Frank Quintanilla, Realtor

Mortgage Rates Are Back Under 3% Mortgage rates are back under 3% for the first time in weeks. The drop in rates followed a downward trend for the 10-year Treasury yield, which rates closely follow. The economy is gaining momentum, however, and consumers can expect mortgage rates to rise in the upcoming months, Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and director of forecasting for the National Association of REALTORS, writes at the association’s Economists’ Outlook blog.... For now, the drop in mortgage rates is good news for home buyers and homeowners, too. See more

Some of the first things buyers are going to notice as they pull up to your house is the landscaping lawn, plants, flowerbeds, etc. Now you don’t have to be extravagant, install a fountain or even hire a professional, you just need to tidy up and make sure things look neat and preferably alive if possible. Mow the lawn, trim your bushes and buy a few bags of mulch to pour in the flower beds to tie things together. In real estate sales, first impressions count. This is one of the simple improvements that will increase home value. Make it count!