Tag Archives: Pound Ridge Luxury Real Estate

Average 30-Yr Mortgage Rate Slips To 4.32% | Pound Ridge Real Estate

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Mortgage rates fell a bit last week, with the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate slipping to 4.32% in the week ended today from 4.37% a week ago, according to Freddie Mac’s (FMCC) latest weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey. A year ago that rate averaged 3.54%. The average 15-year fixed-rate mortgage rate also slipped, to 3.32% from 3.38% a week earlier and 2.72% a year ago.

A similar 30-year mortgage rate measured by the Mortgage Bankers Association’s latest weekly survey slipped to 4.50% from 4.52% a week earlier. The average rate for so-called jumbo loans of more than $417,000 fell to 4.39% from 4.41%. That survey also showed mortgage applications decreased by 1.2% in the latest week.

 

http://blogs.barrons.com/incomeinvesting/2014/03/20/average-30-yr-mortgage-rate-slips-to-4-32-freddie-mac/?mod=yahoobarrons&ru=yahoo

Homeowners are Refinancing with Ultra Cheap Rates | Pound Ridge Homes

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Homeowners are becoming increasingly savvy, and many are surprised to learn how much they’e able to save on their mortgage while refinancing with lending finder services. For example, the average reduction was a savings of about 33% last year. On a $200,000 loan, that translates to an average savings of $3,600 in their first year. And with the low rates, 39% of homeowners were actually able to shorten their loan terms as well.

Visiting any number of these services, such as LendingTree, has consistently surprised homeowners how low the rates have become. Historic lows are still prevalent, but economists believe rates are gradually moving up throughout the year. In mere moments, homeowners are finding out just how much they can save by refinancing. Most importantly, homeowners can compare rates from multiple lenders who they’re matched up with based on their specific needs and limitations.

 

http://www.dailymortgagemonitor.com/tbla/mortgage.html?esourceid=6134136&cchannel=display&csource=Taboola&cmethod=&cname=189161334725111812&ccontent=&cterm=LendingTree___display_campaign&mpch=ads

We all face challenges in our personal lives. How to keep your real estate business on track. | Pound Ridge Homes

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Sooner or later, everyone faces challenges in their personal life that can have a detrimental influence of their business. Whether it’s a serious illness, death of a loved one, divorce or some other life trauma, what can you do to cope when your personal life is falling apart? As a real estate professional, you’re expected to be the calm in the storm. When transactions start to fall apart, you’re the glue that holds the deal together. When the seller is screaming and the buyer is threatening to sue, you’re the one who is supposed to calm the explosive situation.

Even on the best days, this is a tall order. It is particularly difficult when you are dealing with your own issues outside of your business. Making matters worse, the law of attraction says, “Like attracts like.” In other words, if you’re going through a messy divorce or have a loved one facing a serious illness, the probability is high that you will attract clients who are facing the same issues you are facing. If you have a personal situation that is pulling you off focus, here are six steps that can help you weather the storm.

1. Completely describe the challenge you’re facing in writing A difficult situation is like a continuous loop that keeps going around and around in your head. Your conscious mind keeps coming back to it because your unconscious mind is struggling with pain, grief, guilt or a variety of other issues. A proven way to cope with this situation is to record as many details about the situation as possible. This strategy allows you to break the ceaseless pattern of self-talk. –

 

See more at: http://www.inman.com/2014/03/17/6-steps-to-keep-your-real-estate-business-running-smoothly-through-illness-divorce-or-other-life-trauma/?utm_source=20140317&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailyheadlinesam#sthash.GSk7yeMx.dpuf

Facebook Launches Video Ads TODAY! | Pound Ridge Real Estate

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O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! The Jabberwock is, er, Facebook video ads are  here! Our news feeds will now be inundated with autoplay video ads. Yippee?  Well, it’s a big step forward for the world’s largest social network to say the  least. They’ve been working on video ads for what seems like years and now we  can all get them in news feeds. Don’t go overreacting (I’m just joking around)  there will be no more than three ads per day.

