It’s the Holiday Season. The weather is getting colder, families are coming together to celebrate what they are most thankful for and PMZ Real Estate Agent Alisha Triano is out helping the community.

This time it’s the Lodi Womens Shelter. PMZ Agent Alisha Triano donated Turkey Dinners and helped out at the Lodi Women’s Shelter Food Drive last Thrusday, November 20th.

For over three decades, the Women’s Center has been the lifeline to help and hope for thousands of women, children, and men in San Joaquin County.  Their mission is to provide a wide range of supportive, educational and crisis intervention services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, enabling them to regain control of their lives.

The agency now reaches over 24,000 individuals each year through its comprehensive victim services and community outreach and education programs. The Women’s Center is the sole certified provider of services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in San Joaquin County, and operates the only undisclosed emergency shelters for battered women and their children.

Stocks are trading higher this morning on news that Citigroup is set to receive a $306 Billion lifeline from the US Government, and an additional $20 Billion in cash from the $700 Billion TARP program. In exchange, the Government will receive $27 Billion of preferred shares. This is an enormous financial commitment, but could be a profitable one for taxpayers over time.

Also helping Stocks move higher are talks of a larger than expected stimulus plan by the Obama administration, which could top $1 Trillion.

Currently, Mortgage Bonds are trading near unchanged levels, and will likely take their direction from Stocks today. At 1 pm Eastern Time, the Treasury Department will auction $36 Billion worth of 2-Year Notes, and the additional Bond supply could weigh on Mortgage Bond prices later today.

“Your Partner In Success!”

Tony Frerking
Sr. Mortgage Consultant
PMZ Home Loans
1600 N. Carpenter Rd. Ste. C
Modesto, CA 95351
Direct: (209) 404-2200
Fax: (209) 254-7142

If you’re tired of your current place and you’re looking for new digs in the Modesto area, check out Liberty Property Management’s Thanksgiving Rental Extravaganza this next Monday, November 24th, 2008.

Liberty Property Management has contacted all their homeowners and asked them to offer incentives to you, the future tenant, to get you into a comfortable, safe home at rock bottom pricing.  On Monday only, you could recieve discounts on your first months rent.  If you come in Monday to apply, we will also waive the application fee!

Visit LibertyPropertyManagement.com to search through our list of over 180 available properties.

So if you’re looking for a new place and you’d like to save some green, come down to our office Monday, November 24th to take advantage of thousands of dollars in savings. 1120 Scenic Drive, Modesto, CA 95350.

After a few days of significant losses, Stocks are trying to stabilize this morning. And, with no economic reports scheduled for today, Mortgage Bonds will likely respond to how Stocks behave.

In other news, Fed Reserve member Jeffrey Lacker said that an economic recovery could begin in 2009 as low interest rates, low energy prices, and less drag from the housing sector may shore up spending. This is somewhat comforting news amidst all the negative news in recent economic reports and the media.

Currently, Mortgage Bonds sit above the 200-Day Moving Average, after dropping below it temporarily earlier this morning.

Your Partner In Success!”

Tony Frerking
Sr. Mortgage Consultant
PMZ Home Loans
1600 N. Carpenter Rd. Ste. C
Modesto, CA 95351
Direct: (209) 404-2200
Fax: (209) 254-7142

There was some big news yesterday, as the Fed released the minutes from its October meeting. Not only were future targets for employment and growth lowered, but the Fed–after years of being concerned about inflation–is now concerned about deflation. When deflation occurs, investors typically move money into fixed instruments like Bonds because the fixed payment actually buys them more goods and services over time. This could mean that better home loan rates are ahead.

In other news, Initial Jobless Claims reached its highest level in 16 years, while the four-week average of initial claims reached the highest since January 1983.

Currently, Bonds are still hovering near the 200-day Moving Average.

“Your Partner In Success!”

Tony Frerking
Sr. Mortgage Consultant
PMZ Home Loans
1600 N. Carpenter Rd. Ste. C
Modesto, CA 95351
Direct: (209) 404-2200
Fax: (209) 254-7142

For the 11th straight day Mortgage Bonds have touched the 200-day Moving Average. After a higher open, prices have bounced around and are now trading just above this important level.

On the news front, Overall Consumer Price Index fell a record -1.0%, thanks to an 8.6% decline in energy prices. Housing Starts also fell 4.5% in October. And yesterday, Mortgage Bonds bounced higher after news that giant hedge fund Paulson & Co. has started buying beaten-up Mortgage Bonds in its Advantage Plus fund.

The 200-day Moving Average is an amazing level to watch. Mortgage Bonds dipped below this level earlier today and now have settled right above this important floor.

“Your Partner In Success!”

Tony Frerking
Sr. Mortgage Consultant
PMZ Home Loans
1600 N. Carpenter Rd. Ste. C
Modesto, CA 95351
Direct: (209) 404-2200
Fax: (209) 254-7142

 The big news of the day was the Producer Price Index, which indicated that wholesale inflation plummeted last month the most since records began in 1947. However, this decline was largely due to a 25% drop in gasoline prices. On the other hand, the Core PPI–which excludes fuel and food–rose more than expectations, and the year-over-year Core PPI was up the most in nearly 20 years.

In other news, Hewlett Packard surprised Wall Street by announcing that preliminary 4th quarter and 2009 earnings will beat estimates. The news has helped Stocks recover from a lower open.

Currently, Mortgage Bonds continue to trade near the 200-day Moving Average for the 10th consecutive day.

“Your Partner In Success!”

Tony Frerking
Sr. Mortgage Consultant
PMZ Home Loans
1600 N. Carpenter Rd. Ste. C
Modesto, CA 95351
Direct: (209) 404-2200
Fax: (209) 254-7142

Mortgage Bonds are higher this morning after Retail Sales numbers fell for the fourth straight month and plunged to their worst level since record keeping began in 1992. This is important information because it indicates a bad outlook for the retail industry overall and comes as we head into what looks to be the worst holiday shopping season in a long, long time.

In other news, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke spoke in Germany today, indicating that central bankers worldwide are prepared to take additional actions to unfreeze global credit markets.

Earlier this morning, Bonds opened above the 200-Day Moving Average, but have since dipped back below this important level.

“Your Partner In Success!”

Tony Frerking
Sr. Mortgage Consultant
PMZ Home Loans
1600 N. Carpenter Rd. Ste. C
Modesto, CA 95351
Direct: (209) 404-2200
Fax: (209) 254-7142

More homeowners at risk of foreclosure are seeing relief from their lenders according to the Modesto Bee’s J.N. Sbranti.  Foreclosure filings were their highest in August for Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced counties and fell dramatically in October by about half across all counties.

CNNMoney.com reports that foreclosures country wide increased 5 percent from September to October.

At PMZ’s Modesto Residential Sales meeting this morning, PMZ President and CEO, Mike Zagaris, mentioned that while there appears to be a shortage of foreclosures in the area this month, we could see intermittent increases in foreclosure supply in the coming months.  It’s unclear at this time what the supply of bank-owned homes will look like in the future.