MBS RECAP: How'd We Get Here and Where Are We Going?

Posted To: MBS Commentary

Pre-announced bond buying programs are really quite something. They have all ended up being well-telegraphed enough to allow investors to do their own bond buying well before the program starts, driving rates lower preemptively. This was the case throughout 2014 and even more so at the beginning of 2015 (when it became abundantly clear that Europe was set for QE. Once Europe finally started buying bonds, there was no more front-running left to be done, and rates paradoxically moved swiftly higher. To paraphrase all that: The European Central Bank (ECB) said it was going to buy bonds. Other investors bought bonds based on that expectation, pushing European rates to all-time lows in the process (which helped US interest rates get back near all-time lows). Once the ECB began buying, rates finally...(read more)

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DIY Project Idea: A Fast and Easy Way to Update A Lampshade — Apartment Therapy Reader Project Tutorials

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Helena of Mormorsglamour (Gran Glam) walks us through this simple (one hour!) DIY lampshade cover.

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DIY Project Idea: A Fast and Easy Way to Update A Lampshade — Apartment Therapy Reader Project Tutorials

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Helena of Mormorsglamour (Gran Glam) walks us through this simple (one hour!) DIY lampshade cover.

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from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1mmf1Mk

MBS RECAP: How'd We Get Here and Where Are We Going?

Posted To: MBS Commentary

Pre-announced bond buying programs are really quite something. They have all ended up being well-telegraphed enough to allow investors to do their own bond buying well before the program starts, driving rates lower preemptively. This was the case throughout 2014 and even more so at the beginning of 2015 (when it became abundantly clear that Europe was set for QE. Once Europe finally started buying bonds, there was no more front-running left to be done, and rates paradoxically moved swiftly higher. To paraphrase all that: The European Central Bank (ECB) said it was going to buy bonds. Other investors bought bonds based on that expectation, pushing European rates to all-time lows in the process (which helped US interest rates get back near all-time lows). Once the ECB began buying, rates finally...(read more)

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Mortgage Rates Nearly Unchanged in 2015

Posted To: Mortgage Rate Watch

Mortgage rates had an interesting year to say the least. After almost universal consensus on a move toward higher rates the first few months of the year instead saw a precipitous drop to long-term lows. Chalk that up to the inception of Europe's bond buying program (and most of 2014's improvements for that matter). Later in the year, rates saw bigger moves higher and lower as expectations ebbed and flowed regarding the Fed rate hike. Rates like those pertaining to mortgages and longer-term US Treasuries can move more nimbly based on those expectations. The higher the likelihood of a Fed hike, the higher mortgage rates moved in anticipation. That phenomenon ultimately allowed mortgage rates to hold their ground at relatively unchanged levels after the Fed finally pulled the trigger. On average...(read more)

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from Mortgage News Daily http://ift.tt/1R0ROMd

Mortgage Rates Nearly Unchanged in 2015

Posted To: Mortgage Rate Watch

Mortgage rates had an interesting year to say the least. After almost universal consensus on a move toward higher rates the first few months of the year instead saw a precipitous drop to long-term lows. Chalk that up to the inception of Europe's bond buying program (and most of 2014's improvements for that matter). Later in the year, rates saw bigger moves higher and lower as expectations ebbed and flowed regarding the Fed rate hike. Rates like those pertaining to mortgages and longer-term US Treasuries can move more nimbly based on those expectations. The higher the likelihood of a Fed hike, the higher mortgage rates moved in anticipation. That phenomenon ultimately allowed mortgage rates to hold their ground at relatively unchanged levels after the Fed finally pulled the trigger. On average...(read more)

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Work Smarter, Not Harder: Our Best Cleaning Tips, Strategies & Advice — Best of 2015

Gabrielle's Charming & Logical Condo

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While it often feels like drudgery, cleaning our homes is a necessity of life. Fortunately, it's also a nearly free and relatively easy thing that each of us can do to feel instantly better in and about our homes—which isn't too say we want to spend any more time or effort on the task than we must! Here are 2015's best bits of advice for making our cleaning time as productive as possible.

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Work Smarter, Not Harder: Our Best Cleaning Tips, Strategies & Advice — Best of 2015

Gabrielle's Charming & Logical Condo

Pin it

While it often feels like drudgery, cleaning our homes is a necessity of life. Fortunately, it's also a nearly free and relatively easy thing that each of us can do to feel instantly better in and about our homes—which isn't too say we want to spend any more time or effort on the task than we must! Here are 2015's best bits of advice for making our cleaning time as productive as possible.

