Spoiler Alert: The simple answer is that of course they can in the event of runaway inflation and/or an overheated economy, but in light of $26 trillion in federal debt that will soon rise by at least $1 trillion through additional stimulus (not to mention budget deficits for the foreseeable future), the question is whether […]
The two-pronged Federal Reserve mandate is to control inflation within a pre-determined range and maximize U.S. employment! And from all observations the economy is fulfilling both with the unemployment rate reported July 2018 at 3.9% and the July CPI rising .2% with an annual increase in the core rate of 2.4%. If the economy is […]
Yesterday the Federal Reserve raised its key fed funds rate by .25% and signaled that they would likely raise two more times in 2018! For consumers who have a record amount of debt outstanding (a level over $13 trillion that’s $280 billion higher than the 2008 peak and 16.2% above the 2013 trough), the good […]
In the past the Hallmark Abstract Service blog has opined on the professionals whose job it is to forecast a variety of different outcomes whether economic or something else, and for better or worse the tendency for them to miss the mark that they have predicted! The article ‘Predicting The Weather, Mortgage Rates, Commodity Prices Or Most Anything Else Is […]
Over the past month or so Hallmark Abstract Service has explored whether blockchain may at some point in the future disrupt the title insurance industry (‘Can Blockchain Technology Ultimately Eradicate Any Need For Title Insurance In New York State?‘) ! In addition, potentially affecting real estate and real estate transactions are the issues surrounding the […]
In mid-October 2016 the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 3.64% and a 15-year fixed at 2.93%! Now, post-presidential election and based on the fixed income markets belief that the economy is going to improve thus spurring further rate increases by the Federal Reserve, 30-year fixed rate mortgages are on average 4.31% and 15-year fixed […]
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A CLOSING WHERE THE TITLE WASN’T CLEARED? WE HAVEN’T! ________________________________________________________________________ The impact that an increase in mortgage rates has on real estate affordability, also known as purchasing power, is a concept extremely familiar to most prospective buyers who watch them on a daily basis until they are locked-in! The chart below illustrates the […]
While the title of the the article rhymes, the proposal is far from entertaining On page 1 of the Fiscal Year 2012 Budget of the U.S. Government you can begin to read The Budget Message of the President. In the preamble he discusses the recession and the fact that due to fiscal realities we face […]
