The holiday season is a time for friends, family, togetherness and fun. It's easy to get carried away when stocking up for the holidays from gifts, to food, to party favors and decorations, there are a seemingly endless array of ways to spend money in the name of the holiday season. In fact, the holiday season is the peak time of year for debt accumulation. While everyone wants to enjoy...
If you have been hoping interest rates would drop your prayers have been answered. Interest rates plummeted over half a point last week falling from 6.35 to 5.78. The last time mortgage interest rates fell this fast this quickly was the beginning of 1995 when rates fell from 8.32 to 7.57. Rates have basically fallen following the government takeover of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Below are...
The Texas Governor's Mansion, which is located a block southwest of the Texas State Capitol Building in downtown Austin, is the most historic home in the Austin real estate market and the longest continuously inhabited executive residence west of the Mississippi River. Built in 1856, the Governor's Mansion underwent construction after the Texas Legislature appropriated $14,500 in order for a...
Conserving resources electricity, water, money is an important step toward leading a sustainable lifestyle (both personally and environmentally). People strive daily to save money, and yet many do not make the connection between resources and finances forgetting that electric bills and water bills make up a significant portion of monthly expenses. But just because these resources and expenses...
The Austin Zoo is home to over 100 different species of animals, and there are over 300 animals living at the zoo. The zoo is located west of Austin on Rawhide Trail, which can be found by turning off of Highway 290 West shortly after its intersection with Highway 71 West, onto Thomas Springs Road, which intersects with Rawhide Trail a few miles down the road
The Austin Zoo includes...
So it has been a week since the feds came in and took over Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. While it will obviously take some time to know the long term repercussions I wanted to look at some of the immediate reactions to the move.
First let's look at the reaction from the media and the general public. One would expect there to be some political fallout from the largest takeover in government...
I have been tracking mortgage interest rates for the last few months. Its always more interesting when there are drastic changes. This week we saw some of the largest changes we have seen this year. This is of course in response to the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac takeover. The 30 year mortgage rate dropped from 6.35 to 5.93 this week. What makes this more pronounced is that rates have been...
To many children, a birthday is the single most important day of the year. And to many parents, it's a day of both celebration and stress, as they strive to make their child's special day a memorable event. Crafting a fun, unique party for your son or daughter isn't always easy especially if you're feeling pressured to measure up to the over-the-top events hosted by the parents of your child's...
So on Friday it was leaked that the government is taking over Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. On Sunday it was official. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have now been taken over by the federal government. But what does it mean for the real estate market, mortgage interest rates, and the US economy.
First let's look at what it means for mortgage rates. I would expect that the government takeover...
Austin is home to many things: live music, the University of Texas, the state capital; but many people don't realize Austin is also home to the nation's largest urban bat community-and it's right downtown. More than 750,000 Mexican Free-Tail bats make their home under the beams of the Congress Avenue bridge. Following renovations of the iconic bridge in 1980, the bat population took up shelter...
