5 tips by Kevin Martini to help Raleigh Sellers to sell their home fast & for top dollar

5 tips by Kevin Martini to help Raleigh Sellers to sell their home fast & for top dollar

Here are 5 tips offered by the Kevin Martini Group at SunTrust Mortgage  to make your Raleigh home sell fast and for top dollar.

1. Order an inspections before marketing your home. For $250 – $400 a professional will alert you to any major issues.  Now if there are none…you have gained a great selling point.
2. Make needed repairs. Even a drippy faucet may suggest your home is not well maintained.
3. Clear the clutter.  Home stagers say to clean off the counter, thin out the closets & store at least a 1/3 of your furniture.
4. Deep clean.  Now is the time to hire a professional house cleaner.  You want the windows to gleam, carpets that are stain & odor free, wood floors to shine & NO HINT of dust or fingerprints.
5. Curb your enthusiasm.  Curb appeal is your potential Raleigh home buyer’s first impression.  Consider planting bright flowers & perhaps you turn the sprinklers on for just a moment so the lawn sparkles.

Ideally, better offers will result by being proactive and implementing these 5 ways to make your Raleigh home worth more.  Now even if you cannot get quite what you want, remember:  When you buy your new Raleigh home, lower prices will be on your side plus Raleigh mortgage rates are very attractive.

Need help finding your new dream home — check out the Home Buyers Scouting Report.

Raleigh Home Loans Rates Move Higher Yesterday

Raleigh home loan rates rose sharply this afternoon after the Federal Reserve released the minutes from their March meeting.

All Type of Raleigh mortgage rates rose…I am talking FHA, VA, USDA conventional & even the jumbo Raleigh home loan ratesBefore I give you the Kevin Martini breakdown --- let me share that the Federal Open Market Committee (a.k.a. FOMC) meets 8 times a year to discuss policy & revise statements they have made that are currently in play –FYI policy that they put in play. Now 3 weeks after they have a gathering…the Federal Reserve publishes what's known as the Fed Minutes (i.e. summary of the the conversations that shaped the meeting). The Stock market…the bond pay close attention to the Fed Minutes because the Federal Reserve is the top dog and set the tone in the investing arena.

For the past several years, Fed policies have helped drive stock markets up and bond pricing down, creating the low Raleigh mortgage rate environment to which we've all grown accustomed. As a result, when investors believe the Fed is close to withdrawing said policies, Raleigh home loan rates rise.

Folks, that is what happened today – April 3, 2012. & that did not ONLY impact Raleigh mortgage rates -- mortgage rates rose in all 50 states.

The March Fed Minutes show a Federal Reserve committed to improving the U.S. economy, but clearly within a "Wait-and-See" mode. After 2 rounds of quantitative easing, Fed members are watching employment data improve, housing numbers rebound, and an increase in consumer spending.

Before launching new stimulus (i.e. QE3), the Federal Reserve seems content to ride out the current wave of economic expansion. Wall Street wasn't prepped for this 411.

Based on comments from Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke made last week, investors thought a new stimulus round was imminent; likely to follow even the slightest economic hiccup. Today, those expectations are squashed.

Based on the March Fed Minutes, the Federal Reserve is unlikely to add new market stimulus, short of the economy losing its momentum, or deflation setting in. Right now, with growth occurring steadily and consistently, and with inflation running just short of 2 percent, markets are at risk for neither.

30-year fixed rate Raleigh mortgage rates had famously dropped below 4 percent last week – TODAY, they're back above 4 percent now.

For the last 2 quarters, Raleigh mortgage rates have held within a very tight range. They've dropped as low as mid to upper 3%. One thing that's for certain, though, Raleigh mortgage rates are wound tighter than a coil.

Each time they rise, they don't rise slowly -- they rise turbo fast. It is the Kevin Martini Group opinion that Raleigh mortgage rates are unsustainable at their current, sub-4 levels.

Folks, consider this your call-to-action. It's time to start that refinance. It's time to lock that mortgage rate. It is time to stop renting.

About Kevin Martini

Kevin Martini is a trusted Raleigh lender with the Kevin Martini Group at SunTrust Mortgage. You can email Kevin at Kevin@KevinMartini.com or call at 919.274.3700.

The Weekly Kevin Martini – information on where Raleigh Mortgage Rates

Another volatile week for Raleigh mortgage rates…

Last week, Personal Income & Personal Spending came in basically @  expectations. Yes, this is good news, however the report hinted that inflation is something to keep on the radar.Personal Income rose by 0.2%. But after factoring in the 0.3% rise in headline Personal Consumption Expenditures (a.k.a. PCE) (FYI: PCE includes energy and food), income actually declined by 0.1%. We have seen incomes actually decline on an inflation adjusted basis 3 of the past 4 months. It is the Kevin Martini Group opinion this is because oil & ultimately gas prices are rising.

AND THERE IS MORE…the final reading of 4th Quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2011 remained at 3%, I think this is a decent number. However, for 2011 overall, GDP wasONLY 1.625%, well below the number needed for a normal functioning economy.

