Current Mortgage Rates for Thursday, June 22, 2017

Welcome to the Total Mortgage Current Mortgage Rates Blog. There’s some economic data out today, but first, your daily mortgage rate forecast/advice.

Where are mortgage rates going?

Mortgage rates fall again – remain near lowest levels in months

It’s Thursday after 10:00am and that means that the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) has been released.

Click here to get today’s latest mortgage rates (Jun. 22, 2017). 

The survey collects data from numerous mortgage lenders across the nation and compiles it into the most comprehensive snapshot of where mortgage rates are during that time. It’s good news for borrowers this week, with mortgage rates inching lower.

Here are the numbers:

• The average rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage inched lower by one basis point (1 basis point = 0.01) to 3.90% (0.5 points)
• The average rate on a 15-year fixed rate mortgage also fell by one basis point to 3.17% (0.5 points)
• The average rate on a 5/1-year adjustable rate mortgage similarly dropped by one basis point to 3.14% (0.5 points)

All three mortgage types are just a hair above year lows. This is now the fifth consecutive week that rates have remained below 4%. Here is what chief economist at Freddie Mac, Sean Becketti, had to say about the dip this week:

“Following last week’s sharp decline, the 10-year Treasury yield rose 3 basis points this week. The 30-year mortgage rate remained relatively flat, falling 1 basis point to 3.90 percent. Mortgage rates are continuing to hold at year-to-date lows amidst ongoing economic uncertainty.”

It’s always important to note that data for the survey is collected early on in the week, so there’s the potential that it doesn’t reflect current market conditions. However, it’s been a fairly uneventful week and mortgage rates haven’t moved all that much, so this week’s PMMS is fairly close to what we’re seeing for rates right now.

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What does this mean for me?

Lock now while rates are low

Mortgage rates are sitting at some of the lowest levels they’ve been at in months. That means that there are plenty of opportunities for some borrowers to lock a very accommodating rate and get a great deal on a monthly payment.

There is still a decent amount of uncertainty moving forward, but the general consensus is that it’s more likely for rates to rise than fall. Given how low mortgage rates are right now, the safe (and smart) decision would be to lock now.

To get the most accurate idea of what kind of rate we could offer, you should fill out our short form and get a personalized rate quote. Or, if you’d rather talk to someone, you can always call one of our experienced mortgage specialists.

They can walk you through the same process, clarifying any questions you may have, and let you know what your custom rate quote is.

Today’s economic data:

Jobless Claims

Applications for U.S. unemployment benefits rose 3,000 from the prior week to 241,000. That’s a very slight change and it’s right in line with expectations. The four-week moving average is now at 244,750.

Fedspeak

• Fed Governor Jerome Powell at 10:00am

Notable events this week:                                                                         

Monday:       

• Fedspeak

Tuesday:  

• Fedspeak

Wednesday:

• Existing Home Sales   
• EIA Petroleum Status

Thursday:   

• Jobless Claims
• Fedspeak

Friday:    

• Fedspeak
• PMI Composite Flash
• New Home Sales

Rates are still near 2017 lows.  Contact us today to see if we can save you money on your home payments. 

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Étoile by Millennium – Availability, Plans, Pricing

At a Glance

• 26- & 32-storey residential buildings
• 390 x 1- to 3-bedroom condos
• 8 work/live townhouses
• heated rooftop pool
• fitness centre
• close to Brentwood Town Centre shopping
• near BCIT & SFU
• walking distance to Skytrain

Where Elegance Resides

Étoile is a premium collection of 398 new Burnaby residences situated in rapidly-developing Brentwood Town Centre. Two slender towers provide one- to three-bedroom condominiums and townhomes that will feature spacious floorplans and large balconies, extending your living space outdoors for you to enjoy spectacular panoramic views.

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Étoile is ideally located just a short drive away from the numerous shops, services, and restaurants surrounding the intersection of Willingdon and Lougheed Highway, making it easy to take care of day-to-day necessities. Holdom Skytrain station is a mere five-minute walk away, providing convenient access to Vancouver, the Tri-Cities, and New Westminster. For outdoor activities you needn’t venture far. Burnaby Lake Regional Park features 19 kilometres of walking trails, rowing, kayaking, archery, tennis, and an equestrian centre.

Pricing for Étoile
For interested buyers, contact me for details.

