Realtor Radar: Mastering the Art of Virtual Tours Everyone is all about instant gratification today, including homebuyers! They no longer want to wait for an appointment to see a home. They want to be able to hop onto their favorite real estate website and see a virtual tour so they know if they should take the time to see the house. To succeed as a real estate agent, you must be willing to create virtual tours that bring in more homebuyers to compete in today’s online world. But, like any new technology, there are a lot of decisions to make and tricks to know. Here’s everything you must know ..read more

Financial Fitness Bootcamp: Shape Up Your Finances Spring is almost here – we can feel it in the air! That means it’s also homebuying season! If you’re one of the millions of people considering buying a home this spring or summer, now is the perfect time to brush up on your financial fitness and ensure you show you’re a capable buyer! This financial fitness bootcamp routine will help you put your right foot forward and help you reach your goals of homeownership. Why You Should Shape up Your Finances Before Applying for a Mortgage Qualifying for a mortgage means proving you can afford the loan ..read more

Market Comment Mortgage bond prices finished the week sharply lower which put significant upward pressure on rates. Sentiment shifted greatly regarding future Fed policy. We started on a negative note and continued that pattern for most of the week. Higher than expected consumer inflation readings shook the market. The consumer price index rose 0.4% vs 0.3%. The core, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, also rose 0.4% vs 0.3%. Producer prices rose 0.2% vs 0.3%. The core rose 0.2% as expected. Weekly Jobless claims were 211K vs 215K. Consumer sentiment was 77.9 vs 79 which helped st ..read more

Demystifying the Tax Code Owning a house comes with many benefits, including tax deductions. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changed how homeowners and other taxpayers benefit, but there are still ways to lower your taxes by owning a house. If you purchase a house, it’s essential to understand how your taxes may benefit. Many taxpayers fall under the standard deduction despite paying mortgage interest and property taxes, but here’s how to tell which deduction is best. What is the Standard Deduction? The standard deduction is a deduction every taxpayer can take without worrying about specific items ..read more

Market Comment Mortgage bond prices finished the week lower which put upward pressure on rates. We started the week on a negative note tied to stronger than expected data and ended negative in response to the solid employment report. Stronger data pushed back against the argument that the Fed should pivot sooner rather than later. ISM Index was 50.3 vs 48.4. Factory orders rose 1.4% vs 1.1%. ADP employment came in at 184K vs 148K. Weekly jobless claims were 221K vs 214K. The trade deficit was $68.9B vs $67.3B. Unemployment was 3.8% vs 3.9%. Non-farm payrolls rose 303K vs 200K. Mortgage interes ..read more

DIY Dreamscapes: Creative Home Hacks Are you dreaming of making your house a home but just don’t know how? Maybe you have a limited budget and balk at the cost of hiring contractors. Here’s the good news. There are great DIY home renovation projects that could help you create your dream home! Whether you’re on a limited budget or just want to put some sweat equity into the place you call home, here are 18 creative home hacks to transform your home! 1.    Curb Appeal You’ve likely heard it’s all about the curb appeal when looking for a house, but that doesn’t stop once you own yo ..read more

Market Comment Mortgage bond prices finished the week near unchanged to slightly lower which kept rates generally in check. We saw very little daily movement through the week in contrast to the significant swings seen earlier this year. Stocks and bonds did not trade Friday and the shortened trading week factored into the calm. The data was very mixed. Home prices fell 0.1% as expected. Consumer confidence was 104.7 vs 107. Durable goods orders rose 1.4% vs 1.1%. Consumer sentiment was 79.4 vs 76.5. GDP rose 3.4% vs 3.2%. Weekly jobless claims were 210K vs 215K. Personal income rose 0.3% vs 0 ..read more

Mortgage Investors Group Appoints Anna Beltran as President Knoxville, TN – A pivotal move for innovation and excellence in the mortgage industry. Chrissi Rhea, CEO & Co-Founder, and Chuck Tonkin, President & Co-Founder, are thrilled to announce the appointment of Anna Beltran as the new President of the Mortgage Investors Group. This pivotal addition to the executive leadership team signifies MIG’s unwavering dedication to innovation, growth, and the relentless pursuit of excellence within the mortgage industry. Anna Beltran brings to MIG a remarkable breadth of experience, having con ..read more

Market Comment Mortgage bond prices finished the week sharply higher which put downward pressure on rates. We saw positive movements Tuesday through Friday which recovered some of the recent losses from earlier in the month. The Fed left rates unchanged and market participants interpreted their future intent to pivot sometime possibly this summer. The data was mixed. Housing starts were 1.521M vs 1.425M. Existing home sales 4.38M vs 3.94M. LEI rose 0.1% vs the expected 0.2% decrease. Weekly jobless claims were 215K vs 210K. The Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index rose 3.2 vs the expected 2.3 ..read more

We are overjoyed to announce that Mortgage Investors Group (MIG) has once again been named one of the Best Mortgage Companies to Work For in 2024 by National Mortgage News, marking a consecutive win following our recognition in 2023. This back-to-back accolade underscores our ongoing commitment to fostering an environment of support, engagement, and excellence. A Testament to Consistent Excellence Achieving this distinction for the second year in a row is a testament to our enduring dedication to creating a workplace that not only attracts but retains top talent by prioritizing their well-bein ..read more