Recently
Home Values Edging Up
Home values increased by an average of 0.5 percent in March, compared with the previous month. However, at $146,200, the national median home value was still down 0.5 percent quarter-to-quarter and 3.1 percent from a year ago, estimated researchers …Read more.
The Season for Remodeling
Warm spring breezes often bring thoughts of home remodeling. This is a viable option for homeowners who need additional rooms for a growing family or to accommodate special interest activities.
Remodeling activity remained relatively flat in the …Read more.
‘Bait and Switch' at Home Sale Closing
One of the most frustrating times in the process of closing a home-sale transaction is at the closing table when final costs are revealed. Increasingly, those costs are substantially more than their previous estimates.
In most cases, the buyer and …Read more.
Number of Strategic Defaults Rising
About 20 percent of mortgages are now under water, and about 46 percent of bankers surveyed by FICO expect to see the volume of strategic defaults this year exceed 2011 levels. A strategic default is when a homeowner "walks away" from his …Read more.
more articles
|
How to Make Your Home SecureThe sluggish economy and high unemployment rate has a greater impact on today's homeowners than a possible foreclosure. It also increases the risk of home burglaries and even home invasions. A substantial increase in home-related crimes occurred during the past year, compared to the steadily reducing number reported in previous years. Many of the crimes took place in suburban areas and small towns, again breaking previous records. Taking steps to secure your home against such intrusions has never been more important. Fortunately, you can take preventative steps that do not involve a substantial expense. "The numbers reflect what we have been hearing ... all over the country. The bad economy has caused an increase in crime and it is happening everywhere," says Alan Young, CEO of a home security company. According to Young, there are three keys to ensure your home is secure. The first is simple. "Use common sense. Don't post vacation plans on Facebook and don't post vacation photos while still on vacation. Many burglaries are committed by someone you know or by someone connected to someone you know. Letting the world know that you're not home is an easy way to become a target." The second key is to make your home a less attractive target than your neighbor's home. "If you and your neighbor are being chased by a dog, you don't need to be faster than the dog, just your neighbor. Make your home a less attractive target and thieves will go somewhere else — unless you have something that they really want." Steps to make your home less attractive to burglars include cutting shrubs and properly lighting the inside and outside of your home. The third key is to secure the exterior of your home. "Most people think about home alarm systems as home security. An alarm simply tells you that someone is inside your house and police response times are often greater than 20 minutes. Alarms are a good addition to your home's security but 85 percent of all break-ins are through a door.
"Security does not need to cost a lot, it just needs to work. With a little common sense and a little effort you can effectively secure your home," concluded Young who is CEO of Armor Concepts LLC. For starters, think simple and basic, such as locking your doors. Most home burglars enter the house through an unlocked door. Q: Is the mortgage industry still suffering from the recession? A: Yes, it's still a struggle for mortgage lenders but their business is improving. Independent mortgage banks and subsidiaries made an average profit of $1,263 on each loan they originated in the third quarter of 2011, up from $575 per loan in the second quarter of 2011, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. "Higher volume helped profitability as production costs were spread over a greater number of loans," said Marina Walsh, MBAs Associate Vice President of Industry Analysis. "Third quarter production expenses dropped on a per-loan basis as volume rose, although expenses remained high by historical standards when compared to other quarters with similar volume." Q: Is mortgage-related employment still dropping? A: At this point, it's finally rising again. For the first time in five quarters, mortgage-related hires outpaced layoffs, according to the Third-Quarter 2011 Mortgage Employment Index from MortgageDaily.com. Total layoffs between July 1 and Sept. 30 exceeded 2,500. However, hires numbered more than 5,200. That leaves a third-quarter net gain of 2,738, according to the report. Q: Are home prices expected to increase in 2012? A: According to a recent survey conducted by Fannie Mae, improved economic data is pushing home price expectations into positive territory for the first time in six months. More survey respondents expect home prices to increase by at least 0.2 percent over the next year. However, it should be noted that nearly a quarter of those surveyed expect house prices to keep going down. To find out more about Jim Woodard and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM. ?? ?? ?? ??
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