Floor Plans for Étoile
This project is currently in pre-construction. A variety of open floor plans will be available with the following unit mix:

• 196 x 1-bedroom condos from 574-584 sq ft
• 182 x 2-bedroom + den condos from 821-1,247 sq ft
• 12 x 3-bedroom condos from 1,031-1,036 sq ft
• 8 x 3-bedroom + work area townhomes

For priority property evaluations, we recommend joining our VIP list by subscribing above.

Étoile Interiors
Each home features 9′ ceilings, central air-conditioning, unobstructed panoramic mountain views, and large balconies. Every detail has been thoughtfully designed to create the most livable floorplans, with nearly every unit being a corner unit.

Amenities at Étoile
A grand porte cochère and spacious lobby offer an impressive welcome to your home, or you can choose to entertain guests in the ground floor lounge. A heated rooftop swimming pool means you can warm down from a workout in the fitness room throughout the year. The landscaped podium deck also includes a children’s play zone, barbeque area, seating, and garden plots.

Parking and Storage
Étoile will offer 459 vehicle parking spaces on four levels — one underground and three above ground — 44 of which will have electric vehicle charging stations, 39 will be for visitors, and five will be accessible parking stalls. There will also be four car share vehicles, 797 secured bicycle stalls, 92 visitor bicycle spaces, a 4-station bicycle repair/maintenance area, bike trailer storage, and 2 residential loading bays.

Maintenance Fees at Étoile
Will be included with pricing information.

Developer Team for Étoile
Millennium Development Group is an award-winning, Vancouver-based real estate developer and master-planned community builder. They strive to create legacies through thoughtful design and high-quality construction that complements the natural beauty of the West Coast landscape. Millennium’s projects include mixed-use complexes, residential towers, shopping malls, office buildings, and industrial centres representing approximately $6 billion built or under development in Canada and abroad. Notable projects include the Olympic Village, City in the Park, One Madison Avenue, Bristol at UBC, and One University Crescent at SFU.

Chris Dikeakos Architects is a Burnaby-based architectural firm with a strong reputation for multi-unit and highrise residential design. Their work ranges from concept and design development to construction drawings and site services, site capacity studies, master planning, urban design, and rezoning. Projects include the tallest residential highrise in San Diego, the tallest pure residential highrise in Los Angeles, and Solo District and Station Square in Burnaby.

CHIL Interior Design is the hospitality studio of B+H, a global leader in interior design, architecture, and planning & landscape. CHIL’s award-winning portfolio spans Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, North and South America for brands such as Shangri-La, Hilton, Fairmont, Marriott, and Four Seasons. Originally founded in 1974, CHIL leverages global resources to produce designs that are guided by their clients’ vision and goals. Each client’s story is translated into a physical space. Deep research and an understanding of current and future trends result in spaces that improve the way people live, work, play, relax, and heal.

Expected Completion for Étoile
2020.

Are you interested in learning more about other condos in Brentwood, Highgate, Lougheed, or Metrotown?

Check out these great Burnaby Properties!

The post Étoile by Millennium – Availability, Plans, Pricing appeared first on Mike Stewart.

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Current Mortgage Rates for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Welcome to the Total Mortgage Current Mortgage Rates Blog. There’s some economic data out today, but first, your daily mortgage rate forecast/advice. Don’t feel like reading? Check out our market outlook series.

Market Outlook 6.19.17 from Total Mortgage on Vimeo.

Where are mortgage rates going?

Rates continue to move sideways

Mortgage rates moved a little higher on Monday, a little lower on Tuesday, and so far today they are basically flat. We’re about halfway through our scheduled speaking engagements with Fed officials this week.

Unsurprisingly, it’s been kind of a mixed bag, with some officials saying there is reason for concern, while others saying that they are confident that the current rate path is appropriate. The mixed messages have caused slight bumps in the market, but overall they’ve evened each other out.

Click here to get today’s latest mortgage rates (Jun. 21, 2017). 

We get a pause from the Fedspeak until tomorrow, when we hear from Fed Governor Jerome Powell. Then things really pick up on Friday when we’ll hear from four different Fed officials.

Today was the first day of the week where we really got any meaningful economic data with the release of the Existing Home Sales report, and the EIA Petroleum Status Report.

More of a focus was on Existing Home Sales, which did come in with a 1.1% gain in May for a higher than expected annualized rate of 5.620 million. That’s somewhat of a surprise given the extremely low inventory in the housing market right now.

The market reaction to the report has been nearly imperceptible. Moving forward, there’s little reason to believe that anything will budge rates too far off of their current positions this week.

