The Next Decade to Make a Comeback Isn't the One You Think

A bold 70s living room spotted on AnOther.

(Image credit: AnOther)

As a writer for Apartment Therapy, I spend a lot of time predicting trends, and watching trends come and go. I also spend a lot of time thinking about why certain trends come and go. Interior design is always being influenced by outside factors—certainly fashion, and definitely pop culture. So I was intrigued when I ran across writer Adam Gopnik's theory that cultural nostalgia has a certain rhythm to it, and that at any particular moment, the era we feel the most longing for is the one approximately 40 years past.

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MBS RECAP: Bonds Almost Perfectly Unchanged in Q1

Posted To: MBS Commentary

Month/Quarter-end bond buying was nowhere to be seen until today. It can provide a mild but determined positive trend in bond markets that transcends economic data. Case in point, Core PCE was +1.8 vs a +1.7 forecast today and bonds began losing ground immediately following the data. Less than half an hour later, the weakness abated and both Treasuries and MBS embarked on a slow, steady journey into moderately positive territory. Before the positivity kicked in, it looked like there was a decent chance that Q1-2017 would end at exactly the same levels as Q4 2016 (just over 2.43%). Even then, it would be fair to characterize Q1 as " almost perfectly unchanged " for longer-duration bond markets. The "longer-duration" distinction is important because shorter-duration bonds...(read more)

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MBS RECAP: Bonds Almost Perfectly Unchanged in Q1

Posted To: MBS Commentary

Month/Quarter-end bond buying was nowhere to be seen until today. It can provide a mild but determined positive trend in bond markets that transcends economic data. Case in point, Core PCE was +1.8 vs a +1.7 forecast today and bonds began losing ground immediately following the data. Less than half an hour later, the weakness abated and both Treasuries and MBS embarked on a slow, steady journey into moderately positive territory. Before the positivity kicked in, it looked like there was a decent chance that Q1-2017 would end at exactly the same levels as Q4 2016 (just over 2.43%). Even then, it would be fair to characterize Q1 as " almost perfectly unchanged " for longer-duration bond markets. The "longer-duration" distinction is important because shorter-duration bonds...(read more)

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Mortgage Rates End Week Little-Changed

Posted To: Mortgage Rate Watch

Mortgage rate were unchanged to slightly lower today. Once again, the actual change you see will depend heavily on the lender in question. Most are fairly close to yesterday's latest levels but a few are noticeably better or worse. In general, those who deviated from "unchanged" today, did so in a friendly direction. This was made possible by steady improvements in bond markets throughout the day, resulting in several lenders updating rate sheets in the middle of the day. All that having been said, no matter the direction of the movement, it's all been very small this week. Few, if any lenders are actually offering different NOTE rates compared to any other day this week. When we talk about "rates" moving, it's only in reference to EFFECTIVE rates (which take upfront costs into account). 4...(read more)

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Mortgage Rates End Week Little-Changed

Posted To: Mortgage Rate Watch

Mortgage rate were unchanged to slightly lower today. Once again, the actual change you see will depend heavily on the lender in question. Most are fairly close to yesterday's latest levels but a few are noticeably better or worse. In general, those who deviated from "unchanged" today, did so in a friendly direction. This was made possible by steady improvements in bond markets throughout the day, resulting in several lenders updating rate sheets in the middle of the day. All that having been said, no matter the direction of the movement, it's all been very small this week. Few, if any lenders are actually offering different NOTE rates compared to any other day this week. When we talk about "rates" moving, it's only in reference to EFFECTIVE rates (which take upfront costs into account). 4...(read more)

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A Bright & Airy 400 Square Foot West Village Studio — House Tour

Name: Jacqueline Rousseau
Location: West Village, NYC
Size: 400 square feet
Years lived in: 4 years; Rented

After living in the UK for nearly a decade, Jacqueline returned stateside with a blank slate. To the envy of her friends and fellow New Yorkers like myself, Jacqueline settled into a sun-filled studio in the West Village. A white Ektorp lounge chair left by a previous tenant was the jumping-off point for what has developed into a very comfortable place to live and work.