So the big question inquiring minds want to know is “Mr. Bernanke – are you going to “QE” or not to “QE” – that is the question”  

Remember: Raleigh mortgage rates are tied to Mortgage Bonds…so as Bonds improve, Raleigh mortgage rates improve…and helping the housing market by keeping Raleigh mortgage rates low would be a big reason that the Fed would do another round of QE. Another key factor to keep in mind when it comes to whether Bonds and Raleigh mortgage rates will improve is the safe haven trade.  Folks, there was drama on the other side of the pond in Europe…specifically Greece…believe it or not, they may have restructure once again – YIKES!

All this to says– there are many factors at play which could impact the direction that Bonds and Raleigh mortgage rates move in the coming weeks and months. The important thing to take away is that Raleigh mortgage rates still remain near historic lows and now continues to be a great time to purchase or refinance a home.

Let me know if I can answer any questions at all for you:  (Kevin@KevinMartiin.com) or 919.274.3700

 BIG WEEK NEXT WEEK:

• ISM Manufacturing Index will be released on Monday and gives the investor a broad look at manufacturing around the country.
• Wednesday’s ADP Employment Change will be the precursor to the government report on Friday.
• Initial Weekly Jobless Claims will be released on Thursday. Jobless claims ticked up last week to 359,000 but the Labor Department said that the data includes the annual seasonal-adjustment revisions extending back five years, which led to the recent increases.
• The data that the entire investing community will be watching and waiting for is Friday’s Employment Report, which includes Non-farm Payrolls and theUnemployment Report. For the past three months, employers have added 244,000 new workers on average and this pace will have to continue in order to get back to a more normal functioning economy.

Always keep in mind…weak economic news normally causes money to flow out of Stocks and into Bonds, helping Bonds and Raleigh mortgage rates improve, while strong economic news normally has the opposite result.

About Kevin Martini

Kevin Martini is a trusted Raleigh lender with the Kevin Martini Group at SunTrust Mortgage.  You can email Kevin at Kevin@KevinMartini.com or call at 919.274.3700.

The Weekly Kevin Martini – information on where Raleigh Mortgage Rates

Raleigh mortgage rates were impacted last week by the ton of housing-related data that hit the street….both Housing Starts & Building Permits came in meeting expectations. Existing Home Sales was nearly inline with expectations.

Folks, the reports from last week may put Quantitative Easing or QE3 on the radar at the FED. The Raleigh – Cary housing market is heating up however the housing market on the aggregate remains fragile…the coming days & weeks I think will reveal if my thesis is correct or not. Raleigh mortgage rates have been moving upward & QE3 could stop this upwards movement. How? Here is the Kevin Martini break down…Raleigh mortgage rates are tied to bonds…if QE3 is a reality, then the FED will be buying bonds which will cause bonds to improve & as bonds improve so do Raleigh mortgage rates.

It is important to note that while Stocks saw some declines last week, Bonds were unable to build any positive momentum. This is eye-opening & does not look well for further price appreciation in Bonds. Whether the potential for QE3 helps Bonds and Raleigh mortgage rates in the future remains to be seen.

The bottom line is that Raleigh mortgage rates still remain near historic lows & now continues to be a great time to purchase or refinance a home. I invite you to call ,if I can answer any questions at all for you.

After last week’s housing data economic release calendar, this week’s calendar heats up with a ton of data.

• Pending Home Sales will be delivered on Monday and comes after last week’s so-so reports on the housing sector.

• Consumer Confidence and Consumer Sentiment will be released on Tuesday and Friday, respectively. The data will be closely watched to gauge how the consumer is holding up as economic news has been on the positive side.

• Wednesday brings the Durable Goods Report, which measures “big ticket” items that last for an extended time.

• Initial Weekly Jobless Claims will be released on Thursday. Jobless claims fell to the lowest level since February of 2008 last week as the sector continues to breathe life into the economy.

• Also on Thursday, the final read for Gross Domestic Product for the 4th quarter of 2011 will be released. In order for the U.S. economy to strengthen, we will have to see sustained growth in the form of the GDP.

• Friday brings a bunch of reports, including Personal Income and Spending, as well as the Chicago Manufacturing Report.

• We’ll also see the Core Personal Consumption Expenditures on Friday. This report provides insight into where inflation is at, so the data will be key to the Bond markets. As we know, higher inflation pushes Bond prices lower due to purchasing power loss that is associated with rising consumer prices. And, lower Bond prices can be bad news for Raleigh mortgage rates.

Remember: Weak economic news normally causes money to flow out of Stocks and into Bonds, helping Bonds and Raleigh mortgage rates improve, while strong economic news normally has the opposite result.

Raleigh Mortgage Rates On The Move…

Raleigh Mortgage Rates On The Move…

What a week for Raleigh mortgage rates!

