The Art of Investing (Part 2)
Art Espinoza recently asked me to return to his radio show entitled “The Art of Investing”. Art is a respected financial advisor and wealth manager with offices in Vero Beach, Florida and Brookfield, Wisconsin, and his show airs every Saturday at 9:30 am on WAXE 107.9FM and 1370AM, or on iHeart Radio.
Here’s the Point: Listen to the following audio clip in which we debate a variety of topics including real estate trends in Vero Beach and in Florida, current demand for mortgages, liquidity in the financial markets, and the direction of interest rates:
The Art of Investing
I recently had the pleasure of ap
pearing on a radio show entitled “The Art of Investing”, hosted by Art Espinoza. Having known Art for quite some time in the Vero Beach community along the Treasure Coast of Florida, he asked me to discuss what’s happening in the real estate market, who the primary borrowers of real estate capital are, where I see interest rates going, and a variety of other related topics.
Art has been a respected financial advisor and wealth manager for 28 years, and has offices in Vero Beach, Florida and Brookfield, Wisconsin. His show, “The Art of Investing”, is broadcast every Saturday morning at 9:30 am on WAXE 107.9FM and 1370AM, or on iHeart Radio: http://www.iheart.com/live/WAXE-1079-FM-1370-AM-4788/
Art kindly asked me to make regular appearances on his program, and I look forward to sharing real estate industry dialogue and exchanging topical ideas with listeners in the future.
Here’s the Point: Click HERE to listen to our discussion of what’s currently happening in the Florida economy with respect to commercial and residential real estate activity and interest rates.
What’s Happening to Interest Rates?
It may not be an original question, but a relatively important one if you are deciding whether or not to lock the interest rate on your loan. Remember that long-term rates (more relevant to those focused on fixed rate financing) typically lag short-term rates (more relevant for floating/variable rate loans).
Rising Interest Rates are Mainly a Function of Three Things:
- Demand for Credit – If people and/or companies are borrowing more in the market, lenders will charge higher interest rates (to attract deposits and entice bond investors)
- Inflation – If there is too much money chasing too few goods and services in the economy, prices start to increase too rapidly (interest rates will increase in order to curtail demand, and to compensate for the decrease in purchasing power from artificial price increases)
- Monetary Policy – If the Federal Reserve sells U.S. securities, money is drained from the economy as lenders invest rather than lend to the public (a low supply of funds to lend increases the fed funds rate – the interest rate banks charge each other to borrow funds)
The recent good news on the unemployment rate (which could increase public demand for credit) was mainly due to the furloughed government employees returning to work. And, inflation is in check at 1%.
Here’s the Point: The amount of government debt has increased by over 150% in the past 10 years. Any material increase to interest rates would adversely affect the deficit, rendering even more budget problems for our current Administration.