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Wall to Wall Art, Plants & Vintage Goodness in a Quirky Cool DC Apartment — House Call

Name: Georgiana
Location: Adams Morgan/Dupont Circle — Washington, D.C.

I live on the 7th floor of a building built in 1923 in Adams Morgan/Dupont Circle neighborhood (I can never tell which it is), there are definitely some quirks to such an old building, the elevator for example is terrifying - a fair-weather metal box that is not built for anyone that has an aversion to elevators that may or may not work. Though the building is pretty bare bones, arriving into my 7th floor apartment always seems like a breath of fresh air, especially with east-facing windows that pour the morning sunlight in and a direct view of the Washington Monument.

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TGIF! This Is the Most Popular Pizza Recipe on Pinterest — Kitchn

(Image credit: Kalyn's Kitchen)

From Kitchn → This Is the Most Popular Pizza Recipe on Pinterest

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Shop the Rainbow: Colorful Finds From the Curated, Best-Of-Amazon Site Canopy

Feeling blue (or green, or red)? Today, we're shopping the spectrum of hues from Canopy, the site that curates stylish finds from Amazon's enormous catalog. Check out what we've come up with:

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This Weekend: A Brand New Bedroom For Zero Dollars

Many good things in life take time and money, but every now and then you can cut some corners and take a few minutes to improve a room in your home without a significant investment. This weekend, make your bedroom a better place with these easy (and completely free!) changes.

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Over The Hump: Bathrooms, Kitchen & Dinesen Floors Go Down — Stacked Barn - Chapter 7

Welcome to The Stacked Barn project where I lead you through a year-long odyssey that I've never been on before: the building of a new house. I'm going to show you how my new home gets built - step by step. Chapter Six is here. This is Chapter Seven.

Today I'm going to take you on a very exciting run through the last three or so months. Between December and March the house has really come together and the end is in sight. There was slowness in these months as well, due to delays in tiling the bathrooms and being very careful to figure out how to work with our stunning Dinesen wood, which will not only cover the floors, but also some walls and ceilings. Below you'll see the changes over these months room by room...

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Splurge, Save, Steal: Spring for Planters — Apartment Therapy Marketplace

Don't let the April 1st snowstorms threatening part of the Northeast fool you, spring is on way. Although some of us can't open up the windows and let it in (I'm a little jealous of those of you who can), you can prep for the sunny months ahead. Start shopping for planters now and pick up some tips from the green thumb pros. That way you'll be ready to maximize the greenery both inside and out of your home. In the meantime I'll be crowding my windowsills with sprouting seedlings, waiting for the temperatures to climb.

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What $2,000 a Month Rents You Up and Down the California Coast

California is one of those places people (at least the ones who didn't grow up there) dream about moving to some day. Between the glamour of Hollywood, the laid back vibes and the beautiful beaches, it's definitely a desirable destination. But have you ever wondered what living on the California coast really looks like? We combed through rental listings to find apartments, condos and houses in cities up and down the coastline, so you can see for yourself.

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A Designer's Modern Mix in a Chicago Loft — House Tour

Name: Gil Melott
Location: Logan Square — Chicago, Illinois
Size: 879 square feet
Years lived in: Renting 6 months

It's a shame you can only see Gil's bright, modern Logan Square loft. As a self-described "sensory driven guy," this designer's space isn't just pretty to look at. A mix of textures and materials blend beautifully to stimulate all the senses. Gil is the founder of Studio 6F, and his home reflects his style, work and passions. Born in Texas, he now calls Chicago home, along with his American bulldog, Chap.

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Bissell's Newest Vacuum Gives Your Dog a Mess-Free Bath

Splish, splash … Bissell will change the way your dog gets a bath. The innovators at the family-owned vacuum and floor care company have created BarkBath, a faster, less messy and environmentally-friendly way to bathe your four-legged friends.