The Fed did not have their sunglasses on when speaking about the economy last week when they released the Policy Statement at the Federal Open Market Committee. Their statement however said we all would need sunglasses…because they admitted things were improving in most areas. Yes, improvement in our economy is a good thing, however should this trend continue Raleigh mortgage rates could edge higher.

“Why Kevin Martini Why”? The answer is simple….stocks benefit in strong economic times at the expense of bonds…know that Raleigh mortgage rates come from the mortgage bonds.

The Fed did acknowledge that inflation could increase in the near-term due to higher energy prices – and higher inflation is never good news for bonds as inflation hurts the return of a fixed investment. Last week provided first hand confirmation of this.

We saw last week, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose a bit in February. If hints of inflation pick up in the weeks or months ahead, this could hurt bonds and Raleigh mortgage rates.

Here is the Kevin Martini take…even though bonds and Raleigh mortgage rates worsened last week, rates still remain near historic lows & now continues to be a great time to purchase or refinance a home.

The economic release calendar is light this week & housing data will dominate the headlines.

Housing Starts will be delivered on Tuesday along with Building Permits.
On Wednesday, Existing Home Sales will be delivered, followed by New Home Sales on Friday.

Initial Weekly Jobless Claims will be released on Thursday. Jobless claims continue to hover near the 350,000 level as the labor sector rebounds.

Remember: Weak economic news normally causes money to flow out of stocks and into bonds, helping bonds and Raleigh mortgage rates improve, while strong economic news normally has the opposite result.

No luck this week for Raleigh Mortgage Rates

No luck this week for Raleigh Mortgage Rates

Raleigh mortgage rates rose nearly 0.375% this week…was this in anticipation of the leprechaun? I think not!

I think the move was clearly based on the fact that Wall Street just realized that the Fed will most likely never put QE3 into play. Folks, it is my opinion, we are saying “good-bye” to Raleigh mortgage rates that start with a 3 & “hello Raleigh mortgage rates that are higher.”

Here is the Kevin Martini quote of the day: ”If you are looking for the lowest cost of borrowing of your lifetime – THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW” – Yes, there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow & here are 2 reason below:

1) Raleigh mortgage rates are still at very attractive levels

2) Today is St. Patricks Day & in the video below you can participate & could “WIN” — if you have the right answer

Are Raleigh Mortgage Rates on the Move – The Weekly Kevin Martini – predications, expectation & guidance on Raleigh Mortgage Rates

Are Raleigh Mortgage Rates on the Move – The Weekly Kevin Martini – predications, expectation & guidance on Raleigh Mortgage Rates

What the heck happened to Raleigh Mortgage Rates – WAIT…I KNOW –Ben Bernanke spoke & there was dancing in the streets afterwards.

Last week, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke provided testimony in front of the House Financial Services Committee…there was no breaking news on his assessment of the economy, labor market & housing market. That being said, the biggest Kevin Martini takeaway was that he made no mention of another round of Bond buying or Quantitative Easing (QE3).

A ton were disappointed to learn there was not mention of QE3…virtually all the markets as both Bonds and Stocks closed lower the day Bernanke spoke. So here’s an important question to ask: Is the economy strong enough to keep the Fed from pumping any more money (QE3) into the economy? While the economy has improved on many fronts, it is still fragile & it would not take much for growth to slow…meaning more Fed intervention would be needed. For instance, high oil prices, a worsening situation in Europe or China and escalating concerns in Iran could all cause our economy to slow.

One thing is for sure – the incoming economic data over the next couple weeks and months will be very important to follow for signs of continued economic improvement or potential slowing. One important factor to note from last week: inflation, as measured by the Core Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE), rose by 0.2% in January, while the year-over-year Core PCE climbed to 1.9% and just beneath the Fed’s upper target of 2%. Seeing inflation rise, even though the Fed continues to say it is moderating, is a concern. With Core PCE just beneath the Fed’s desired target, upcoming readings will play an important role in how long the Fed continues its accommodative policy and any chance of more easing, QE3.

The most important thing to take away is that Raleigh Mortgage Rates still remain near historic lows & now continues to be a great time to purchase or refinance a home.

Several important economic reports will be released this week & on Friday all eyes will be on the Jobs Report for February.

• The ISM Services Index will be released on Monday. Did you know that the service sector makes up about 70% of the U.S. job market!
• The ADP Employment Report will be delivered on Wednesday.
• Another important report this week will be the Productivity Report on Wednesday. This report measures the number of hours it takes to produce a good in a factory.
• Initial Jobless Claims will be released on Thursday. The number of Americans claiming first-time benefits has dropped in the past few months.
• Last but not least is the Mac Daddy of reports on Friday. Literally the world will be closely watching the monthly official Jobs Report. January’s report showed that 243,000 new jobs were created. This report could impact Raleigh Mortgage Rates.

Remember: Weak economic news normally causes money to flow out of Stocks and into Bonds, helping Bonds and Raleigh Mortgage Rates improve, while strong economic news normally has the opposite result.