Chase Bank Home Equity

(CSRwire) KeyCorp announced today that its Retail Banking subsidiary, KeyBank National Association, has signed a third consecutive four-year agreement with the City of Cleveland for local community reinvestment. The latest $400 million commitment increases Key's funding for community reinvestment in Cleveland to more than $1 billion. In Key's previous agreements, it committed more than $580 million between 1992 and 1999. Its actual investment exceeded those commitments by $34 million. The agreement focuses on six major lending areas: home purchase and home improvement loans; consumer lending; small business loans; community development lending; and equity and philanthropic contributions. In many cases, the financial terms will be more favorable than would be possible without the agreement, such as loans for small businesses tied to the prime rate, and a home loan of up to 97 percent of value, plus closing costs.

Reverse mortgage workshop informs public about the pros and cons

Local residents gathered at the Kernville Chamber of Commerce Jan. 16 to learn more about reverse mortgages. The Prince Financial Corporation representative, Barbara Prince, Bankers First representative Rylan Rozell and Patty Nash of McKenzie and Nielsen provided those in attendance with large packets of information on the ins and outs of reverse mortgages including the negative aspects of entering into a reverse mortgage. The purpose of the presentation was to educate as well as provide financial opportunities for seniors.

According to the Reverse Mortgage Page website over 50,000 Americans applied for reverse mortgages in 2006. A reverse mortgage is a way to borrow against the equity in your home rather than a forward mortgage where you are attempting to purchase a home and build home equity by making mortgage payments.

The darker side of interest rate cuts

The move had the effect of reducing rates on mortgages and home equity loans, and reassured investors that the Fed will do what it can to spur economic activity as long as the threat of recession looms.

But as much as Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke might like to keep the economy rolling by slashing interest rates, it's not clear how much room he'll have to do so. Two factors complicate the outlook for further interest-rate cuts: the hefty losses in the financial sector that are making banks less eager to lend money, and the prospect that lower rates will chase overseas investors away from the dollar, lowering the value of the greenback and boosting inflation. Adding to the case against deep rate cuts is the widespread perception that it was the Fed's rate-cutting zealousness after the last recession that led to the housing bubble that now threatens to derail the economy.