All Blog Entries by DB Wilson 
There are currently 196 blog entries published by DB Wilson.
MID-WEEK MARKETS
Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 at 10:31pm. 42 Views, 0 Comments.
The US economy is somewhat stronger, the DOW is moving towards 13,000, Greece is a mess, again, and mortgage rates are hovering around 4%. The 10 year treasury (the competition for mortgages) is bouncing around in the high 1.9% range but staying below its 2.0% threshold, which is good. The one thing that has really kept the 10 year rate below 2% is Ben Bernanke commenting that a slightly stronger jobs report isn't a recovery. And he's right.
The number of people employed in the mortgage industry is down 8% from December 2010. With all originators needing to renew their licenses by January 1, it will be interesting to see the final tally.
The National Association of Homebuilders is reporting that remodeling has hit its highest level in 5 years as…
INCREASE IN ALL-CASH HOME PURCHASES
Saturday, February 4th, 2012 at 6:56pm. 21 Views, 0 Comments.
According to a recent report in Real Estate Economy Watch, nearly one out of three home sales in December 2011 went to buyers who paid all cash, adding credence to the belief that investors are key to the recovering real estate market.
The report was based on the findings from the Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance HousingPulse Tracking Survey, which surveys approximately 2,500 real estate agents nationwide each month. According to the survey, in December, the overall proportion of cash buyers in the housing market surged to a record 33.2 percent, up from 29.6 percent a year earlier, and 74 percent of investors used all cash to buy homes. Investors accounted for 22.8 percent of home purchases in December 2011, up from 22.2 percent a month earlier.
The…
FRIDAY FINANCIALS
Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 10:53pm. 28 Views, 0 Comments.
Great economic information - well, good for the economy and not as good for interest rates. The national jobless rate dropped to a 3 year low of 8.3% as the private sector created 243,000 jobs. Most of the "experts" were predicting about a 150,000 job gain. The 243,000 gain is the largest since April and suggests we may be close to a self sustaining recovery, as opposed to a government stimulated recovery. According to Reuters, these suggestions are also supported by a second report showing service sector activity reached a 1 year high and is approaching a 6 year high. A revision of the jobs reports for November and December showing an additional 60,000 jobs further fuels the growth fires. On the cautionary side, we…
MID-WEEK MARKETS
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 9:39pm. 54 Views, 0 Comments.
The bond market continues to move in a tight range, keeping mortgage rates below 4%. The 10 year moved down below 1.80% briefly and then moved back up into the mid 1.8 range. Nothing really pushed it down nor did anything really push it back up and these movements are too small to be of much consequence. Mortgage rates remain in the 3.875% range for most lenders. Although a month ago these bond yields caused rates to dip to 3.75%, the payroll tax cut charge, coupled with nervousness by mortgage lenders that they may have to eat some of these fees on locks that don't fund by the end of February is resulting in some padding of the rates.
In other news, Realty Trac is reporting that 20% of all home sales in the 3rd quarter were REO or foreclosures. That…
SOME ITEMS ARE BETTER OFF RENTED – and do less damage to your pocketbook
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 9:48pm. 31 Views, 0 Comments.
Sometimes, renting is better than buying, especially if you’re only going to use something once in a while, according to Yahoo! Finance.
For those of us in the U.S. operating on a budget, here are a few examples of when renting is the smarter way to go:
Designer Dresses
If you must get dressed up to the nines but don’t want to spend outrageous money on a dress you’ll only wear once, then rent a designer gown at a fraction of what it would cost to buy, Yahoo! Finance advises.
Wear Today Gone Tomorrow rents out dresses and accessories by top designers, often for 90 percent off the retail price and a $10 cleaning fee. Rent the Runway also offers dresses by more than 100 designers plus accessories such as jewelry and shawls. Both companies send the dress…
NATIONAL INDEX Shows Improvement in Remodeling Industry
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 8:23pm. 31 Views, 0 Comments.
Though more contractors are reporting business is slower than those who say it is higher, remodeling sentiment rose to the highest level in five years in the fourth quarter of 2011.
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports that its Remodeling Market Index (RMI) increased from 41.7 in the third quarter of 2011 to 46.6 in the fourth quarter. The RMI component measuring current market conditions rose to 48.4 from 43.0 in the previous quarter, and the RMI component measuring future indicators of remodeling business also increased to 44.8 from 40.4 in the previous quarter, according to the NAHB.
An RMI below 50 indicates that more remodelers report market activity is lower (compared to the prior quarter) than report it is higher. The overall…
INNOVATIVE GREEN RENOVATIONS
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 6:57pm. 18 Views, 0 Comments.
Recycling, composting, collecting gray water—these are all ways you can save money and help the environment without leaving your property. However, if you are planning to sell, a few green renovations can go a long way in terms of appealing to buyers. Here are a few green insider tips on eco-friendly changes you can make to your home.
1. Recycled Roof Tiles
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, asphalt shingles represent up to 10 percent of residential jobsite waste. “By using reclaimed clay or stone tiles, or slate, you can do your part to help keep tiling out of landfills, and save some cash while you’re at it.
2. Low-Energy Lighting
Electric lighting burns up to 25 percent of the average home energy budget. Adding low-energy light fixtures…
‘GREEN’ PRACTICES CAN SHOW Boulder cares about social & economic as well as environmental benefits
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 6:45pm. 30 Views, 0 Comments.
The same “green” policies and practices that sustain the environment can maximize social and economic benefits, as well. And that’s what should come to mind when people reflect not only on the City and County of Boulder, but all of the Boulder Valley – that it cares about its people and the economy as well as the environment, says Julie Herman, executive director of the Colorado Green Building Guild, previously known as the Boulder Green Building Guild.
“I believe sustainability and green building should be used as a framework for decision making to protect and enhance the best of Boulder Valley,” Herman says. “I want the community known for making decisions that consider long-term impacts and all aspects of community – that have economic, environmental…
BOULDER TOPS NATIONAL LIST FOR MOST BIKE-ENTHUSIASTIC CITIES
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 12:27am. 268 Views, 0 Comments.
Bicycling isn’t just a popular pastime in Boulder. For many, it provides basic transportation as well as their vehicle for recreation. Just how much bicycling has permeated the Boulder culture is represented by the fact that Priceonomics.com has named Boulder the Top City for Bicycling in America.
“With its bike friendly road infrastructure, population of college students and nearby mountains, Boulder comes in first for the win,” reports Priceonomics.com.
While Denver (No. 9), Fort Collins (No. 17) and Colorado Springs (No. 31) also made the list, it was dominated by West Coast cities in Oregon and California. In fact, the Oregon cities of Bend, Portland, and Eugene rounded out the top four.
Priceonomics.com also noted that college towns including…
2011 MARKET ENDS ON SLUGGISH NOTE BUT STRONG ENOUGH
Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 9:07pm. 83 Views, 0 Comments.
Following five consecutive months in which home sales exceeded those of the previous year and prices held their own, the Boulder area real estate markets ended 2011 on a rough patch.
“We broke the pattern in single-family home sales in December 2011,” notes Ken Hotard, senior vice president of public affairs for the Boulder Area Realtor® Association. “That means the housing market flattened out and even dipped a little bit.”
Only 204 single-family homes sold in Boulder area markets in December, compared with 231 in December 2010 and 210 in November 2011. In the condominium/townhomes market, 72 units sold in December, which is in line with the 71 that sold in December 2010 but down slightly from the 78 that sold in November 2011.
Hotard notes that…
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