Written by Adam Sullivan on January 27, 2012.
Existing-home sales increased for the third consecutive month in December 2011, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said in a recent report.
According to the NAR, existing-home sales rose 5.0 percent month-over month in December and came in 3.6 percent higher than one year earlier in December 2010.
The pattern of home sales in recent months demonstrates a market in recovery, Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said in a statement. Record low mortgage interest rates, job growth and bargain home prices are giving more consumers the confidence they need to enter the market.
Last week, 30-year fixed mortgage rates inched down to new record low and mortgage rates are forecasted to remain low in early 2012.
Overall, 2011 saw a 1.7 percent year-over-year increase in existing-home sales, the NAR said.
December continued the trend of a declining housing inventory. Total housing inventory in the month fell 9.2 percent month-over-month.
Read more…
Written by Joseph Perry on April 11, 2011.
Did you know that April is National Financial Literacy Month? That’s right, there’s a whole month dedicated to increasing financial literacy. I like to think that around here it’s a 24/7 financial literacy marathon, but a lot of media outlets and finance blogs will be joining forces over the next few weeks to bring financial information to the masses.
One of the best resources will be the website presented by . Each year, MMI helps put together a great collection of articles, information, and tools to help people learn more about their finances and begin to make better decisions with their money.
Financial Literacy Month is the perfect opportunity for individuals and families to change their financial situation by learning about important financial matters like creating and managing a budget, paying down debt while saving for emergencies, and creating achievable financial goals. Here at Generation X Finance, we care about your financial future. We are
Read more…
Written by Joseph Perry on June 18, 2010.
For most homeowners a mortgage is just a fact of life. You get a loan and then make monthly payments for what seems like an eternity. It’s not all that bad because it does put a roof over your head and you’re using leverage to buy something that could otherwise take decades to save up for and you may even get a nice little tax break or two. But in the end, a typical 30-year mortgage is incredibly expensive.
Take a simple $175,000 loan at 5% over thirty years. Over the life of the loan you’ll pay nearly $165,000 in interest alone. Even if it’s spread out over three decades, that’s a lot of money. There’s always the option of refinancing, but that often reduces your monthly payment just a little and then extends your loan even further into the future. The good news is that with low refinance mortgage rates you can save more now than you could in the past. One way people save is by opting for a shorter term loan like a 15-year mortgage. You pay off
Read more…
Written by Scott Barnes on May 2, 2010.
Did you know that May was national physical fitness month? As part of this nationwide effort to encourage health & fitness, there’s a President’s Challenge described as:
…a program that encourages all Americans to make being active part of their everyday lives. No matter what your activity and fitness level, the President’s Challenge can help motivate you to improve.
What better reason to kick things up a notch?
In honor of National Fitness Month, here’s what I plan to do.
1 – I will commit to working out 5 times per week for the entire month of May. I already hav
Read more…
Written by Admin on January 14, 2010.
These days’ people are coming up with more and more creative ways to save money on their monthly spending due to the unstable state of the economy that we have recently become so accustomed to. Unemployment rates have grown considerably as well as the cost of living which means less money at the end of every month for many individuals all over the country. People have had to give up everything from family nights out to vacations to lessons for the kids. The truth of the matter is that if you make a few minor changes in your monthly spending habits you may have enough extra money at the end of the month to put away for such things. Listed are a few of the changes that you can make that will add up to a significant amount of extra money at the end of each month.
Pay attention to your electricity bill and you can save a considerable amount of money every month. Many people do not realize how much leaving that extra light on that you don’t need or forgetting to shut off the TV at night can increase their monthly electric bill.
Read more…