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from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1NXzg9K

Forget Resolutions: Embrace a Yearly Mantra Instead

Samara's Sentiment-Filled Apartment

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I am awesome at sticking to New Year's resolutions. For about two weeks. Then my resolve softens followed by a predictable petering out of whatever habit I was trying to form, a short bout of self-recrimination and, finally, a return to the former status quo. So a few years ago I ditched the idea of resolutions and came up with something better...a mantra.

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from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1YRJ0gp

Forget Resolutions: Embrace a Yearly Mantra Instead

Samara's Sentiment-Filled Apartment

Pin it

I am awesome at sticking to New Year's resolutions. For about two weeks. Then my resolve softens followed by a predictable petering out of whatever habit I was trying to form, a short bout of self-recrimination and, finally, a return to the former status quo. So a few years ago I ditched the idea of resolutions and came up with something better...a mantra.

READ MORE »

from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1YRJ0gp

Bank M&A; Pending Home Sales Primer; Lender Form Changes - Who Can Keep Track?

Posted To: Pipeline Press

Given my Resolutions from a year ago, and looking back at 2015, I've got today to get skinny, save money, learn French, and undrink 987 bottles of wine. On a more serious note, plenty of people in the mortgage business are doing things towards lessening poverty and helping children. The U.S. Census Bureau has released findings from its Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates program which determines the number of people in poverty, the number of children younger than 5 in poverty, the number of children between 5 and 17 in families in poverty, and median household income. According to 2014 data, the median household income at the county level was between $21,658 and $125,635, with a median county level value of $45,229. Among the 3,140 counties that were assessed, 26 percent (820 counties)...(read more)

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Bank M&A; Pending Home Sales Primer; Lender Form Changes - Who Can Keep Track?

Posted To: Pipeline Press

Given my Resolutions from a year ago, and looking back at 2015, I've got today to get skinny, save money, learn French, and undrink 987 bottles of wine. On a more serious note, plenty of people in the mortgage business are doing things towards lessening poverty and helping children. The U.S. Census Bureau has released findings from its Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates program which determines the number of people in poverty, the number of children younger than 5 in poverty, the number of children between 5 and 17 in families in poverty, and median household income. According to 2014 data, the median household income at the county level was between $21,658 and $125,635, with a median county level value of $45,229. Among the 3,140 counties that were assessed, 26 percent (820 counties)...(read more)

Forward this article via email:  Send a copy of this story to someone you know that may want to read it.

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Small Space Superstars: Top Tours of Tiny Apartments — Best of 2015

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Julie's Northwoods-Meets-Art Deco Apartment in Minneapolis: 700 Square Feet

Clean, open spaces in tiny apartments are triumphs of minimalism as a necessity, rather than a mere stylistic choice. Their inhabitants have learned how to edit their belongings to their most imperative and their most treasured, and their homes tend to radiate the message, "Only the best of the best is here." Here are 25 of our favorite beautiful and inspiring spaces 700 square feet and under.

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Small Space Superstars: Top Tours of Tiny Apartments — Best of 2015

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Julie's Northwoods-Meets-Art Deco Apartment in Minneapolis: 700 Square Feet

Clean, open spaces in tiny apartments are triumphs of minimalism as a necessity, rather than a mere stylistic choice. Their inhabitants have learned how to edit their belongings to their most imperative and their most treasured, and their homes tend to radiate the message, "Only the best of the best is here." Here are 25 of our favorite beautiful and inspiring spaces 700 square feet and under.

READ MORE »

from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1NUyPPN

Habits for Small Space Dwellers, High Impact Kitchen Upgrades & More of November's Most Popular Posts — Best of 2015

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1. 

   1. 10 Everyday Habits to Make Any Small Space Dweller Happier at Home
2. 

   2. Kickass Alternatives to Traditional Upper Kitchen Cabinets
3. 

   3. Smart IKEA Hacks That Solve (At Least) Two Pesky Problems at Once
4. 

   4. 5 Inexpensive (But High Impact) Kitchen Upgrades
5. 

   5. DIY Ideas for Creating the Coziest Bedroom Ever

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from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1RbinwI

Habits for Small Space Dwellers, High Impact Kitchen Upgrades & More of November's Most Popular Posts — Best of 2015

Pin it

1. 

   1. 10 Everyday Habits to Make Any Small Space Dweller Happier at Home
2. 

   2. Kickass Alternatives to Traditional Upper Kitchen Cabinets
3. 

   3. Smart IKEA Hacks That Solve (At Least) Two Pesky Problems at Once
4. 

   4. 5 Inexpensive (But High Impact) Kitchen Upgrades
5. 