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Freddie and Fannie Will Pay Up

Posted To: MND NewsWire

After gathering little attention for nearly a decade, the two GSEs, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are making news on several fronts. Two developments in the last few days are worth noting. The Federal Housing Finance Agency confirmed on Thursday that the two GSEs will pay their fourth quarter dividends to the Treasury as scheduled. As we reported here earlier this week, there is growing concern about the ultimate result of the net dividend sweep, in which each of the GSEs is required pay Treasury all of the previous quarter's profits, less a steadily reserving cash reserve. That reserve reaches zero at the end of this year, leaving the GSE's with no capital with which to manage any downturn in the housing market. Concern about the GSE's capital reserves sparked a letter to Treasury and FHFA from...(read more)

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Freddie and Fannie Will Pay Up

Posted To: MND NewsWire

After gathering little attention for nearly a decade, the two GSEs, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are making news on several fronts. Two developments in the last few days are worth noting. The Federal Housing Finance Agency confirmed on Thursday that the two GSEs will pay their fourth quarter dividends to the Treasury as scheduled. As we reported here earlier this week, there is growing concern about the ultimate result of the net dividend sweep, in which each of the GSEs is required pay Treasury all of the previous quarter's profits, less a steadily reserving cash reserve. That reserve reaches zero at the end of this year, leaving the GSE's with no capital with which to manage any downturn in the housing market. Concern about the GSE's capital reserves sparked a letter to Treasury and FHFA from...(read more)

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Unusual Exterior Paint Color Combos That Actually Look Really Great

When I was growing up in Lafayette, Louisiana, my family took a lot of trips to Mississippi to see my grandparents, and on the way back, I remember, there was this one lavender house, right by the interstate, that always caught my eye. This one pale, pale purple home, in a sea of beiges, seemed almost magical. If you share my feeling that houses ought to be allowed to be any color they want to be (and your HOA does as well), then perhaps you'll be inspired by these eleven boldly painted homes, whose exteriors (even before you get to the inside) proclaim them to be anything but boring.

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How One Woman Launched the Trendiest Furniture Company of 2017 — Reinventing Retail

(Image credit: Fest)

Time and time again, necessity proves to be the mother of invention. That's certainly the case for Femke Furnée, founder of FEST Amsterdam. If you're already hip to the awesomeness that is this Dutch home goods company, you're definitely not alone, as the brand, in its four years of operation, has taken the design world by storm. But let's go back to the beginning here. Femke faced a situation that many of us have dealt with: attempting to decorate a too-small dorm room in the best way we can manage. "There was hardly enough space for a sofa but I wanted to decorate anyway," she recalls. "I didn't necessarily want to go to IKEA but I didn't have enough money to go high-end either; so I decided to do something about it."

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New York Now Has a Museum Dedicated to Chocolate

Most museums have a strict no eating or drinking policy, however a most wonderful exception has arrived in the form of New York City's first chocolate museum, a 5,000-square foot space which combines art, history and the popular confection under one roof.

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Before & After: A Ranch House Kitchen Gets The Blues (In the Best Way Possible) — Professional Project

Project by: Ariela Najman of Stripe Design Services
Location: Santa Cruz, California

Interior designer, Ariela Najman, was tasked with adding some light and breezy style to her client's California ranch house. Along with other smart upgrades, she added a calming and eye-catching blue in the kitchen giving it a timeless look with a twist.

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The Color That Will Reign in 2017 (There's No Denying It)

There are a few privileges to being an editor in the design world, one of which is getting to see the future (a.k.a. what's going to be in stores well before anyone else is privy to that information). This comes in handy when trend forecasting happens to be your sport of choice.

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PHH to Lose CEO; Fannie/Freddie Changes--Their Future Remains Uncertain

Posted To: Pipeline Press

Let's end the week with a non-mortgage question, but one that you mathaletes will enjoy. What would happen if you were hit by a penny falling from a skyscraper ? Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will transfer one trillion pennies ($10 billion) in earnings to the U.S. Treasury today. There continues to be a lot of chattering about the future of the Agencies - more below. In lender & personnel news, from PHH Corporation came news that CEO Glen Messina is stepping down from his roles as both CEO and President of the Board at the June annual meeting. The current CFO Rob Crowl has been named the next CEO and President. Analysts were quick to point out that this could be a sign that a sale is more likely and/or the company is at least listening to their activist investors. Other management changes...(read more)

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IKEA's New Collection Is Here To Convince You To Finally Buy a Smart Lightbulb

The home of the future just got a lot more accessible. This week, IKEA debuted their new smart lighting collection. If you've been curious about smart home tech, but haven't yet dipped your toe in, the Swedish retailer just made it as easy as—you guessed it—screwing in a lightbulb.