In terms of frequency, that is 90 ads per month per viewer. If there  are 600 million users and say 50% are in markets where the ads debut it comes  out to a massive 27 billion video ads a month. Ker-Pow! At the low  end of the price spectrum rumors of $1-2.5M per ad, that’s $27 billion in  revenue, per month, on the low end.

All That is Wrong with Video Ads – Auto-Play and Muted – But Wait!

I swear Facebook looked at the video advertising industry  as a whole and took the worst practices they could find to make their video ad  strategy. Get this, the videos will auto-play and the sound will be muted until  a user interacts with the ad. Next I think they will introduce video ads in the  side bar that play all the way through without ever showing up in the browser  viewable area.

Alright, maybe not. At least the video ads won’t take over your entire screen  as they won’t go full screen unless they are clicked or tapped. The videos will  only start to play when they show on screen, not when off screen as I just said  in jest. If you don’t like the video, just go past it and it will disappear. At  least they’re not keeping them on screen through the duration of the video  forcing us to watch.

Ace Metrix has been tapped to determine if a video ad is crap or not. If they  deem it worthy, as in, will people like it, then it will make it into the system  for display to users. If you don’t know Ace Metrix, they are the group that  rates success and perception of Super Bowl ads and pretty much every other TV ad  that airs. In other words, they know what they’re talking about.

Source:  Facebook Launches Video Ads TODAY! http://www.reelseo.com/facebook-video-ads-today/#ixzz2vwzzgPEH ©ReelSEO.com, All Rights Reserved Follow us: @ReelSEO on Twitter | ReelSEO on Facebook

When Should You Begin to Aggressively Pay Down Your Mortgage? | Pound Ridge NY Homes

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The clear advantages of paying off your mortgage as quickly as possible have changed quite a bit over the past few years. The urgency to pay it off has somewhat diminished, as interest rates have plummeted to historical lows. It’s no longer the black and white decision it was back when interest rates hovered between 6% and 9%, and even the 11% to 13% we saw a couple of decades ago.

I am a big proponent of paying down that ugly mortgage beast as soon as is practical. But, before you go cutting a check to the bank, there is a pecking order of financial priorities you need to address before you consider tackling your mortgage.

In order of importance, here are the places you need to put your financial attention first:

  • Take The Cards Off The Table: Pay off all credit cards with high interest rates. Consider the huge discrepancy between credit cards with interest rates of 13% – 23%, and a 4% mortgage interest rate.
  • In Case Of Emergency: You need to build an emergency fund, ideally 8-12 months of living expenses. Yes, today’s job market is improving, but if you suddenly find yourself facing a layoff, you need to be prepared to sustain up to one year of living expenses.
  • Build Up For Retirement: Are you able to make the maximum yearly contributions to your retirement accounts, 401K, IRA or an equivalent?  Ask your accountant what the maximum allowable is for you and go for it!
  • Get The Kids To School: Ah yes, the kids and college funds.  Depending on how many children you have, how old they are, and what type of college enrollment expectation they have, you need to be making adequate contributions to those 529 plans or other college savings accounts.
  • You May Live A Long Time: My mom is 97 this year, and my aunt just turned 100.  So I am keenly aware that my money could run out before my health runs down.  Another priority investment you need to be making each year is toward long-term health care insurance. It is not as costly when you start it in your 30’s or 40’s.  But, if you didn’t get around to it till your 50’s, it will take a hit out of your budget each month.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/03/09/when-should-you-begin-to-aggressively-pay-down-you.aspx

Tax overhaul plan has something for everyone to hate | Pound Ridge NY Homes

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One of the two principal figures in charge of rewriting the nation’s income tax laws is Republican Dave Camp of Michigan, chairman of the all-powerful House Ways and Means Committee. Last week he released an extremely comprehensive tax code overhaul plan that has been three years in the making. The plan is designed to simplify the tax law and lower overall tax rates while remaining revenue-neutral. To call the plan bold is an understatement. Among many other things it: reduces the number of tax brackets from the current seven to just three, with tax rates of 10 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent. increases the standard deduction so that 95 percent of taxpayers would not have to itemize. taxes long-term capital gains and dividends as ordinary income — that is, at the 10 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent rates — but exempting 40 percent of such income from any tax. repeals the dreaded alternative minimum tax (AMT). reduces the top corporate income tax rate to 25 percent from 35 percent, to be phased in over four years

