Articles you should read ASAP

There's a lot of bad economic news in the press. I know that, you know that, the whole WORLD knows that. BUT there are a few bright spots out there. Recently, two interesting articles were published about housing.

The first, which was published in the New York Times is titled "It May Be Time Think About Buying A House".
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/business/yourmoney/06money.html?_r=1&emc=eta1&pagewanted=all

I think it's a must read for anybody considering purchasing a house in 2009. It brings up some valid points about purchasing: you must have a down payment, your credit score must be strong, and you must look at your purchase an investment. (ahem..all points I've been emphasizing in this blog. Just sayin'!)

The other article in the Wall Street Journal is about what would happen IF interest rates actually fall to 4.5%. This is a highly discussed possibility in real estate circles. Is it realistic to think it could happen? Maybe. Historically, rates have never fallen below 5.3%. My friends in the mortgage business have a hard time seeing HOW the Treasury and other entities can make this work. They think it's wiser to take advantage of the rates now then waiting for a pipe dream. But who knows? That's what's so bizarro about this market. Meanwhile, the article is very informative.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122842410459080525.html