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From a look at the housing market half-way through 2006, some predictions on mortgage rates.

Freddie Mac says it expects 30-year fixed rate mortgage rates to average 6.8 percent for the remainder of 2006 and that consumer prices will rise 3.1 percent before softening to 2.5 percent in 2007.

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Read more from this blogger: Halfway Point: Home Sales Will Still Reach Near Record Levels

From a list of twenty things this blogger hates, the dreaded mortgage broker.

19. I hate dealing with real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and people like that. I never want to do it again. They’re in the business of toying with emotions, and it’s ridiculous that they can make you do the things they do.

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Read more from this blogger: Meme Time!!!

Slicing and dicing the news on housing prices and foreclosures:

Here’s how they slice and dice the data - they talk about the “rate” of increase in foreclosures. Not the percentage of people going into foreclosure. This completely ignores the fact that more people own property in the US than ever before.

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Read more from this blogger: Foreclosures skyrocket to highest level ever in the history of America!!!

The bubble in housing prices is finally explained.

But, what is a bubble? I guess, as I understand it, a housing bubble is a little like its namesake: an expanding, inflating, fragile sphere that is full of air and susceptable to popping. If the housing bubble pops, housing prices collapse and fall.

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Read more from this blogger: Alberta’s Housing Bubble?

If it works to target distressed properties, it seems like it would work regardless of the direction of housing prices.

Why not open a fund with a 3-5 year lock up, and simply use the money to invest in distressed real estate in California, Florida, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Granted, I believe that housing prices will continue to decrease, but that is why you place the lock-up. Also, the only reason that the people are foreclosing is a one off event, and has little to do with the value of their property. Real estate is not my area of expertise, so please correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't this seem like a profitable long-term investment?

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Read more from this blogger: Distressed Real Estate Fund

Some economic predictions for U.S. housing prices and the world economy.

If that is the case, then–gradually–U.S. housing prices deflate, construction and consumer spending fall, and imports drop. U.S.-made products become more competitive at home, and so manufacturing production and employment for domestic uses rises. The falling real value of the dollar leads to an export boom, which causes export manufacturing to boom as well.

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Read more from this blogger: stagflation?

High housing prices in Washington, D.C. have more people thinking about renting.

Housing prices are going out of control in the DC area, according to a recent Washington Post article (kudos to Paulo). I was told on Sunday that is is “definitely a renter’s market” but even rent prices are inching up. As I’m currently in the market to rent (though I can’t really afford to live alone), this makes me nervous.

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Read more from this blogger: a place to lay my head

Landlords take note of this recipe of small unit buildings, appraisals, and mortgage brokers.

We’ve all heard that you make money when you buy, and this is true. You can also make a good deal an even better deal if you put some creativity into your financing strategy. There is a very simple recipe to follow when buying any non-commercial property (4 units or less). I recently deviated from my multi-unit buying to pick up some homes in appreciating markets. I was new to single family home investing and quickly learned that there are tricks involved, and oddly enough, realtors don’t seem to know about them and most mortgage brokers don’t either. So I thought it would be worthwhile to pass along what I’ve learned. Here’s the recipe:

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Read more from this blogger: Financing Recipe