Just Ask Joe
I’ve spent a good chunk of my adult life sitting across from my buddy Joe Lunch Pail talking about the economy. Not the kind with charts, graphs, or some guy on TV pointing at a screen.
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Good Intentions, No Follow-Through: Why Policy Uncertainty Is Keeping Markets Flat
Investors aren’t suddenly confused by math. They’re confused by the whiplash. One day it’s tariffs on, next day tariffs off. Government jobs are bloated, then they’re strategic.
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Lender for Life—or Just Another Transaction?
When buying almost anything, everyone wants a “good deal.” That instinct makes sense. But when it comes to mortgages, many buyers do not fully understand what a good deal actually looks like.
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The Big Gouge
Today’s article is a bit of a tribute to one of my favorite movies: The Big Short. If you’ve seen it, you know the plot: a handful of people figured out that the system was being distorted, mispriced, and, in some cases, outright manipulated
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Keep On Knocking….But You Can’t Come In…
Last week, the bond market looked like it was knocking on Heaven’s door. This morning? That door appears to have installed a deadbolt, a chain lock, and possibly a security camera.
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Rates Edge to Lowest Levels in Three Years… But Don’t Pop the Champagne Yet
Mortgage rates drifted modestly lower this week, with the average 30-year fixed settling near 5.99%, typically accompanied by 0.50–0.75 discount points. Yes, that technically places us below the psychologically stubborn 6% threshold.
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When Getting a Mortgage…Maybe We’re Asking the Wrong Questions
As I write this, the federal government has been shut down for 28 days. That’s four full weeks during which hundreds of thousands of federal employees have gone without a paycheck—a full month without income for families who depend on it.
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This Week’s Market Reflection: Inspired by Timbuc 3
Despite today’s employment report showing a slight decline in the unemployment rate to 4.1% (down from 4.2%) and non-farm payrolls increasing by 147,000, markets responded with a marginal uptick in interest rates.
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This Week’s Market Reflection: Inspired by The Grateful Dead
Despite a recent stream of economic data suggesting a decelerating economy, easing inflation, and subtle signs of softening in the labor market, last Thursday’s employment report delivered a sobering reality check.
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This Week’s Market Reflection: Inspired by BTO Taking Care of Business
As many of you know, after seven rewarding years with BankSouth, I joined forces with Jeff Zulauf—one of the top-producing mortgage professionals in Georgia—to launch the Aiken Zulauf Mortgage Group, powered by CrossCountry Mortgage.
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