What does this mean for me?

Lock now while rates are low

Mortgage rates don’t seem to be going anywhere this week. Seeing how they are at some of the lowest levels they’ve been at all year, that’s great news for borrowers. Whether you’re considering a refinance or purchase, the possibility is there for you to get a very accommodating rate.

To get the most accurate idea of what kind of rate we could offer, you should fill out our short form and get a personalized rate quote.  Or, if you’d rather talk to someone, you can always call one of our experienced mortgage specialists.

They can walk you through the same process, clarifying any questions you may have, and let you know what your custom rate quote is.

Today’s economic data:

Existing Home Sales

Existing home sales came in at an annualized rate on 5.620 M in May. That’s a rise of 1.1% from the prior reading, and a 2.7% growth year over year.

EIA Petroleum Status

For the week of 6/16/17:

• Crude oil: -2.5 M barrels
• Gasoline: -0.6 M barrels
• Distillates: 1.1 M barrels

Notable events this week:                                                                        

Monday:       

• Fedspeak

Tuesday:  

• Fedspeak

Wednesday:

• Existing Home Sales   
• EIA Petroleum Status

Thursday:   

• Jobless Claims

Friday:    

• Fedspeak
• PMI Composite Flash
• New Home Sales

Rates are still near 2017 lows.  Contact us today to see if we can save you money on your home payments. 

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What is Bootstrap and How Do I Use It?

There are many ways to design a website; often developers today use content management systems, like WordPress, Joomla or Drupal, however, while good, some projects require low resources without the use of a database.  While traditional html could be used, today’s technologies require mobile support with responsive design.  Once way to accomplish this is with bootstrap.

Bootstrap is a free, open-source, front-end website framework for designing websites and web applications. The framework includes html and css based design templates that cover various preprogrammed elements such as forms, buttons, tables, navigation, modals, image carousels and many other, as well as optional JavaScript plugins. The functionality offered is comparable to those found in WordPress themes and plugins.

Bootstrap Benefits

Bootstrap has many benefits.  Some of these include:

• Easy to use
• Gives the ability to easily create responsive designs
• Compatible with all modern browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Opera)
• Lightweight, front-end framework, independent of database
• Free and Open source

Using Bootstrap

Here is a good beginners video on how to start using Bootstrap.

Don’t know how to code?  No problem

There are tools available that help non programmers achieve what they need without coding knowledge.  For example,  Mobirise Bootstrap Builder offers an offline app for Window and Mac to easily create small/medium websites, landing pages, online resumes and portfolios, promo sites for apps, events, services and products.

Pre-built Themes

Like WordPress, Joomla or Drupal, pre-built themes are available to help no programmers and programmers like to begin their development goals. Easy search and browse for the best bootstrap themes online. One of our favorites is Template Monster or Themeforest which also provide support depending on the theme author.

With open source and themes made available, building a website can now be accomplished in half the time. There is no shame in using templates; teams of programmers have spend hundreds of hours coding templates and frameworks to save developers and users that hassle of having to reinvent the wheel. These frameworks help save time and money and enable the end consumer to focus more on their goals and the goals of their website.

The post What is Bootstrap and How Do I Use It? appeared first on Information Technology Blog.

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Smart Ways to Boost E-commerce Product Reviews

Did you know that 61% of customers make informed purchase decisions based on the reviews they read online? Product reviews have been proven to be the leading sales drivers. The “Reviews” or “Testimonials” page is one of the most powerful pages of your site. It can make or break your Ecommerce experience.

Positive reviews show your potential buyers that your product is not only legit, but also high quality that other people are reaping great results from it. So how do you go about it? Check out these smart ways to boost Ecommerce reviews:

If you want people to review your products, why not ask them?

Asking can be quite intimidating especially when you are not used to it. But asking your customers to return the favor is like telling them how confident you are about your product. Assuming you have done your best to exceed their expectations, tell them that you would be grateful if they will let others know.

When you ship your product, include a note that encourages the customer to leave a review.

The best time to get a review is when your customer has just received their purchase—when the satisfaction and excitement are still in the air. Thus, do not forget to include a note to say you hope that they enjoy their new gadget, headphone, or whatnot, and ask them to visit your site to leave a feedback.

Offer free products for an honest review.

