Coral Gables automates building and zoning process
February 6, 2012 by Matthew Bond · Leave a Comment
A customer tries Coral Gables’ new automated customer management system in its Building and Zoning department. The kiosk system is designed to guide customers to the correct line so as to minimize wait times. Coral Gables Building and Zoning Upload and share your own.
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As a permit expediter for several Coral Gables high rises on busy Alhambra, Maria Delgado knows what it feels like to pull a permit in Coral Gables.
Visitors to the third floor of City Hall get in one line to schedule an appointment with an inspector, another to query a receptionist, yet another to pay a cashier and so forth.
Mortgage Originations Decline 10 Percent but Quality Soars
February 5, 2012 by Jack Collie · Leave a Comment
Mortgage originations plunged 10.1 percent from November to December, continuing a decline from 2011’s September peak. At the same time, loans originated over the last two years have proved to be some of the best quality originations on record.
New originations ended the year down 29.3 percent from 2010, lower than since 2007, and December activity was down 2.7 percent from December 2010. Through November, originations totaled about 5.6 million, down 1 million from 2010, according to the December Mortgage Monitor report released by Lender Processing Services today.
Mortgages originated in 2010-11 have 90-day default rates that were lower than any vintage since 2005, before the housing crash and the implementation of tighter underwriting standards. N
Florida Mortgage Rate Update for the Week of December 19, 2011
January 29, 2012 by Darcy Beg · Leave a Comment
Mortgage markets improved last week, but by a slight amount only; not enough to move conventional mortgage rates in Florida in any significant manner.
Wall Street watched as Eurozone leaders expressed little willingness to increase aid programs within the region, and as the Federal Reserve voted against new economic stimulus for the United States. The Fed Funds Rate remains near 0.000 percent and QE3 was not introduced.
Investors had expected the opposite outcome in both scenarios.
In most weeks, these stories would have led mortgage rates lower. There was, however, a fair amount of data suggesting that the U.S. e
As aid access eases in foreclosure crisis, barriers foil homeowners
January 27, 2012 by Jack Collie · Leave a Comment
Three months after the Oba-ma administration announced a revolutionary refinance plan for severely underwater homeowners, most borrowers are still unable to apply.
Technological barriers, as well as lingering questions about the new Home Affordable Refinance Program, have left many optimistic homeowners in a holding pattern as they watch interest rates bump around near record lows.
MMR: Interest-only applications must be assessed on capital basis
January 20, 2012 by Darcy Beg · Leave a Comment
An interest-only mortgage application should be assessed as though it is a capital-and-interest deal, unless there is a “believable” strategy for repaying the loan that does not rely on house price inflation, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has said.