Dollar Advances, Yen drop

By admin on August 7th, 2009

The dollar advanced against the currencies of six major U.S. trading partners as a government report showed employers eliminated fewer jobs in July than economists forecast.

The yen dropped against all of its major counterparts as the payroll report indicated a recovery in the world’s largest economy, encouraging Japanese investors to buy higher-yielding assets overseas.

The dollar climbed 0.4 percent to $1.4283 per euro at 9:45 a.m. in New York, from $1.4345 yesterday. The U.S. currency gained 1.4 percent to 96.78 yen from 95.46. The euro advanced 1.3 percent to 138.25 yen from 136.94.

Futures on the Chicago Board of Trade indicated a 74 percent chance that the Fed will increase the target lending rate from its range of zero to 0.25 percent by its January meeting, compared with 66 percent odds a month ago.

Read More »

What is money market account?

By admin on April 11th, 2009

A money market account is a type of savings account which just like regular savings accounts. The difference is that they usually pay higher interest, have higher minimum balance requirements, and only allow three to six withdrawals per month. The money in a money market account is also insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). You usually have to maintain a certain balance in the account to receive the higher rate of interest.

One which I think have a good money market account is M&T Online Banking where you can apply online. M&T is great, because they don’t need minimum balance, no monthly fee, and not tied up for a specific length of time. That’s why it gives you the freedom to access your funds at any time any where. It currently offer 0.75% APY. “APY” or Annual Percentage Yield is the rate of return on an interest-bearing account for a one-year period based on the interest rate and frequency of compounding.

Don’t forget they are also insured by FDIC. Because this is an online account, at first I am a bit worry for it’s security. But looking at it’s FAQ, I learn that they uses 128-bit encryption for online security. They also maintain strict security standards and procedures to prevent unauthorized access to your information.

So I really recommend them because of their flexibility and higher rate than savings account.

Read More »

Buying home tips

By admin on January 9th, 2009

Buying your home is a lot of fun, but can also have a great deal of stress. Here are some things to consider when searching for the perfect property for your family:

  • Ask a property agent to help you find the home that you simply cannot see your family living without. When you are interviewing agents, make certain to ask about his fees.
  • Think first how much is your budget, house specification like the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, or backyard.
  • Find out your target house neighborhood. Check if the area is growing or not, the crime rate, and distance to public area like schools, and mall.
  • Before you buy a home, you should always have it checked for termites.
  • Never offer the asking price right away. Offer something a little lower and allow some negotiating room.
  • When you look towards a home purchase loan, you’ll need to fully understand the interest rates. You should do research on different financial institutions because rates can be different between them.  If you choose a longer period, usually your interest rate will drop.
  • Find pre foreclosures house, which the owner has no choice but the sell the house, and therefore will listen to just about any offer that he receives. Due to this very reason, you can find pre foreclosures for sale. This is an ideal time to purchase, especially if you are looking to save a lot of money.
  • If you do not have the skill or time to check for your target house, you can hire a real estate inspector. But surely this will cost you. They can know problems on the property, thus you can address the problem before it turns out worse. They can also sheds light on the amount of money that will be needed in order to get the house in good working.
Read More »