   5. DIY Ideas for Creating the Coziest Bedroom Ever

READ MORE »

from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1RbinwI

Before & After: Great-Grandmother's House Gets a Glitter Floor

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I inherited a house from my great-grandmother that was in less than stellar shape. Structurally, it turned out to be okay but it was hideous and dirty. The tan Formica counters actually turned out to be white once they got a good scrubbing! The walls and cabinets were caked with grease. I cleaned out all the junk and scrubbed everything.

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from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1MII55q

Before & After: Great-Grandmother's House Gets a Glitter Floor

Pin it

I inherited a house from my great-grandmother that was in less than stellar shape. Structurally, it turned out to be okay but it was hideous and dirty. The tan Formica counters actually turned out to be white once they got a good scrubbing! The walls and cabinets were caked with grease. I cleaned out all the junk and scrubbed everything.

READ MORE »

from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1MII55q

The Year's Smallest Homes from Reader House Calls — Best of 2015

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We're interested in homes of any and every size, but small homes will always hold a special place in our hearts, especially when they showcase one of our most dearly held tenets: that your home can be beautiful, organized and healthy at any size. These House Calls, all of homes less than 1,000 square feet (many much less) perfectly illustrate good small home living.

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from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1JLrvlG

The Year's Smallest Homes from Reader House Calls — Best of 2015

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We're interested in homes of any and every size, but small homes will always hold a special place in our hearts, especially when they showcase one of our most dearly held tenets: that your home can be beautiful, organized and healthy at any size. These House Calls, all of homes less than 1,000 square feet (many much less) perfectly illustrate good small home living.

READ MORE »

from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1JLrvlG

MBS Day Ahead: Early Close and Relative Lack of Data. Excited Yet?

Posted To: MBS Commentary

Today is a very exciting day for bond market participants. Most of them are on vacation, or at the very least, in a vacation-like state of mind. The latter refers to the magical phenomenon whereby millions of employees are forced to work for whatever reason, but instead end up showing up in body only. Simply put, people may be working, but for most of them, it's only to go through the motions until they can leave. Any interesting developments today in terms of bond market movement are purely an illusion . Such movements would be whatever is left over after trading desks make their last big decisions of the year. For most, this happened in the 48 hours following the FOMC Announcement 2 weeks ago. So it might look like something new and exciting is happening in bonds, for better or worse...(read more)

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from Mortgage News Daily http://ift.tt/1PziPmH

Decorating Inspiration: 10 Rustic Design Details — From the Archives: Greatest Hits

Larnie Nicolson for Homestyle Magazine

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Does colder, winter-y weather make you dream of curling up under big blankets in front of a fire in your very own cozy cabin in the woods? Well if you don't have the time, money or energy to seek out a cabin (and aren't lucky enough to already live in one), you can still add a few bought or DIY design details to your home to give a little bit more of a rustic feel. And the best part of these details is that most of them will work in just about any style of home — even if you don't live in a log cabin!

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from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1FZsoVd

Decorating Inspiration: 10 Rustic Design Details — From the Archives: Greatest Hits

Larnie Nicolson for Homestyle Magazine

Pin it

Does colder, winter-y weather make you dream of curling up under big blankets in front of a fire in your very own cozy cabin in the woods? Well if you don't have the time, money or energy to seek out a cabin (and aren't lucky enough to already live in one), you can still add a few bought or DIY design details to your home to give a little bit more of a rustic feel. And the best part of these details is that most of them will work in just about any style of home — even if you don't live in a log cabin!

READ MORE »

from Apartment Therapy | Saving the world, one room at a time http://ift.tt/1FZsoVd

MBS Day Ahead: Early Close and Relative Lack of Data. Excited Yet?

Posted To: MBS Commentary

Today is a very exciting day for bond market participants. Most of them are on vacation, or at the very least, in a vacation-like state of mind. The latter refers to the magical phenomenon whereby millions of employees are forced to work for whatever reason, but instead end up showing up in body only. Simply put, people may be working, but for most of them, it's only to go through the motions until they can leave. Any interesting developments today in terms of bond market movement are purely an illusion . Such movements would be whatever is left over after trading desks make their last big decisions of the year. For most, this happened in the 48 hours following the FOMC Announcement 2 weeks ago. So it might look like something new and exciting is happening in bonds, for better or worse...(read more)

Forward this article via email:  Send a copy of this story to someone you know that may want to read it.

from Mortgage News Daily http://ift.tt/1PziPmH