View this 7 minute video which explains the connection between interest rates & mortgage backed securities. For those who monitor interest rates - this video highlights why one cannot rely on the media! It also describes how the Federal Reserve works - and what they are doing to keep interest rates low.

Ultimately anyone "interest rate shopping" or looking for home financing must work with a Mortgage Professional who understands the importance of not just watching mortgage backed securities, but gives great guidance.

Three real estate pros accepted REALTOR® Magazine’s staging challenge: They had 2 hours to transform one room for under $250. Master Bedroom Makeover....

Here are 10 things to consider when assessing the curb appeal of your listing:

1. Pressure wash siding, decks, and walkways.

2. Clean windows and gutters, and check downspouts.

3. Check the growth of trees and bushes–ensure they don’t block light from any window.

4. Kill any mold or mildew around the property.

5. Mow the lawn, eliminate weeds, and rake and dispose of leaves, especially if it’s a wooded lot.

6. Paint the front door. Color choice has a big impact–so you might want to get a professional’s advice.

7. Make the front entry sing “welcome”. The degree of what can be achieved depends on the size of entry and, of course, your budget. However, even minimal improvements will make a huge difference: Consider flowers, a new mailbox, hardware, lights, and house numbers.

8. Don’t forget the rear yard–buyers may attempt to see the back yard during a drive by, even from another street.

9. Outdoor lighting is a huge plus as 50 percent of viewings take place at night. Today we are fortunate to have access to inexpensive but tasteful low-voltage lighting. Consider placing lighting along the sidewalks, driveway, or attractive landscaping elements. Take extra care to ensure your front door and numbers are clearly visible from the street.

10. If the inside of the home is visible at night, be sure the interior lighting also enhances what is seen from the outside.

Remember: You never get a second chance to make a great first impression!

The much-talked-over first time home buyer tax credit continuance looks a lot more likely. Those watching carefully will recall that the House recently passed a bill which extends the $8,000 homebuyer’s credit for a select class: military personnel, diplomats, and intelligence staff serving overseas. The news comes not just as a refreshing relief for these civil workers, but as a premonition of good times for the rest of the nation.

 The first-time homebuyer tax credit will expire next month, and go down in the history books as a benefit to over a million taxpayers who were able to finally move into a home they can call their own. But it may not be the end of the chapter.

We take the easy passage of the bill as a presage of passing more and similar bills. Several congressional leaders have already drafted plans of bills that would extend the first-time homebuyer tax credit, increase the first-time homebuyer tax credit, or other variations on the same theme.

In a closed-door meeting in the Oval Office last week, President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Majority Leader Reid, et. al., reviewed, among other things, the impact that an extended housing bill could have on the economy at large. Clearly, advantages would abound, and the meeting seemed to affirm this, though no promises or official announcements were made.

What stands in the way of a first-time homebuyer tax credit extension? Or any homebuyer tax-credit extension for that matter? Couldn’t the stymied housing market use some more governmental CPR? After these events, the answer is beginning to sound more like “yes.”

But there may be obstacles.

Billion dollar line items no longer evoke coughing paroxysms, even among the most ferociously fiscal conservatives, but the price tag of the proposed tax-credit extension is a big one: $30B at least. And $30B may just be a show stopper.  We should have the answer to this question soon. 

We will keep you posted!