 

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/2014/03/03/tax-overhaul-plan-has-something-for-everyone-to-hate/?utm_source=20140303&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailyheadlinesam#sthash.0FUZHMXD.dpuf

Down to Earth Farmers Market | Pound Ridge NY Homes

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1840’s Dinner Inspired by Oscar Nominated, 12 Years a Slave;                         Sale on Pasture-Raised Meats & More February 27-March 5th, 2014 Down to Earth Markets
MAM w greens
What’s New and On Special This Week
Beef Sirloin Tip Roasts                                     SALE: $2 OFF/lb Reg. $12.75/lb; Now $10.75/lb. Kiernan Farm Beef Knuckle Bones                                     SALE: $1.75 OFF/lb Reg. $3.75/lb; Now $2.00/lb. Kiernan Farm
Gluten Free Dinner Rolls                                     Meredith’s Bread 		Pork Nitrate Free Smoked Ham Shanks/Hocks                                     SALE: $2 OFF/lb Reg. $7/lb; Now $5/lb. Kiernan Farm
Click on a Market to see all vendor and event details…

    Westchester County
Mamaroneck Winter                                     Saturdays, 9:00 am-1:00 pm St. Thomas Episcopal Church                                     168 West Boston Post Road (at Mount Pleasant Ave) Ossining Winter
Saturdays, 9:00 am-1:00 pm At the corner of Spring & Main                                     in downtown Ossining		Headed to the city soon? Visit a Down to Earth                                     Farmers Market in NYC!
                                                 Stay tuned to all market happenings via our Down to Earth Markets Facebook page                           and follow us on Twitter @DowntoEarthMarkets
An American Food Story, Sourced from a Down to Earth Farmers Market
foodgriotdinner

 

 

Chefs prepare to serve dinner inspired by Anne Northup’s 1840s cooking One of the fascinating things about shopping at the farmers market is that we never know who we are going to meet. Our Park Slope market recently led us to Tonya Hopkins, a woman known as “The Food Griot”. Self-described as “an American food storyteller”, Hopkins uses the name the Food Griot to recall the West African legacy of traveling poets, musicians, and                        storytellers who maintain a tradition of oral history.
Recently, Hopkins, together with Executive Chef Heather W. Jones and alumnae from the Institute of Culinary Education prepared a dinner after the style of Anne Northup, the wife of Northup portrayed in the Oscar-nominated movie, 12 Years a Slave. The dinner was served at the historic Morris-Jumel Mansion in NYC, where Anne cooked as a free woman of color during the time her husband was in captivity. Her culinary talents were much sought after.

Why is the Miami real estate market burning so hot? | Pound Ridge NY Homes

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Strong demand for real estate in the city styled the “Capital of Latin America” resulted in a third consecutive record sales year and two years of double-digit price appreciation.

That’s the word from the 31,000-member Miami Association of Realtors and the local MLS down in the land of Cuban press sandwiches, sunshine, salsa and sexy swimwear.

“Record demand for Miami properties from both domestic and international buyers resulted in another sales record in 2013,” said 2014 Chairman of the Board of the MIAMI Association of REALTORS Liza Mendez. “We expect strong demand to continue in 2014 for Miami real estate but are encouraged that more homeowners are listing homes for sale, creating more balance between buyers and sellers.”

There were 30,041 homes and condos sold in Miami-Dade County in 2013, setting a new annual record that is 8% higher than the previous record set in 2012. Sales of single-family homes last year totaled 12,901, an increase of 12.5% compared to the previous year’s total of 11,463. Condominium sales increased 4.6%, from 16,383 in 2012 to 17,140 in 2013.

 

http://www.housingwire.com/articles/29031-why-is-the-miami-real-estate-market-burning-so-hot