If you browse through the Amazon site, chances are, you would come across testimonials by customers mentioning that they have received certain products for free in exchange for an honest feedback. You can apply such strategy on to your site. You can also offer them free trials, discounts, or giveaways if they send in a video review. The possibilities are almost endless. Remember, the more enticing your offer, the more reviews you would likely receive. You can check out The Ultimate Shopify Review Guide to see how they obtain overwhelming positive reviews from their customers.

Find people who are willing to review your products.

You may stumble upon some customer reviews that have been written about your company on personal blogs or social media that are unsolicited. Setting up daily notifications through your email to keep track of brand mentions that may include your business name, brand, or specific product name plus the word “review” prove to be very beneficial. You can use such alerts to find out if there are any reviews about your product and ask those people who have talked about your brand if you can post their comment on your reviews page. More often than not, they’ll be glad to do so, especially if this is in exchange for a link from your site.

Find bloggers in your niche who review products.

Getting reviews from online content creators and bloggers can contribute significantly to the success of your new product or your Ecommerce store as a whole. Once you get good blog coverage, make it a point to continue cultivating those relationships. Every now and then, check the comments section of any post you may have been mentioned in and discuss possible concerns openly. More importantly, thank the blogger for doing the coverage.

Wrap it up.

No one wants to read huge blocks of texts, so it is important to write a summary about your product description or existing product reviews. That is what your potential customers will skim for. Wrapping up your texts can help bind together long reviews into concise opinions about your product, as that is the reason the customer visited your site in the first place.

The post Smart Ways to Boost E-commerce Product Reviews appeared first on Information Technology Blog.

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5 Ways That Fintech Is Transforming How We Handle And Invest Our Money

FinTech (financial technology), is an economic industry composed of companies that use technology to make financial services more efficient. Fintech is changing the way we invest, the way we spend and the way we interact with money. It’s a hugely lucrative industry and one that most of us are utilizing on a day to day basis.

We Bank Digitally

For numerous banking customers these days, having to stand in line to pay bills at a local high street bank is no longer necessary.  With the rise of mobile and online banking, many customers, and millennials in particular, prefer conducting their banking through using their bank’s smartphone app or online banking platform.

There are some consumers that have gone a step further and signed up to use a digital-only bank, like the Germany-based Number26 or US-based Simple, and don’t bank at a traditional high street bank any longer.

It Is Easier To Invest

Recently many consumers have been shying away from investment vehicles due to the reputation of many investment firms hitting all-time lows because of poor investment advice, hidden fees and excess fees.  FinTech firms like Addepar, Robinhood, Wealthfront, and forex currency trading like Harborx (Android, iOS) will keep emerging to help empower small investors and help them feel comfortable to once again participate in the investment world.

The firm Acorns is showing how novice and average investors can use their spare change as an excellent way of getting started with developing an investment portfolio that can offer them significant returns in the future.

Thanks to the Internet we can look up share prices in an instant and receive the up to the minute price. Sites such as Nasdaq.com, Yahoo Finance, Shareprice.com.au allow us to see the latest BHP share price or Google share price at the click of a finger. This alongside these new startups makes investment easier and more informed than ever.

These types of FinTech companies can help to make fundamental changes to the investment world, and help to rekindle interest in mutual funds and stocks.

We Use Our Mobile Phones For Payment

Mobile payment services like Samsung Pay, Android Pay and Apple Pay have emerged that now allow consumer to pay for services and goods in stores through utilizing their smartphones. These mobile payment services all work by scanning your credit or debit card using an app and then having the details stored in your phone.  After you have made an in-store purchase you just open up the app and either tap or just hold your mobile phone over the contactless NFC-enable credit card terminal to purchase your items at point of sale.

These new mobile payment services represent a natural progression that is part of the overall digitalization of services and gradually moving towards having a cashless system.  Android Pay and Apple Pay are being quickly adopted in the United States, as consumers are beginning to prefer using their smartphones for making purchases.

Borrowing From Our Peers

Up until recently, when you needed a loan for either business or personal purposes, you can to either go to a credit union or bank to apply.  These options both required the borrower to have a good credit score to qualify for a loan and be offered an interest rate that was reasonable.  However, in many cases, loans are not approved now since banks have cut back on lending to individuals and small businesses since the financial crisis of 2008.

However, a new kind of lending has emerged from the fintech sector called peer-to-peer lending. This refers to a method of lending where small businesses and individuals can borrow money from other individuals without having to go through a traditional financial intermediary.  It offers debt financing for individuals and businesses that are having a difficult time securing a loan from a credit union or bank.  In addition those lending money via a peer-to-peer platform are able to generate high fixed interest investment returns.

