Overall mortgage applications declined 1.9 percent last week on a seasonally adjusted basis from the week before, with refinancings taking the biggest hit, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported today.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 6.66 percent from 6.61 percent, with points including the origination fee decreasing to 1.03 from 1.17 [...]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Doug Duncan, chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association, has a knack for making people feel secure and optimistic about housing’s future.
The key to understanding house prices, Duncan said at a real estate journalism conference, is population movement and jobs.
“The housing market is normalizing,” Duncan said, predicting that purchase mortgage originations this [...]

A Mother’s Questions on Graduation Day
by Anne Dunajcik (Brad’s Mom)
BRADLEY T. DUNAJCIK
High School Graduate!
MICDS Class of 2006
Brad,
We are so proud of you!
Love, Mom & Dad
Dear Child of mine
How can it be
That soon you’ll graduate
And be leaving me?
Where did the time
So quickly go?
Have I taught you
All you need to know?
Have I prepared you
For life’s twists and [...]

Profile of a typical Seller
*had their home on the market 4 weeks
*had lived in it for 6 years
*moved 15 miles
*owned 3 homes previously
43% of Sellers choose their agent based on referral by friend, neighbor or relative
28% had used their agent previously
57% of Seller said repurtation was the most important factor in selecting an agent
82% of [...]

40% of Buyers were first time home buyers…that has been true for the last 10 years…Most of you (43% purchased a home with no money down)…the Median Age of Buyers is 32 years old.
A typical home search took 8 weeksna dn buyers visited 8 properties.
44% of buyers were referred to an agent by [...]

According to Buyers, the most important factor to you in choosing an agent was reputation followed by agent’s knowledge of the neighborhood. (Did we mention that The Anne Dunajcik Group is in the Top 1% of all St. Louis Realtors, is the #2 in Keller Williams in St. Louis & have been satisfying over 600 [...]

9 out of 10 Home Buyers use a Real Estate Agent in the Search Process
77% of Buyers use the internet when searching for a home
It was only 2% just 11 short years ago in 1995
then 37% in 1999
then 74% in 2004
Next, largest source of information is the yard sign (71% of Buyers)
81% of buyer who [...]

Overall mortgage applications jumped 8.8 percent last week, ending a three-week slide, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported today.
The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased, which is the lowest share since June 25, 2004.
The adjustable-rate-mortgage share of activity increased slightly.
The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 6.57 percent from 6.53 percent. [...]