Robby Oakes Mortgage - Chapel Hill Mortgage Lender | Robby's Blog about Mortgages in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and Crystal Coast area of NC

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 21, 2016

March 21, 2016 by Robby Oakes

Shortages of available homes are a major factor in rising home prices; shortages also make it more difficult for buyers to find homes they want. Housing starts in February rose, which is good news for the peak spring and summer home buying season.

Smart Appliances Get Smarter: Here’s What We Saw at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show

March 18, 2016 by Robby Oakes

With technology advancing at a mile a minute, the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show is a great place to see what’s new to the market and what will be sure to turn heads in the year to come. If you couldn’t make it to the show yourself but are curious about the highlights of the event, here are some of the hottest items in technology that appeared in Las Vegas this year.

Fed Policymakers Make Interesting Decision on Interest Rates

March 17, 2016 by Robby Oakes

According to a press release by the Federal Reserve, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the current target federal funds rate will hold steady at 0.25 to 0.50 percent. Committee members cited positive developments in the U.S economy including jobs growth, stronger labor markets and gradually increasing inflation. In addition, stronger housing sector and household spending were also noted as positive signs for the economy. Committee members cited risks associated with global economic and financial developments as a concern.

Understanding Mortgage Tax Benefits and How They Save You Money in the Long Run

March 16, 2016 by Robby Oakes

If you’re considering whether home ownership is the right decision for you, there are lots of different factors you’ll want to take into account. Do you want to keep moving around, or are you ready to lay down roots in a community? Are you prepared for the additional upkeep that home ownership requires?

3 Tips and Tricks to Make Mortgage Pre-Qualification Easy

March 15, 2016 by Robby Oakes

If you’re planning to buy a home, you should know that the mortgage pre-qualification process is the first in a series of steps that eventually lead to home ownership. A pre-qualification is different from a pre-approval – the pre-qualification meeting is simply you and your lender hashing out how much you can afford to spend on a property. But once you’ve been pre-qualified, it makes the mortgage process easier.

So how can you make the pre-qualification quick and painless so you can get on with your house hunt? Here’s what you need to know.

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