Team Diva is getting ready to celebrate several of our Diva Divotees + Dwellers’ big 50th birthday this week. Part of the team is off to Hawaii for a small celebration of their big milestone. It is also a milestone for us. Diva Kaz has been a real estate broker now for two years. And in March of 2008 Diva Chavi quit her job at Starbucks on a whim and plunged in to the creative process of forming Team Diva with the Original Diva Kim. The transition we have gone through as a team and the success of Team Diva would not have been possible without our Hawaii 5-0 gang. Cheers!

Below are a couple of links to stories showing that there is more to celebrate than just our Hawaii 5-0 gang!

• Sales Contracts for Homes rose 2% in January: The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes rose in January to the highest level in nearly two years. Essentially we have not seen this level of activity since the tax credit season of 2010. In 2010 we were celebrating a Diva Dweller’s 4-0 birthday’s in Mexico. Looks like we will be working on vacation again this year. Bring it!
• Mortgage Rates Hover a Smidgen Above Record Lows: The average rate on the 30-year mortgage edged down this week to hover again above record lows. Same story just a different year. But seriously, why are you still renting?
• FHA Will Raise Premiums: The FHA will raise by 0.75 percentage point to 1.75% the upfront insurance premiums that borrowers must pay when they take out a loan backed by the agency. The change could result in about a $10,000 difference in purchase price. Not a big deal if you are buying a home in Seattle over $400,000. The new FHA premium is going to be a big deal if you are buying a home for $250,000 in a hot neighborhood. Suddenly being qualified for $240,000 could be the difference of you getting the house and losing it to a competing offer from another buyer.