Sean Becketti, chief economist at Freddie Mac, said “The 10-year Treasury yield leaped to a two-week high following reports of the European Central Bank retreating from its bond-buying program ahead of its initial March deadline…Over the past two weeks, mortgage rates have remained fairly flat while Treasury yields have fallen and risen.” More, here.

 

Scott Sheldon shares a valuable tip on patch.com to help getting approved for a loan a bit easier. More, here.

 

Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin respond to a question on washingtonpost.com about selling real estate to one’s child. Their advice is measured and worth reading if you’re considering making a similar transaction in the future. More, here.

 

If hiring a professional photographer isn’t in your budget, these tips will help you achieve better results when taking pictures with your phone. More, here.

 

Nick Clements, writing for Forbes, examines the complex credit-scoring system the mortgage companies use when qualifying you for a mortgage. More, here.

 

Making a cash purchase for a house, then securing a mortgage later is the focus of a new article on Forbes. Read more, here.

 

Money magazine offers some sound advice on reasons when you should not refinance. More, here.

 

Vanessa McGrady at Forbes has a piece identifying cities with a high rate of “mortgage stress”(when a mortgage payment is higher than 28% of income). San Francisco was at the #1 slot, with Detroit coming in at the bottom. See the entire list along with the other survey results, here.

 

Scott Loney And Alicia Worley have a piece in The Daily Republic reiterating the importance of working with a real estate professional. More, here.

 

Diana Olick, has a piece on CNBC explaining how the Fed’s decision to raise rates may (or may not) affect the housing market, mortgage rates, etc… More, here