WHEN: Sunday, June 10, 2012, 1: 00 pm  WHERE: Pepper Fest Park (directions here) WHAT: NORTH HUDSON CENTENNIAL: 100 YEARS! ACTIVITIES: Vintage Car Show Horse Drawn Wagon Rides Pie Contest Haircuts in a 1890s Barber Chair Historical Artifact Display Blacksmith demonstrations FOOD: Old-Fashioned Root Beet Floats Lefsaljetz ( Italian Sausage in Lefsa: A North Hudson Specialty)  Hotdogs other refreshments ENTERTAINMENT: Chris Tank & Friends The O'Briens Darci Strutt Klondike Kate Bring the whole family and enjoy the history of North Hudson! 06/02/2012

    I really want to start this blog with the lyrics to Village People's infamous "Y.M.C.A" song, but I'll spare us all... I'm sure you'll be able to dance to it at a summer wedding. I do, however, want to talk about the YMCA in Hudson, WI., and their incredible summer membership specials. Adult memberships are only $179  ENTIRE family membership for only $279 for the entire summer! These are incredible deals! Hudson YMCA has so many amenities the family will run out of summer before they run out of things to do! Check out the membership deals & all they have to offer here! If you really want to give your kids a memorable summer experience, check out Camp St. Croix YMCA. This video gives a great look inside the camp and the educational/social benefits it offers.     Keep the family fit... 05/27/2012

A select group of struggling mortgage borrowers are about to get an offer that sounds too good to be true. Executives at Bank of America say they will begin mailing 200,000 letters offering certain customers mortgage principal reduction.   Getty Images “If people get these things and toss them, they won’t be eligible,” says Ron Sturzenegger, the Bank of America executive charged with providing solutions to borrowers in need of mortgage assistance.   But the offer is real, and eligible borrowers could get as much as $150,000 knocked off the balance of their mortgages. It is all part of the $25 billion settlement reached this year between federal and state agencies and the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers over fraudulent foreclosure document processing (so-called “robo-signing”). ... 05/24/2012

First Trulia.com and now Realtor.com!  Is this move really in the best interest of Edina Realty's clients?  I don't think I would be very happy about this move if I were a Realtor under Edina Realty.                                          Edina Realty is pulling its listings from Realtor.com, the second relationship it has ended with a national website.   The Twin Cities-based brokerage says its decision to part ways with Realtor.com and other major sites is part of an effort to better control the quality and marketing of its listings and the commissions that are paid when a property is sold. Already, Edina Realty has severed ties with Trulia.com, a controversial decision that some expected would affect the reach of its listings.   "Edina Realty agents and home sellers will miss out o... 05/24/2012

Why Should You Get a Property Manager? A guest post by Gabriel Knight, Mortgage Fit, Chicago, IL While rental property investment might look like a rewarding and positive venture, managing both tenants and properties can be overwhelming. As such, you may need to hire a professional property manager to make your life easier. This is an especially good idea for rental property owners who have no experience or don’t want to spend their time managing a rental property on their own. With a property manager, you’ll be able to ask mortgage questions if you run into any trouble with your property. Here are some reasons why you should hire a residential property manager to manage your residential property properly. Set the right price – You can look online to see what the other landlords are cha... 05/23/2012

TROY BURNE JUNIOR GOLF PROGRAM! How I wish I would have been enrolled in one of these programs as a child...   One golf-outing when I was a kid I was slicing the ball left and right, into the water, stomping out of the woods or sand pit at every hole. I can vividly recall throwing my club out of anger as hard as I possibly could at the green, making a nasty divot that probably needed re-seeding. (It was that bad)I remember my family chastising me to fix it and stop being such a crab. I kneeled down to fix it only to land my knee square on with the rear end of a bee. Ouch...I guess I had that coming though, being a poor sport on the course and all. If we are honest, most of us can admit to getting upset at our poor performance on the golf course. If only we had learned the proper techni... 05/21/2012

