Hi Friends and Neighbors,
Have you heard the latest SEO info. SE... What? Ah remember when we actually had to wait for things? When we had to look things up in a BOOK at a LIBRARY, go to a store to shop… I’m dating myself. Today I find myself sitting in front of my computer saying things like “come on, hurry up, whats wrong with this piece of #!*%”. We sure have gotten spoiled haven’t we? But I digress, back to the hot news about SEO. Google talking about how they are considering using site speed as one of the factors in ranking a site. Confused? Watch the video it will clear it up for you. Read more
Speaking of speeding things up The Treasury Department unveiled new rules to speed up Short Sales. This will “help financially troubled homeowners who need to sell but can't get a price high enough to pay off their mortgages. Homeowners will even get $1,500 to help cover their moving costs.
The plan is designed to help homeowners who don't have the income or debt levels to qualify for a loan modification under the Obama administration's $75 billion Making Home Affordable program. The plan establishes timelines, a standard process and documents, and cash incentives for participation.” Read all about it including how to qualify under the new guidelines, click here
On the other side of the coin the California Association of Realtors announced “First-time Buyer Housing Affordability Index stood at 64 percent in the third quarter of 2009 compared with 55 percent (revised) in the third quarter of 2008
· The median price of an entry-level home in California was $247,150 in the third quarter of 2009
· The estimated monthly payment including taxes and insurance was $1,450 in the third quarter of 2009
· The minimum household income needed to purchase an entry-level home in California in the third quarter of 2009 was $43,500
C.A.R. reports entry-level housing affordability reached 64 percent in the third quarter of 2009” Read more
If you are thinking about buying a home be sure to check out C.A.R. Financing Guide for California Home Buyers . “This guide as an introduction to the programs currently available to potential California home buyers from local, state, and federal agencies. With this guide, you’ll learn the basics of working with these programs and some practical tips to help you avoid the common pitfalls. For those areas not represented in this document, you are encouraged to check with your local city or county government for details on programs specific to your area.” Read more
I think I will close with some good news from a Chapman University study that was just released. California Consumer Confidence at a 2-Year High!
Read the full report here
2009 Weekly Mortgage Rates Data from Freddie Mac http://www.freddiemac.com/pmms/
