Mortgage rates have dropped to 4.58 percent for an average 30-year fixed loan. This is the lowest rate on record according to mortgage company Freddie Mac since 1971. This actually matches mortgage rates in the 1950s when long-term rates averaged 20 to 25 years. With this incredibly low rate rate, lending has increased, but still…
May 2010 Housing Report
While RelocateAmerica is always on the lookout for positive news regarding relocation, it is also important to blog about the other side to present the entire picture. The Department of Commerce and National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) reports both have implications for relocation. The US Commerce Department’s report last week indicated that sales of…
Understand Your Moving Needs & Expectations
Today, the Earth’s north-south axis is tilted 23.5 degrees related to the sun. Hmmm, what? OK, perhaps easier stated, summer is officially here. June 21, the first day of summer, the ole’ summer solstice and yep, that means moving season is now in full swing. And hence, it is a good time to start focusing…
Harvard Housing Study 2010
The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University researches housing in the United States to analyze the dynamic relationships between the housing market and economic, demographic and social trends. As this relationship is paramount to relocation, RelocateAmerica looks forward to the annual release each June. In short, the 2010 report looks remarkably similar to…
2010 Top 10 Recovery Cities
For 2010, RelocateAmerica’s Top 100 Places to Live list, our methodology focused on communities either currently in economic recovery and/or well positioned for future growth. Here they are in reverse countdown order, RelocateAmerica’s Top 10 Recovery Cities for 2010, all communities moving in the right direction. Coming in at Number 10. Boulder Colorado. With the…
290,000 New Jobs April 2010
Good news alert! 290,000 new jobs were added to the US Economy in April. This is the largest monthly increase since Q1 2006. Now, 66,000 of those jobs represent Census positions (which are jobs, temporary), but the 224,000 new permenant jobs eclipsed previous economic forecasts for April. The corporate confidence and hiring increases occurred in…
The New Frugality
Frugal is a grandmotherly type word. More properly, it is a restrained means of acquiring goods and services. It doesn’t mean cheap but rather cautious, thrifty and usually wise, you know, like Grandma herself. The term is getting some play within our new economy, as in the “new frugality”. Chris Farrell’s excellent book under the…
Top 10 Overall Cities for 2010
RelocateAmerica’s Top 100 Places to Live report has garnered considerable attention and this is a good thing as we are in our 13th year connecting relocating families and individuals with America’s best communities. This year’s list focuses on communities poised for recovery and future growth. Additionally, and new for 2010, we created separate Top 10…
Housing Market Growth Indicators
MyBankTracker.com wrote an interesting article on the housing market’s growth in some cities. They pointed to the increasingly important real estate tenet of location, affordability and a community’s ability to weather the economic downturn. The article referenced RelocateAmerica’s Top 10o Places to Live and also addressed San Francisco’s Chronicles excellent review of eight ways to…
Top 10 Earth Friendly Cities for 2010
Earth Day 2010 is here. Actually, it’s Earth Day’s 40th Anniversary and in celebration, RelocateAmerica would like to highlight our Top10 Earth Friendly Cities for 2010. First, we should mention that our Top100 Places to Live list was packed with good choices for our Top 10 Earth Friendly breakout. Our Top100 list identified communities in…