For the first time in 30 years, Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, will be closed on Thanksgiving, the company announced this week, saying it wants to give a break to essential staff who have been working during the pandemic. “We know this has been a trying year, and our associates have stepped up. We hope […] Read more

There are a lot of amateurs these days trying to get in the game. Flipping homes is the “dream” occupation because watching the reality TV programs on Bravo and HGTV make it look like the easiest way to make the big bucks with no downside. As a realtor who has worked through many up-and-down markets, let me caution you: […] Read more

Sadly, as markets stall and crash, participants will still be in their seats thinking all is well. The tragic 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447 offers an apt analogy for the global economy and central bank-driven false signals. Flight 447 entered an area of frigid turbulence over the Atlantic which caused the air-speed sensors (pitot tubes) to […] Read more

By now you have probably heard that the first quarter of 2020 was the worst quarter for the Dow Jones Industrial Average since 1987. For the S&P 500, it was the worst quarter since 2008. While those stats are startling, they could have been much worst had the quarter not started so well. In reality, […] Read more

Judging by some memes in circulation, a large segment of the American population is callously indifferent to the health of the stock market. “Wall Street isn’t Main Street. Stocks aren’t the economy, so who cares if stocks are down?” Ignoring the fact that Main Street is in an even worse condition than Wall Street right […] Read more

The stock market continues to act like the weather – good one day and bad the next – unpredictable. It continues to defy prediction and even great news has little lasting effect. At least, there is still some hope left. Hopes seem to have been buoyed by President Trump’s statement that we cannot stay closed […] Read more

With the losses on Wednesday and Thursday, the major U.S. indices officially reached bear market territory by falling over 20% from their peaks in February. Looking at the rapid decline, I couldn’t help but be astounded by how sharply the decline has occurred. In four weeks the S&P is down over 26% – at least […] Read more

The coronavirus panic shaking world markets has offered home owners a historic opportunity to purchase or refinance home loans at extremely low interest rates. For the week ending on March 6, 30-year fixed rate mortgages for top tier scenarios (such as borrowers with good credit) are getting snagged for rates as low as 3-3.25%. According […] Read more