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, the Market Composite Index, which measures total mortgage loan application volume, was up 9.2 percent last week due to a 13.0 percent surge in the Refinance Index. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index, however, fell 2.4 percent from the previous week. Michael Fratantoni, MBA’s vice president of research and economics, said the increase in refinance activity was due to a spike in the conventional sector and not because of rising government loan demand. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances fell to another new low, dropping to 3.96 percent from 4.01 percent the week before. 05/17/2012

Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes rose five points to 29 in May, according to the National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index. The improvement brought the index to its highest level since May 2007. Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the NAHB, said builders are reporting a pickup in sales and traffic after a pause in April. According to Rutenberg, it’s a sign that the upward trend in confidence that began earlier this year has resumed and that stabilizing prices and excellent affordability are encouraging people to purchase homes. Each of the component indexes measuring current sales, traffic, and expectations for the next six months rose in May after declining in April. 05/17/2012

'Schoooool's out for summer.' 'Schoooool's out for-ever.' OK not forever, and not even for summer thanks to Hudson School District Community Ed Courses! Just a few more weeks until "regular" school is out and the kids are at home. No need for finger twiddling, sign the kids up for Youth Art Classes, or any of the wonderful youth courses available.  Of course, learning isn't just for kids, sign up for adult courses from technology to grilling! Hudson School District has a plethora of course offerings ensuring that youth, teens, and adults have ample opportunity to learn something new this summer! Check out course offerings here! Have fun learning! 05/15/2012

Fannie Mae’s April 2012 National Housing Survey finds Americans’ attitudes toward homeownership, the economy, personal finances, and home prices continuing to improve. A large majority of respondents say now is a good time to buy a house and an increasing number say it’s a good time to sell. Doug Duncan, vice president and chief economist of Fannie Mae, said after flat lining at depressed levels for more than a year, the growing number of consumers who feel it’s a good time to sell suggests rising optimism for the housing market. Among the other highlights of the survey, the number of respondents who expressed confidence in the economy’s direction hit a two-year high in April and Americans expect home prices to rise by 1.3 percent over the next year. Also, 23 percent of Americans say th... 05/15/2012

New data from Freddie Mac finds 79 percent of homeowners who refinanced their mortgage during the first quarter of 2012 reduced or maintained their principal balance. The number of borrowers who were able to maintain about the same loan amount after refinancing was the highest in the 26 years Freddie Mac has been tracking the data. Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac’s vice president and chief economist, said the typical borrower reduced their mortgage rate by 1.5 percent which, on a $200,000 loan, would save them nearly $3,000 over 12 months. Also, HARP loans accounted for 20 percent of Freddie Mac’s refinance fundings during the first quarter. According to Nothaft, it was the highest share of HARP loans since the inception of the government program and was largely due to recently adopted enhan... 05/14/2012

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, the Market Composite Index, which measures both refinance and purchase loan activity, rose 1.7 percent last week from the week before. The increase was due to growing demand for conventional rather than government loans. Demand in the government market was down last week but, despite the dip, the Purchase Index rose 3.4 percent and the Refinance Index increased 1.3 percent. The refinance share of all mortgage activity was 72.1 percent. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell to 4.01 percent from 4.05 percent the week before. It was the lowest 30-year rate recorded in the history of the survey. 05/14/2012

Hudson WI Mom's Best Friend: Drive Thru Grocery Shopping! So what's new under the sun in Hudson Wisconsin I asked myself? (insert crickets chirping) I was drawing blanks yesterday, mostly because I had no brain food due to my empty fridge. Seriously, it was so empty my freezer sounded like wind gusts blowing over the tundra in the North Pole. I kept going back to it hoping something new would appear, only to find the same week-old leftovers, an apple with a worm hole, and a half-gone ketchup bottle. Then it hit me. I'm going to blog about our local Family Fresh Market. So began my research, and ohh the glorious discoveries I made. 1. Family Fresh Market has online ordering and drive-thru pickup. Mother's (or other busy people) of Hudson...meet your new best friend. I know you might be w... 05/09/2012