In order to borrow using a peer-to-peer lending platform, all a borrower needs to do is sign up at the platform, specify the amount they want to borrow and undergo a due diligence process that allows the peer-to-peer lender to make an assessment of their ability to fully repay the loan. After the application is approved, the borrower will need to agree to the loan terms.  Individuals will then be able to lend to the borrow using the peer-to-peer lending platform online.

International Money Transfers Are Made Online

In the past, in order to make an international money transfer we would either need to use a high street bank to make a wire transfer or use a remittance corporation like MoneyGram or Western Union. High fees are involved in both of these options, reducing the amount of money available to send.

Several fintech companies have addressed and resolved this issue.  They offer international money transfer services at substantially lower rates than the traditional financial industry does.  Companies like Azimo and WorldRemit offer inexpensive international money transfer for SMEs and individuals through their app-based and online platforms.

Over the past decade, how we handle money has changed as fintech has offer new ways for consumers to conduct their financial transactions.  It will be quite interesting to watch how money management continues to evolve into the future.

Originally posted 2017-04-11 15:49:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The post 5 Ways That Fintech Is Transforming How We Handle And Invest Our Money appeared first on Information Technology Blog.

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Current Mortgage Rates for Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Welcome to the Total Mortgage Current Mortgage Rates Blog. There’s some economic data out today, but first, your daily mortgage rate forecast/advice. Don’t feel like reading? Check out our market outlook series.

Market Outlook 6.19.17 from Total Mortgage on Vimeo.

Where are mortgage rates going?

Mortgage rates move lower

Yesterday I wrote that with very little economic data our this week, there was the possibility that investors would move off of something said during one of the many speaking engagements from Fed officials. Well it didn’t take long for that to happen.

After inching up all day on Monday, a couple remarks from Fed officials have walked back yields closer to where they started the week. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note (the best market indicator of where mortgage rates are going) is down a little over two basis points (one basis point = 0.01) to 2.17%. That’s very close to its lowest position of the year at 2.12%.

Click here to get today’s latest mortgage rates (Jun. 20, 2017).     

So what was the word out of the Fed that played into today’s decline?

The first comment was from Chicago Fed President Charles Evans who said that the “current environment supports very gradual hikes” during a speech to the Money Marketeers of New York University. He went on to say that the Fed had a “serious policy outcome miss” by not hitting its target of 2% inflation.

As for what exactly “very gradual” means for rate hikes this year, Evans left the possibilities open, stating “It remains to be seen whether there will be two rate hikes this year, or three, or four.”

The next comments came from Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren. He’s a non-voting member of the FOMC this year, but he still participates in the discussions and therefore his outlook carries weight with investors.

In prepared remarks in Amsterdam, Rosengren made the claim that low interest rates might be here for longer than most market participants currently believe. He then went on to express his concern that this could make it difficult for the Fed to deal with any negative shocks in the near-future.

On the more hawkish side of things, was William Dudley, who spoke early on Monday and said that he was confident inflation would pick up, which would allow the Fed to raise rates sooner.

This kind of mixed bag from Fed officials is par for the course, and it tends to keep mortgage rates fairly flat. That’s what we’re seeing so far this week, and it’s possible it’s what we’ll be looking at as we head into the weekend.

What does this mean for me?

You might be able to get a great deal

With mortgage rates continuing to stay down near 2017 lows, many borrowers will find that they can get a great deal on a purchase or refinance. Rates are still expected to rise in the long-term, so it’s likely that borrowers will be better off acting sooner rather than later.

To get the most accurate idea of what kind of rate we could offer, you should fill out our short form and get a personalized rate quote.  Or, if you’d rather talk to someone, you can always call one of our experienced mortgage specialists.

They can walk you through the same process, clarifying any questions you may have, and let you know what your custom rate quote is.

Today’s economic data:

Fedspeak

• Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer at 3:15am
• Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren at 8:15am
• Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan at 3:00pm

Notable events this week:                                                                        

Monday:       

• Fedspeak

Tuesday:  

• Fedspeak

Wednesday:

• Existing Home Sales   
• EIA Petroleum Status

Thursday:   

• Jobless Claims

Friday:    

• Fedspeak
• PMI Composite Flash
• New Home Sales

Rates are still near 2017 lows.  Contact us today to see if we can save you money on your home payments. 

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