Blog - International Bankers

Shopping For Home Improvement Supplies Safely

September 29, 2020 by Angel Leon

Shopping For Home Improvement Supplies Safely The coronavirus pandemic has impacted everyone and everyone is trying to go about their lives in a safe manner. With so many people spending time at home, now is the perfect time to conduct home improvement projects. At the same time, carrying out a home improvement project is going to require supplies.

While many people are trying to avoid going to the store to buy supplies right now, there are also no contact ways to shop for home improvement supplies. Take a look at the tips below and collect supplies for the home improvement project in a safe way.

Invest In Curbside Pickup

There are lots of home improvement stores that have curbside pickup options available. Even some of the biggest department stores in the country are offering the service. Therefore, take a look at the website of some of the local stores. Then, see if they do curbside pickup. If they do, then it might be possible to place an entire order online. Then, simply pull up to the curb and have it loaded into the trunk.

Have The Supplies Delivered

In some cases, it might even be possible to have these supplies delivered to the home. Even though this is going to come with an extra cost, there are some home improvement projects that are large enough to make this option worth it. That way, not only is this a no-contact way of shopping but it also prevents the supplies from being damaged on the way to the house.

Hire A Personal Shopper

There are lots of people who are looking for ways to avoid going to any store right now. This includes not only grocery stores but home improvement stores as well. Therefore, it might be possible to use an app to hire a personal shopper to do all of the shopping. This is a great way to not only have the supplies delivered to the home but also a boy having to take a trip to the store.

Shop For Home Improvement Supplies Safely

These are a few of the most important tips to keep in mind when it comes to shopping for home improvement supplies during the coronavirus pandemic. These no contact tips can help people pull off home improvement projects safely without having to set foot in a store.

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – September 28, 2020

September 28, 2020 by Angel Leon

What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week - September 28, 2020 Last week’s economic news included readings on new and existing home sales and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s testimony on changing the Fed’s business loan policy. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released.

Sales of New and Pre-Owned Homes Rise In August

New homes sold at a seasonally-adjusted annual pace of 1.01 million sales; analysts expected the sales pace to fall to 900,000 sales from July’s reading of 965,000 new home sales. Homebuyers turned to new homes as the supply of pre-owned homes dwindled. Homeowners stayed put as fears over COVID-19 contagion limited sales.

Pre-owned homes sold at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of six million homes as compared to the expected reading of 6.03 million sales and 5.86 million sales in July. Previously-owned home sales rose by 2.40 percent from July to August and were 10.50 percent higher year-over-year. The sales pace from July to August was the fastest since December 2006.

The median sales price of pre-owned homes rose to $310.600 in August and the average price for pre-owned homes was 11.40 percent higher year-over-year. Inventories of available pre-owned homes were lower than the six months supply considered average; there was a three months inventory of unsold pre-owned homes in August.

Mortgage Rates, Jobless Claims Mixed

Freddie Mac reported higher fixed mortgage rates last week as the average rate for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages fell. 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rose three basis points on average to 2.90 percent. Rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 2.40 percent and were five basis points higher. The average rate for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages was six basis points lower at 2.90 percent. Discount points averaged 0.80 percent for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, 0.70 percent for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, and 0.20 percent for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages.

New jobless claims rose to 870,000 new claims filed from the prior week’s reading of 866.000 initial claims filed. Continuing jobless claims fell to 12.58 million ongoing claims from 12.78 million ongoing claims filed in the prior week

In other news, Fed Chair Jerome Powell testified before the House Financial Services Committee regarding the feasibility of the Federal Reserve offering smaller business loans for COVID-19 relief. The Fed’s current minimum loan amount is $250,000; Chairman Powell told the Committee that the Fed’s loan program had few requests for loans of less than $1 million. He also said that if the minimum loan amount was changed, the current lending program would have to be scrapped and restarted from scratch.

What’s Ahead

This week’s scheduled economic releases include Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, pending home sales and reports on public and private-sector jobs, and the national unemployment rate.

