Home Prices Show Largest Annual Increase in Nearly Seven Years

Home prices in December posted the largest annual increase in nearly seven years according to CoreLogic's Home Price Index (HPI) report.  December was also the 10th consecutive month in which home prices increased nationally. 

Is it time to buy?

All the signs are there that by June 2012 we will see the last of the lowest values. From that point forward things should improve very slowly. Shopping for a home go to www.redfin.com they have great resources online.

States Hardest Hit by Housing Lead Jobs Recovery

The states that were most hurt in the real estate collapse over the past five years -- Arizona, California, Florida and Nevada -- are now leading the U.S. labor market expansion.

The four states added 222,100 jobs from August through December, accounting for 28 percent of the increase in U.S. employment in that period, according to Labor Department figures. Their outperformance may continue, say economists at Moody’s Analytics Inc. and IHS Global Insight.

7 Things You Didn't Know Affect Your Credit Score

We all know to pay our bills on time and carry as little debt as possible, and most of the time, that is all that matters in your credit score. Yet, there are other, smaller factors that many people aren't aware of that can cause your score to suffer.

Small Unpaid Private DebtsMany people pay their mortgage, credit card and utility bills with unflappable consistency, yet neglect smaller debts. They may feel that these debts are illegitimate or that they will just go away if ignored. For example, municipalities have been known to report unpaid parking tickets and even library fines to credit bureaus. Unfortunately, any unpaid debt can weigh down your credit score.

New Jobs get Close to 2011 High - More Signs of Recovery?

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, nonfarm payrolls increased in January by 243,000. This marked the largest gain in nonfarm employment since April 2011. The average 2011 gain per month came in at 152,000. Since a decline in nonfarm payrolls in early 2010, 36% of the jobs lost between January 2008 and February 2010 have been recovered. Nonfarm payrolls measure the number of people on the payrolls of all non-agricultural businesses.

This report combined with other strong economic news from today has had a positive result on stocks. Which has had a negative impact on bonds today as money flows out of bonds and into stocks.

Ouch, 95% of Top Real Estate Markets See Declining Values

According to the Case-Shiller Home Price Index, prices in the 20-City Composite fell in 19 of the 20 cities from October to November. Only Phoenix saw an increase, with prices moving up .6% from October to November. Prices were also down 3.7% from November 2010 to November 2011.http://toddballenger.typepad.com/borrow_smart_blog/2012/01/ouch-95-of-top-real-estate-markets-see-declining-values.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BorrowSmartRetireRich+%28Borrow+Smart+Retire+Rich%29

Obama proposes new home loan refinancing plan

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The Obama administration on Wednesday detailed its latest plan to help millions of homeowners refinance their mortgages to today's historically-low rates.

The plan, which requires approval by Congress, would allow borrowers who are current on their mortgage to save an average of $3,000 a year by refinancing into loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/01/real_estate/Obama_refinancing_plan/index.htm