~~Mother's Day Idea: Brunch with Afton Hudson Cruise Lines!~~ Mother's Day is just around the corner and while a bouquet of fresh flowers from Hudson Flower Shop is a must do, it's time to up the ante and treat mom to a delicious brunch buffet while cruising down the beautiful St Croix River with Afton Hudson Cruise Lines! Check out the delicious brunch menu here! When: May 13th: 11am-1pm & 2:30-4:30 pm. Where: Directions Call: 651-436-8883          Hurry before all seats are reserved! Have a Happy Mother's Day! 05/08/2012

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, the Market Composite Index, which measures total mortgage loan application volume, was relatively flat last week, rising just 0.1 percent from the previous week. The slight increase was due to a 2.9 percent increase in the Purchase Index, which is now 3.0 percent higher than last year’s level. Refinance activity was also flat, falling less than one percent. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 4.05 percent from 4.04 percent the previous week. The rate for jumbo loans moved up to 4.32 percent. Also in the report, the investor share of purchase application demand fell to 5.7 percent in March, decreasing from 6.1 percent in February. 05/02/2012

According to the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales rose 4.1 percent in March and are 12.8 percent above year-before levels. Pending sales, which reflect contract signings but not closings, are now at their highest level since April 2010. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, said first-quarter sales data shows that it was the best first quarter in five years and, based on contract signings, the second quarter should be equally good. Regionally, pending sales were highest in the West and the South. The South was up 5.9 percent from February and the West rose 8.7 percent. All regions increased from last year, with the Midwest up 16.9 percent and the Northeast 21.1 percent above March 2011. According to Yun, 2012 will be a year of recovery for the housing market.  05/01/2012

CoreLogic’s MarketPulse report comes out monthly and provides analysis of the current and future economic climate and, in particular, the housing and mortgage markets. In their April report, CoreLogic’s chief economist Market Fleming and senior economist Sam Khater say now is a good time to buy a home due to record high housing affordability. According to Fleming, affordability is at twice the level it was in April 2006, at peak house price levels, making now the best time to buy a home in decades. The report also notes that many key indicators of the housing market’s health have held steady through the typically slow winter season.  04/26/2012

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, demand for loans to purchase homes increased 2.7 percent from the previous week. But despite the gains, total mortgage loan application volume fell 3.8 percent due to a drop in refinance activity, which slowed after surging the week before. The four-week moving average for the Market Index, which covers both refinance and purchase activity, is up 1.23 percent. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages decreased to 4.04 percent from 4.05 percent the week before. It is the lowest 30-year rate recorded in the history of the Mortgage Bankers’ survey.  04/25/2012

The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s New Residential Sales Report for March 2012 shows that sales of new single-family homes are up 7.5 percent over the previous year’s pace. According to the report, new home sales came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 328,000, which is 7.1 percent below February’s revised rate of 353,000 but a significant improvement over last March’s estimate of 305,000. February’s estimate was revised up from an originally reported 313,000, making that month’s sales pace the fastest since November 2009. Also, the median sales price of new houses sold during the month was $234,500; the average sales price was $291,200. At the current sales pace, there was a 5.3 month supply of new homes available for sale at the end of... 04/25/2012

According to the most recent results of Gallup’s U.S. Economic Confidence Index, Americans’ confidence in the economy is nearing a four-year high. The index is based on a survey of 3,000 individuals and gauges Americans’ perception of the current economy and whether it is getting better or worse. Recent measurements have been among the most positive since Gallup began daily tracking of economic confidence in 2008. Among respondents, 15 percent rated economic conditions as excellent or good. And though the number that rate the economy as poor was 40 percent, the reading was the least negative since September 2008. Also, 42 percent of Americans say the economy is getting better and 54 say it’s getting worse. That is slightly down from a few weeks ago but still among the most positive resp... 04/23/2012