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PHH to Lose CEO; Fannie/Freddie Changes--Their Future Remains Uncertain

Posted To: Pipeline Press

Let’s end the week with a non-mortgage question, but one that you mathaletes will enjoy. What would happen if you were hit by a penny falling from a skyscraper ? Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will transfer one trillion pennies ($10 billion) in earnings to the U.S. Treasury today. There continues to be a lot of chattering about the future of the Agencies - more below. In lender & personnel news, from PHH Corporation came news that CEO Glen Messina is stepping down from his roles as both CEO and President of the Board at the June annual meeting. The current CFO Rob Crowl has been named the next CEO and President. Analysts were quick to point out that this could be a sign that a sale is more likely and/or the company is at least listening to their activist investors. Other management changes...(read more)

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Alice, My Roommate's Boyfriend Won't Leave — Ask Alice: Advice for Life at Home

My lovely roommate has recently met and is seeing a partner. And as nice as this guy is, he's always at our place. He technically lives with his ex-girlfriend, so my roommate cannot go there. How many nights a week is it acceptable for him to be here? Currently it's about four (which is over the weekend), and it's driving me up the wall – I feel like I'm living with a couple, and it's my apartment. How best do I handle this?

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MBS Day Ahead: Technical Levels Under Attack Regardless of Data

Posted To: MBS Commentary

While there are several economic reports that have market-moving power today, the bigger issue for bond markets may be the technical battle that's been fought at 10yr yields of 2.42% all week. This has been a very central pivot point for the 2017 range, and yields have broken or bounced there on 8 of the last 9 days. Sidenote: the word "broken" in the previous sentence does indeed refer to yields moving above 2.42%. Why, then, are we talking about it as a ceiling still? Because when it comes to technical analysis of "breakouts," the break of the line itself is only the first development. Breakouts require "confirmation." Confirmation can be defined in a couple ways depending on the approach of the technician, but the most prevalent definition is "closing...(read more)

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MBS Day Ahead: Technical Levels Under Attack Regardless of Data

Posted To: MBS Commentary

While there are several economic reports that have market-moving power today, the bigger issue for bond markets may be the technical battle that's been fought at 10yr yields of 2.42% all week. This has been a very central pivot point for the 2017 range, and yields have broken or bounced there on 8 of the last 9 days. Sidenote: the word "broken" in the previous sentence does indeed refer to yields moving above 2.42%. Why, then, are we talking about it as a ceiling still? Because when it comes to technical analysis of "breakouts," the break of the line itself is only the first development. Breakouts require "confirmation." Confirmation can be defined in a couple ways depending on the approach of the technician, but the most prevalent definition is "closing...(read more)

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Before & After: Mismatched IKEA Table Gets a Concrete Makeover

(Image credit: Aimee)

Aimee's twin toddlers had done a number on her dining set, but she was hesitant to shell out for something new while they still have an appetite for destruction. Inspired by kitchen counter DIYs, this IKEA table gets a tough new top:

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Beyond KitchenAid: 8 Comparable Stand Mixers on the Market — Kitchn

From Kitchn → Beyond KitchenAid: 8 Other Stand Mixers on the Market

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The Cleaning Tool We Won't Live Without — Neat People Secrets

Folks who enjoy uncluttered rooms and a home not taken over by dust bunnies are often called "neat freaks." In fact, that was originally the title I was going to give this post. "Secrets of Neat Freaks." But these people aren't "freaks." They are people to be admired. Respected. Mined for their wisdom and secrets to keeping their home so clean. And their suggestions for the cleaning tool they can't live without might leave you floored.

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Try It & Save Money: A Once-a-Month-Only No-Spend Weekend

At this point, you've probably tried everything to save money—skipping your morning coffee, using apps to squirrel away extra change, etc.—but some strategies just don't feel doable, or like they even save you all that much in the long run. Saving money—no matter what you're saving it for—can sometimes feel like an impossible chore.

