Aug. 31, 2006 - Finance Friday - September 1, 2006

Rabbit,Rabbit,Rabbit* 

Central Ohio Lenders:  What's going on this week? Where are the interest rates now?  Where are they headed?  Any new programs that you are offering to Central Ohio home buyers?

I read on Bankrate.com that their experts are split:

"This week (Aug. 30 - Sept. 7) the experts say: It's almost an even split, with a slight edge to the probability of rates increasing or staying the same."

I read in Rismedia earlier this week that there are less adjustable rate mortgages than in the last  couple of years. Is that true in our market?  Are buyers going with fixed rates now?

"Mortgage risk levels have moderated over the last six months because of more stringent lending policies, and the use of adjustable rate loans is now at its lowest point since February 2004, according to two reports. "

It is good luck for Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit* to be the first thing you say in a new month.  That rabbit is multiplying...

c. 2006 Columbus Best Blog and Maureen McCabe

Aug. 31, 2006 - Cleveland Indians

September Schedule

Aug. 31, 2006 - Cincinnati Reds

September 2006 Schedule

Aug. 31, 2006 - Ohio's Katrina

Ohio's Katrina happened in 1913

There's lots in the news about Katrina one year after. There was a lot about Katrina in the news a year ago.  Lots about Katrina on the internet. 

I started Columbus Best Blog on August 27, 2005 just before Katrina hit the gulf coast.  If I am not mistaken I never once mentioned Katrina last year on Columbus Best Blog.   Why would I?  I was in Columbus Ohio just starting to write a blog about Columbus Ohio.  I could not watch or listen to the news on the radio or TV after awhille. I could not watch news on TV, read newspapers,  or read online news or blogs because I found the news coverage of Katrina so overwhelming after awhile.  Blogs everywhere no matter what their subject matter or geography were blogging about Katrina.  I had banners for the Red Cross on my websites and may have even put one on Columbus Best Blog... but I don't think in the entries I have anything about Katrina. A number of agents in my office were involved in furnishing a home for a family displaced by Katrina.  I did not mention that on my blog.

Real Town Blogs (Columbus Best Blog is a RealTown Blog) had a blog about Katrina written by REALTOR® Mary Kay Hopkins.   REALTORS® Respond.  Great stories.

What a difference a century makes, Ohio's 'Katrina' the flood of 1913 is long forgotten. Ohio recovered.  Tom Barlow of Blogging Ohio has a great entry about that natural disaster, 'Ohio's Katrina'.   The flood was as devastating to 1913 Ohio as Katrina was to the gulf coast according to Tom Barlow's Blog.   Just think about the difference in news coverage of a disaster between 1913 and today.   

Based on the talk about the one year anniversary of Katrina with Ernesto bearing down on Florida I did an informal, members only survey of Active Rain* real estate bloggers...  Weather is local..... 

Midwestern real estate bloggers prefer tornadoes

California real estate bloggers prefer earthquakes

Florida real estate bloggers prefer hurricanes

Well, ... maybe prefer is not the right word.  Midwestern real estate bloggers (and probably most midwesterners) are less scared of tornadoes than they are of earthquakes and hurricanes.  Florida residents  seeem to think hurricanes are less scary than earthquakes or tornadoes,  you get a warning of an impending hurricane today.  I forget why California real estate bloggers think earthquakes are less scary... I guess because they live in California.   You get used to your surroundings.

Cheryl Teague a real estate agent blogger in South Carolina had a blog entry about National Disaster Areas with a great map and a pie chart on her  blog, Inside Cheryl's Head.   Cheryl's blog is an  Active Rain* Blog.  I love pie charts!  Still today floods are a bigger menace than tornadoes, earthquakes and hurricanes according to the pie chart on Cheryl's  blog. 

Will Ohio commemorate the flood of 1913 in 2013?   Anniversaries!

* Active Rain is a real estate network - a group of blogs.  It has nothing to do with weather.  Active Rain is based in Washington State.  It rains a lot there... I believe that is partially  where the name Active Rain came from. 

Sign up for a free RealTown Blog,It does not have to be real estate related but many are.  

c. 2006 Columbus Best Blog and Maureen McCabe