Last week’s economic news included readings on new and existing home sales and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s

testimony on changing the Fed’s business loan policy. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were

also released.

Sales of New and Pre-Owned Homes Rise In August

New homes sold at a seasonally-adjusted annual pace of 1.01 million sales; analysts expected the sales pace to fall to

900,000 sales from July’s reading of 965,000 new home sales. Homebuyers turned to new homes as the supply of

pre-owned homes dwindled. Homeowners stayed put as fears over COVID-19 contagion limited sales.

Pre-owned homes sold at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of six million homes as compared to the expected

reading of 6.03 million sales and 5.86 million sales in July. Previously-owned home sales rose by 2.40 percent from

July to August and were 10.50 percent higher year-over-year. The sales pace from July to August was the fastest

since December 2006.

The median sales price of pre-owned homes rose to $310.600 in August and the average price for pre-owned homes

was 11.40 percent higher year-over-year. Inventories of available pre-owned homes were lower than the six months

supply considered average; there was a three months inventory of unsold pre-owned homes in August.

Mortgage Rates, Jobless Claims Mixed

Freddie Mac reported higher fixed mortgage rates last week as the average rate for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages

fell. 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rose three basis points on average to 2.90 percent. Rates for 15-year fixed-rate

mortgages averaged 2.40 percent and were five basis points higher. The average rate for 5/1 adjustable rate

mortgages was six basis points lower at 2.90 percent. Discount points averaged 0.80 percent for 30-year fixed-rate

mortgages, 0.70 percent for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, and 0.20 percent for 5/1 adjustable rate mortgages.

New jobless claims rose to 870,000 new claims filed from the prior week’s reading of 866.000 initial claims filed.

Continuing jobless claims fell to 12.58 million ongoing claims from 12.78 million ongoing claims filed in the prior

week

In other news, Fed Chair Jerome Powell testified before the House Financial Services Committee regarding the

feasibility of the Federal Reserve offering smaller business loans for COVID-19 relief. The Fed’s current minimum

loan amount is $250,000; Chairman Powell told the Committee that the Fed’s loan program had few requests for

loans of less than $1 million. He also said that if the minimum loan amount was changed, the current lending

program would have to be scrapped and restarted from scratch.

What’s Ahead

This week’s scheduled economic releases include Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, pending home sales and reports

on public and private-sector jobs, and the national unemployment

How To Find The Right Color Combination For Your Home

September 25, 2020 by Angel Leon

How To Find The Right Color Combination For Your Home There are lots of decisions that people have to make when it comes to the decorating scheme of their home. One of the key decisions that homeowners face involves the color scheme. Some people are afraid to talk about their color schemes for fear of making the wrong decision; however, the only way to make the right decision when it comes to the colors in the home is to discuss the situation. Have no fear because there are a few steps that all homeowners can take to make sure they nail their home’s color scheme.

Think About The Mood

The first step is to think about the mood of the home. Colors are used to reflect some sort of emotion and they are going to set the mood of the room. What type of mood should the space evoke? It might be helpful to think about the stories that could unfold in the room. For example, pinks and brighter colors are used to reflect both youth and vitality. Darker colors are used to create an earthy, warm vibe. Color should be a part of the design process from the first step.

Ease Into The Process

Next, it is a smart idea to ease into the process. Instead of trying to look at dozens of color tones at the same time, pick a few very different colors. Then, gradually narrow down the selection by looking at colors that are similar to the first one. By gradually moving to bolder colors, homeowners will have an easier time going through the process.

Consider The Saturation Of The Color

Finally, when looking at the possible variations, think about the brightness of the color as well, which is often referred to as the saturation. There are multiple hues in a single color and some hues might overwhelm the furniture or the carpets while others will work well in a synergistic manner. Think about the role the color is going to play in the room and how it might work well with different types of furniture.

Find The Right Color Scheme

These are a few of the most important points regarding home colors. With these tips, it is possible to enjoy the process of finding the right color scheme for the home.

Quick Links