Mortgage applications increased 3.8 percent for the week ending May 18, the Mortgage Bankers Association reports. Refinance application activity increased 5.6 percent, reaching a nearly four-month high.
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Prudential Real Estate, Southern California
Mortgage, Title, Escrow, Insurance, Home Warranty, Relocation
Nothing more fun than spending time with our agents and staff!
Ever wonder how to manage your mind to eliminate resistance and shorten the time it takes to achieve your 2012 goals? With Brian Goodell today, discussing the 7 specific techniques he learned from top coaches to become an Olympic Gold Medal winner and how they can be used to stay mentally tough in any market.
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Prudential Real Estate, Southern California
Mortgage, Title, Escrow, Insurance, Home Warranty, Relocation
One of the biggest areas where agents can improve is in being candid with their clients. Too many of us fear that telling the client the truth will cost us the opportunity when in fact it will win us the opportunity.
We believe that if we tell the client what it will really cost them to get the result that they need, that they will believe the price is too high. The lack of candor means that we lose the opportunity because we built a solution that won’t produce the result, or that we price the solution wrong, such that you can’t afford to get the result that the client needs.
If your client needs to invest more to get the result, you have to be candid and deliver the truth.
We believe that if we are candid about how difficult our change initiative is really going to be that we will frighten our dream client away. Or, we fear being candid in telling our client that the reason that they can’t produce their desired result is something that they are doing, that they are causing their own problems.
If your client has a constraint that is preventing them from getting the result that they need, you become a strategic partner by finding a way to help them see it. You tell them the truth.
Trust is based on truthfulness.
Adapted from a blog written by Anthony Iannarino
Warren Buffet, has told the people closest to him that buying a home right now “will be the best opportunity in their lifetime.”
Seen by many as the greatest investor of our time, when Warren speaks, people listen.
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Prudential Real Estate, Southern California
Mortgage, Title, Escrow, Insurance, Home Warranty, Relocation
The U.S. economy grows at 2.8% annual rate in 4th quarter, strongest since 2nd quarter of 2010.
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Prudential Real Estate, Southern California
Mortgage, Title, Escrow, Insurance, Home Warranty, Relocation
This will be a very busy week for economic releases. The key report is the January employment report to be released on Friday, Feb 3rd. Other key reports include the Case-Shiller house price index on Tuesday, the ISM manufacturing index on Wednesday, vehicle sales on Wednesday, and the ISM non-manufacturing (service) index on Friday.
On Thursday, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke provides testimony to Congress on the economic outlook.###
Prudential Real Estate, Southern California
Mortgage, Title, Escrow, Insurance, Home Warranty, Relocation
Off to a strong start...
Mortgage applications for the week ending January 13 rose 23.1%. Refinancing applications increased 26.4%. Purchase volume rose 10.3%.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo monthly housing market index rose four points in January, it was the highest level since June 2007.
Existing home sales rose 5% in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.61 million units from a downwardly revised 4.39 million units in November. The inventory of unsold homes on the market decreased to 2.38 million, a 6.2-month supply at the current sales pace, down from a 7.2-month supply in November.
Initial claims for unemployment benefits fell by 50,000 to 352,000 for the week ending January 14. It was the lowest level since April 2008.
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Prudential Real Estate, Southern California
Mortgage, Title, Escrow, Insurance, Home Warranty, Relocation
Buyers who recently purchased a home in Southern California with a mortgage found their payments lower – $1,084, down from $1,101 in August and $1,177 in September 2010. Record low interest rates make home buying conditions even more attractive.
Housing sales for 2011 are on track to parallel the volume achieved in 2010, when half the year’s sales were boosted by federal and state incentives. In fact, unsold inventories are at 5.1 months on hand... in many price ranges (first time buyers), inventory is 3 months or less.
Many investors are snapping up homes without paying for a mortgage – a whopping 59% of non-occupying home buyers paid cash for homes in September.
By any measure, it’s a great time to buy a home, especially in Southern California.
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Prudential Real Estate, Southern California
Mortgage, Title, Escrow, Insurance, Home Warranty, Relocation
