This renovated pool home sits across from gulf-access homes in a great Southwest Cape Coral neighborhood. This turnkey home has new mahogany cabinets, granite countertops, Whirlpool stainless steel appliances and a tile backsplash in the kitchen. The 3/2 split bedroom floor plan has new tile in the main living areas and master bedroom and carpet in the two spacious bedrooms.
The fashion footprint is about to get a whole lot bigger in downtown Miami — about 750,000 square feet, to be exact.
The Forbes Company and Taubman Centers announced a partnership to build a new, world-class shopping facility at Miami Worldcenter that will tout fashion retail giants Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s as anchor tenants.
Registration is now open for the 14th annual Southwest Florida Real Estate Outlook Conference. The event takes place from 7:30 a.m. to noon Thursday, Jan. 29 at the Harborside Event Center, 1375 Monroe St., Fort Myers.
Emerald Homes Southwest Florida has opened Savona Bay in South Fort Myers, a gated waterfront community featuring 31 single-family homes ranging from 2,600 to more than 4,300 square feet. This intimate community is ideal for those who like boating as each home includes a dedicated boat dock positioned on a deep-water canal with direct access to the Caloosahatchee River and Gulf of Mexico.
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace is currently 4.38 percent, which is down slightly from last week, but up eight basis points from 4.30 percent at this time two weeks ago*.
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate steadily rose during the past two weeks, peaking at 4.43 percent last Wednesday before dropping to the current rate this morning.
“Rates were essentially unchanged last week after gradually climbing back up during the past few weeks to approach the three-month high we saw in September,” said Erin Lantz, director of mortgages at Zillow. “This week, we expect rates to remain at this higher plateau until normal market activity returns after the New Year’s holiday.”
Additionally, the 15-year fixed mortgage rate this morning was 3.34 percent and for 5/1 ARMs, the rate was 2.93 percent.
What are the interest rates right now? Check Zillow Mortgage Marketplace for mortgage rate trends and up-to-the-minute mortgage rates for your state.
The weekly mortgage rate chart illustrates the average 30-year fixed interest in six-hour intervals.
* Due to the Dec. 25 holiday, Zillow did not release a weekly mortgage rate alert on Tuesday, Dec. 24.
London Bay Homes’ Capriano, a fourbedroom villa model in the Lucarno neighborhood at Mediterra, exemplifies the ultimate in maintenance-free living. Lawn and landscaping services are provided through the homeowners association, and the use of a state-of-theart moisture barrier system protects the home against future mold issues and structural damage caused by moisture intrusion.
The overall median price of singlefamily homes in November is $170,000, a 21.4 percent increase compared to the November 2012 median price of $140,000, reports the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach. The November median price is 8.3 percent higher than last month’s median price of $157,000.
There’s no doubt we’re a mobile society, and we’re certainly seeing that across Zillow. In fact, 2013 was another record year for mobile usage across Zillow’s suite of apps and mobile Web. In 2012, we tipped to mobile with more than half of all visits coming via a mobile device. Today, more than 60 percent of Zillow’s visits come from a mobile device, and on weekends it tops more than 70 percent.
As we get ready to close out the year, we thought we’d share some of the highlights of Zillow Mobile so far in 2013*:
We are so proud to be able to offer so many tools and services through our suite of mobile apps – 27 in total! – to help people at any stage of buying and owning a home. Whether you are in the market for a home, rental or mortgage or looking for inspiration for your next home improvement project, we’ve got an app that can help you find the home of your dreams. And, ’tis the season for new devices – if you’ve been good and Santa brings you a new smartphone or tablet, don’t forget to download your favorite Zillow apps!
We’re expecting 2014 to be another stellar year, and we’ll keep you up to speed as we roll out new features and services for home shopping on the go.
*From January to November 2013
By Robert Koller
Fannie Mae borrowers who have refinanced through the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) have saved an average of $82 per week on their mortgage payments*. That savings could pay for the average household’s weekly clothing costs or about half the weekly grocery bill.
Couldn’t you use an extra $82 a week?
HARP is the government’s program that allows eligible homeowners whose homes have lost value to refinance, even if they owe more than their homes are worth. It is available to qualified borrowers with mortgages owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. If you are current on your mortgage, you should find out if HARP can help you save money, too.
HARP can offer real savings almost immediately, but if you’re like many people who have received too many mailings to take any offers seriously anymore, it might be hard to know who to trust.
There are many trustworthy sources of information about HARP, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s website is an excellent place to start. On HARP.gov you’ll find facts about the program, basic guidelines on who’s eligible and tips for how to get started.
Has your current mortgage company contacted you about HARP? If so, it can help you learn more and find out if you’re eligible for a HARP refinance.
The more you know about HARP, the easier it will be to talk with lenders about whether you are eligible for the program.
For example, did you know that you don’t have to refinance into another 30-year loan? Fifteen- and 20-year loan terms are available with HARP, so you don’t necessarily have to extend the time you have left to pay on your home.
You also don’t need to bring additional money to the table if your mortgage amount is higher than the value of your home, and closing costs are generally lower than a traditional refinance.
Use the resources available on HARP.gov to learn more about the program. HARP eligibility guidelines were expanded in 2011, allowing many more borrowers to qualify. If you were turned down for HARP a few years ago, you really should inquire again now to take advantage of today’s rates.
Not every lender offers HARP, but many do. If your existing mortgage company (the one listed on your monthly mortgage statement) can’t help you, find one that can. Use our searchable list of HARP lenders at KnowYourOptions.com/HARP to find one in your area — any participating HARP lender can refinance eligible loans.
Refinancing with HARP can offer real savings. Take action today to see how it can help you, too.
Now about that $82 …
*among borrowers refinancing into comparable loans
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Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow.
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Robert Koller is a director in Fannie Mae’s Credit Risk Management division and is responsible for managing Fannie Mae’s Refi Plus™ Initiative, which includes the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP). Fannie Mae has helped almost 1.7 million homeowners take advantage of HARP since the program’s inception.
This website contains news and information created and maintained by a private organization. FHFA is not responsible for controlling or guaranteeing the accuracy or completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of any advertisements or other links does not reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any products or services offered.
