Getting a Mortgage

Top Tuesday Tour Tips

Yesterday, there were 32 homes on the Palos Verdes Real Estate Broker's Tour. Several were well priced and are expected to sell quickly. We currently have 269 active single family homes for sale in Palos Verdes ranging in price from $799,000 in Rancho Palos Verdes ($599,000 in Eastview) to $23,000,000 in Rolling Hills. My favorites today are: Susie Engstrom's 35 Empty Saddle Lane, Rolling...


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Financial/Mortgage Update

Friday's mortgage rates are up slightly compared to our last Morgage Update two weeks ago. At that time a 30 year fixed rate mortgage was 5.75% conforming and 6.75% jumbo. As you can see from the chart above, today a borrower will pay 6.125% conforming and 6.875% jumbo. Friday's mortgage rates for Palos Verdes homes are provided by Jim Kurata, Peninsula Mortgage/Chase...


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Top Tuesday Tour Tips

Today there were 26 homes on Broker's Tour. We currently have 253 active single family homes for sale in Palos Verdes ranging in price from $599,000 (in Eastview) to $23,000,000. My favorites today were: Joan Zirkel's 6739 Vallon Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes (above left), is a 5 bedroom, 3 bath, 3177 square foot home for $1,650,000. This remodeled home has an ocean view, 3 car garage and backs to...


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Top Tuesday Tour Tips

Today there were 22 homes on Broker's Tour. We currently have 258 active single family homes for sale in Palos Verdes. My favorites today were: Al D'Amico's 12 Pony Lane, Rolling Hills Estates (above top), is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2317 square foot home for $1,575,000. This is "A Horse Lover's Dream" on a 20,000 square foot lot with a 2-stall barn and exercise ring adjacent to the...


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Top Tuesday Tour Tips

Interest rates on home loans are down one full percentage point in some categories from April 17, 2008, for example 5.5% for a 30 year fixed loan due in 10 years. Tuesdays, I attend our Office Meeting and then go on to the Palos Verdes Real Estate Broker's Tour. Better loan rates were the pleasant surprise at our Office Meeting. Today's Broker's Tour had 24 properties to view in approximately two...


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Banks Need More Money

Buyers may need 5% more down payment to buy homes that are designated to be in a declining market. By the way, the entire state of California (including real estate in Palos Verdes) is considered a "soft market" by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Kenneth R. Harney of the Washington Post wrote an excellent article on April 26, 2008, entitled "Declining Markets and Self-Fulfilling Prophecies(which was...


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What’s Happening With Mortgages?!!

The answer seems to change daily. I checked with a lender today and a 30-year fixed conforming loan (now $729,750 for Palos Verdes Peninsula/South Bay real estate) is 5 3/8% with one loan point while a jumbo loan is 6 1/2% with one loan point. On a jumbo loan, lenders are requiring a minimum of 25% down payment (this is new). A HUGE caveat on the conforming loans is that if the loan exceeds the...


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Proposed Increase in Loan Limits for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

There is serious discussion between Congressional leaders and the White House about increasing the loan limits from $417,000 to $625,000 (perhaps as high as $725,000 in high-cost areas) for guaranteed/insured Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans. From LATimes.com - "And in a provision crucial to high-housing-cost states such as California, there would be a significant one-year increase in the size of...


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