A total lunar eclipse will occur early Saturday morning, Dec.10, casting the moon into shadow and making it appear bright red and supersized. By about 9 AM the moon will be fully engulfed in a glow that could range from light orange to blood red.  Too bad we have overcast skies this morning and won’t see it – here’s a picture for you taken on June 15, 2011 in South Africa.

 

So how do you make resolutions for the New Year when we are in the midst of such a challenging economic environment?  Should we just make the usual commitments that are abandoned by Presidents Day?  Or perhaps we should take a longer-term view, think about what is important, and try to move away from the day-to-day concerns that always seem so important.  I’m in the middle of my business plan for 2012 and here are some of the things I think about . . . . click here —à Time For a Long Term Strategy

 

Mortgage bond prices ended slightly higher last week, which pushed mortgage interest rates lower.  The Euro debt crisis continued to take center stage.  The European Central Bank cut rates in a move to help avoid another recession in the region.  Economic activity in Europe slipped in recent months as the debt crisis expanded and solutions were fleeting.  This global economic uncertainty sent flight to quality buying of US mortgage-backed securities.  MBSs traded in a choppy but tight pattern throughout the week.  Stocks were volatile but held most of the recent gains as the limited data was generally stock friendly.  Mortgage bonds ended the week better by approximately 3/8 to 1/2 of a discount point.  However, it’s important to remember that not all lenders always pass through these gains to the retail loan officer.

 

Here’s the link to my rate sheet for Real Estate professionals:  Baxter Rate Sheet

 

 

And, if you need to get a buyer pre-approved?  Just send them to my secure online application – Baxter Online Mortgage Application – Click on “Start Your Application”

 

And here’s an easy way to introduce me to clients when you make a referral.  Send them to my About.Me Profile:  Click Here

 

Have a great weekend and never hesitate to contact me if you need something – hit the cell, send an email, pop a text, or contact me on Twitter or Facebook.