In Is Now the Time to Enter the U.S. Housing Market? guest writer Chad Fisher examines the various options potential home buyers have for taking advantage of historically low mortgage rates and home values. Below are the sources of data provided — read on to learn more.
Gap Inc. Reports February Sales (GapInc.com)
According to the March 1, 2012 press release, “Net sales for the four-week period ended February 25, 2012 were $874 million compared with net sales of $821 million for the four-week period ended February 26, 2011″
Target Reports February Sales Results (Target.com)
On the same day, Target released their own earnings report, stating “net retail sales for the four weeks ended February 25, 2012 were $5,132 million, an increase of 8.0 percent from $4,750 million for the four weeks ended February 26, 2011.”
Limited Brands Announces 19 Percent Increase in Fourth Quarter Adjusted Earnings Per Share (LimitedBrands.com)
According to a Feb. 22, 2012 press release by Limited Brands, Inc. “Adjusted earnings per share for the fourth quarter ended Jan. 28, 2012…increased 19 percent to $1.50 compared to $1.26 for the quarter ended Jan. 29, 2011.”
Chairman Ben S. Bernanke, Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress (Federal Reserve)
The Federal Reserve published a transcript of Bernanke’s most recent address on monetary policy, in which he summarized economic recovery as “uneven” and “modest.”
Freddie Mac Releases 28th Annual ARM Survey Results (FreddieMac.com)
Freddie Mac found in its 28th Annual Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM) Survey of prime loan offerings that ARM initial-period rates are at historically low levels and hybrid ARMs are the most common adjustable-rate product in the market. The study was conducted January 3 to January 5 of 2012.
