The All American ARM is Finally Making a Sensible Return

From today's Washington Post Real Estate Section. 'After years of virtual exile from the home-loan arena, is the adjustable-rate mortgage staging a quiet comeback? Could an ARM be on your shopping list the next time you need to buy or refinance a house? A new survey of 112 lenders by mortgage giant Freddie Mac found that ARMs are starting to attract applicants again. In the jumbo and super-jumbo segments where the benefits of an ARM really shine, the share of buyers will be even larger, said Freddie Mac chief economist Frank Nothaft.' 'The boom-era models of the ARM have pretty much disappeared, the most popular ARM in the market today, according to the Freddie Mac survey, is the 5-1 ARM'

The monthly savings on Jumbo and Super Jumbo loans could range from $500 per month to $1800 per month.

Read More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/28/AR2011012803129.html

NEW HOME SALES JUMP 17%

From MSNBC: 'WASHINGTON — New U.S. single-family home sales soared in December, rising faster than expected to their highest level in eight months. Early Wednesday, the Commerce Department said sales jumped 17.5 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted 329,000 unit annual rate after a downwardly revised 280,000-unit pace in November. Prices in December were the highest since April 2008"

Read More: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41272396/ns/business-real_estate/

Pending Home Sales Jumped 31% in D.C. Area Thru January 2011

From the Washington Business Journal: 'Washington-area real estate agents were busy in January, with pending sales of existing homes in the region up 31 percent from a year ago.

New MRIS data, compiled by its RealEstate Business Intelligence division, covers D.C., Montgomery, Prince George’s, Arlington and Fairfax counties, as well as Alexandria, Fairfax City and Falls Church. Pending sales measures the number of signed contracts, but sales not yet closed."

Read more: Pending home sales jumped 31% in D.C. area | Washington Business Journal

The P in OPaL, Parker, Hard at Work in the Office Everyday

CABIN JOHN, MD featured in today's Washington Post

Cabin John is featured in today's Washington Post. 'Sear's Catalogue homes', 'Normal Rockwell', 'Huck Finn' and 'This isn't Avenel' are our favorite quotes from the article. Shown above: 'ladies who lunch' at the Market Deli adjacent Cabin John Crossing and one of the many Sear's Catalogue homes in the neighborhood. Read More:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/14/AR2011011402740.html

DC Projected to Lead the Nation in Home Appreciation in 2011

From the Washington Examiner: 'Homeowners in the Washington area can uncross their fingers -- 2011 is expected to be the best year for home prices the region has witnessed since the recession, with experts saying the area's market recovery will be tops in the nation.

The region's relatively strong uptick in prices over the last year -- second in the nation -- gives analysts reason to believe the Washington market could see a 6.5 percent increase in home prices over the next 12 months, according to a new report by Clear Capital, which tracks real estate trends. It's the biggest increase the firm is predicting across the country.'

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/dc/2011/01/region-poised-nations-biggest-housing-gains#ixzz1AkJwUKgh