Desiree Yuzawa

HARP 2.0 - Don't Miss Out

Autumn Home Maintenance Tip

Fall has arrived in the beautiful Pacific Northwest!  

The limited amount of rain and late September warm weather has blessed us with briliant colorful fall leaves.  These leaves will  fall shortly and if you have trees…...read on

"WHAT GOES UP... MUST COME DOWN?"

Gas prices have dropped at the pump lately, but the markets are more focused on movement in the rest of the economy. Here’s a look at where some important economic indicators are headed... and what they mean to you!

Fill ’er up...…...read on

"SLOW DOWN... YOU MOVE TOO FAST"

Maybe the economic recovery is taking acue from these 1960's lyrics by Simon and Garfunkel, as the economic recovery seems to be in a sluggish state at the moment. And while it doesn't leave too many Americans "feelin' groovy,"…...read on

"SLOW AND STEADY?"

Last week, the economy appeared to be slowing. But despite the negative economic news, Bonds and home loan rates held steady and were unable to improve further.

Let's look at what happened and what it means...

Housing…...read on

Boost Your Brainpower - and Happiness - with 3 Simple Steps

It's easy to believe that your intelligence is set, meaning there's no way to "boost" your brainpower. However, many scientific studies have proven the exact opposite. A combination of lifestyle adjustments and mental exercises has…...read on

Cutting Through the Confusion Over Inflation

Inflation has been in the news a lot lately. But the reports and experts don't always seem to agree on whether inflation is really a concern or not. In fact, sometimes the different reports appear to contradict each other. For example, a couple…...read on

US Credit Rating..... Takes a Hit

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POOR’S... With the US already facing tough decisions over its national debt, the credit rating firm Standard and Poor's last week cut its credit outlook on the US from stable to negative. Standard & Poor’s also…...read on

FHA Annual Premiums Updated

Do you have an FHA buyer who is sitting on the fence waiting for prices to move down? If so, do they know that the FHA annual mortgage insurance premimums are increasing by .25%?  This will effect the monthly payment and ultimatly the buyers…...read on

Lower Payment vs Lower Rate of Interest

With interest rates still near historically low levels, an argument can certainly be made for people considering a shorter mortgage term, such as a 15-year fixed rate mortgage. But there are some important factors to consider.

Of course, the…...read on

FHA Annual Mortgage Insurance Increasing

February 15, 2011

With Mortgagee Letter 11-10, FHA announces an increase to the Annual Mortgage Insurance Premium on standard FHA loan programs and a change that affects case numbers.

Here are the 7 things you need to know about these…...read on

Bet your bottom Dollar?

 These days the more appropriate question is: Where is the bottom of the Dollar? That’s because the US Dollar is starting 2011 in very poor fashion, with its value dropping relative to other currencies.

Let’s take a look at…...read on

8 Ways to Cut Insurance Costs for Teen Drivers

You can prevent your auto premiums from skyrocketing.

By Kimberly Lankford, Kiplinger.com

My 16-year-old son is about to get his license, and I’m afraid of what that might do to our auto-insurance rates. How can we lower insurance…...read on

Will Home Interest Rates Go Back Down?

QUESTION: Although rates are still near historic lows, they have been heading up. So are those unbelievably low home loan rates behind us for good?

ANSWER: There are only a couple things that would bring back…...read on

What do you need to do to be successful in 2011? What does success mean to you?

As the new year approaches, these are important questions to ask so that 2011 can be as productive and successful as you want it to be. That's why I wanted to share a gift with you this holiday season to help you have…...read on