Asbestos And Other Health Risks
When buying homes that are older, make sure that you have the home thoroughly inspected for any health risks such as lead paint or asbestos insulation.
These materials were commonly used several decades ago, before anyone realized how toxic they really are. If you find any toxic substances you can have them removed safely or look for a healthier home.
Slope Of The Land
Take a walk around the property and look at the land around the house. Is it flat, or does the earth dip or slope in one corner of the property? Keep in mind that when it rains, water will flow to the lowest point on the property.
If the house is at the bottom of a slope you might have issues with dampness collecting around the foundations. This can be corrected only with serious landscaping, so it’s much easier to buy a house on higher ground.
These are just a few factors to consider that you might not have thought of when buying a house. For more real estate tips on property, contact your real estate professional.

STOP!

 Would you like to know what is happening in your neighborhood?

Would you like to know the value of your home?

Do you need help deciding whether to sell or not or would you like to know if now is the right time to buy?

I would be very happy to get you that information.
Just Reply and let me know.

"Opening The Door To Opportunity and Your Future Home..."

Thank you
Joseph D'Ambrosio
Joseph D'Ambrosio Cell: 623-204-2138
Real Estate Consultant / REALTOR 
West USA Realty
Email: joseph_dambrosio@westusa.com
Email: ArizonaHomeBuying@gmail.com