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MBS RECAP: Volatility in a Narrow Range

Posted To: MBS Commentary

For all of the apparent drama and volatility experienced during the past 2 weeks, it's easy to overlook just how narrow the range has been. There's no simpler way to say it than this: for the 8th straight day, 10yr yields closed between 2.375% and 2.42%. Today saw yields push the higher end of that range, with a 3pm close of 2.41 and intraday highs of 2.425. It's also fair to say that the bias inside the range has been negative--at least if we're looking at the past 3 days. During that time, we've seen a decided trend of "higher lows" in intraday yields as well as other " risk-on " indicators like stocks and Yen/$. In addition to that general "risk-on" trend, today's bond market weakness got a boost from a decent Q4 GDP report. This was...(read more)

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MBS RECAP: Volatility in a Narrow Range

Posted To: MBS Commentary

For all of the apparent drama and volatility experienced during the past 2 weeks, it's easy to overlook just how narrow the range has been. There's no simpler way to say it than this: for the 8th straight day, 10yr yields closed between 2.375% and 2.42%. Today saw yields push the higher end of that range, with a 3pm close of 2.41 and intraday highs of 2.425. It's also fair to say that the bias inside the range has been negative--at least if we're looking at the past 3 days. During that time, we've seen a decided trend of "higher lows" in intraday yields as well as other " risk-on " indicators like stocks and Yen/$. In addition to that general "risk-on" trend, today's bond market weakness got a boost from a decent Q4 GDP report. This was...(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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For Mortgage Rates, Once Again, It Depends

Posted To: Mortgage Rate Watch

For the third day in a row, day-over-day mortgage rate movement depends heavily on the lender. That means some lenders will be in noticeably better shape vs their latest offerings from yesterday while others will now be quoting higher rates. At issue is the volatility in bond markets (which dictate mortgage rates). Moreover, the timing of the volatility over the past 3 days resulted in some lenders making late-day adjustments to rate sheets while others simply waited for the following morning. If that leads you to think of phrases like "it all comes out in the wash," you have the right idea. Looking past recent volatility, most lenders are right in line with their rate sheets from late last week. They've simply walked slightly different paths to get there. As far as markets are concerned, the...(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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For Mortgage Rates, Once Again, It Depends

Posted To: Mortgage Rate Watch

For the third day in a row, day-over-day mortgage rate movement depends heavily on the lender. That means some lenders will be in noticeably better shape vs their latest offerings from yesterday while others will now be quoting higher rates. At issue is the volatility in bond markets (which dictate mortgage rates). Moreover, the timing of the volatility over the past 3 days resulted in some lenders making late-day adjustments to rate sheets while others simply waited for the following morning. If that leads you to think of phrases like "it all comes out in the wash," you have the right idea. Looking past recent volatility, most lenders are right in line with their rate sheets from late last week. They've simply walked slightly different paths to get there. As far as markets are concerned, the...(read more)

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More than Just Politics: A DC Couple their Home Together — House Call

Name: Kelsey
Location: Washington, D.C.

Sara and I moved in together almost two years ago. I had lived in shared houses ever since college and was thrilled to create a home with Sara where we could welcome our friends and family and offer a little calm in the storm of D.C. Our home is filled with vintage pieces and IKEA finds that we have upgraded with modern details like knobs and pulls from Rejuvenation and Anthropologie. The walls of our bedroom are lined with art friends have given us and even a oil painting we created with one friend… inspired by a tissue box pattern! Our biggest project was taking out some of the pre-fab cabinets in our condo's galley kitchen and replacing them with open shelving. It really opened up the kitchen (anything you can do in an 800 square foot apartment to make it feel more open is worth it in my book)!

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The One Thing You Shouldn't Do When Sampling Food at the Grocery Store — Kitchn

From Kitchn → How Not to Be a Jerk When Sampling Free Food at the Grocery Store

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We Feel Betrayed That No One Told Us About This Diptyque Birthday Freebie Sooner

Even if you're not the type to make a special trip out for a birthday freebie (or two or ten), this is definitely one that might change your mind. Purveyor of stylishly chic candles, Diptyque, will hand over a gift to you on your very special day. We just have one very pressing question: Why did no one tell us about this sooner??

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