Source: Keeping Current Matters 3/11/2022
If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home, you’ll want to keep a pulse on what’s happening with mortgage rates. Rates have been climbing in recent months, especially since January of this year. And just a few weeks ago, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate from Freddie Mac approached 4% for the first time since May of 2019. But that climb has dropped slightly over the past few weeks (see graph below):
The recent decline in mortgage rates is primarily due to growing uncertainty around geopolitical tensions surrounding Russia and Ukraine. But experts say it’s to be expected.
Here’s a look at how industry leaders are explaining the impact global uncertainty has on mortgage rates:
Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at First American, says:
“While mortgage rates trended upward in 2022, one unintended side effect of global uncertainty is that it often results in downward pressure on mortgage rates.”
In another interview, Kushi adds:
“Geopolitical events play an important role in impacting the long end of the yield curve and mortgage rates. For example, in the weeks following the ‘Brexit’ vote in 2016, the U.S. Treasury bond yield declined and led to a corresponding decline in mortgage rates.”
Kushi’s insights are a reminder that, historically, economic uncertainty can impact the 10-year treasury yield – which has a long-standing relationship with mortgage rates and is often considered a leading indicator of where rates are headed. Basically, events overseas can have an impact on mortgage rates here, and that’s what we’re seeing today.
Will Mortgage Rates Stay Down?
While no one has a crystal ball to predict exactly what will happen with rates in the future, experts agree this slight decline is temporary. Sam Khater, Chief Economist at Freddie Mac, echoes Kushi’s sentiment, but adds that the decline in rates won’t last:
“Geopolitical tensions caused U.S. Treasury yields to recede this week . . . leading to a drop in mortgage rates. While inflationary pressures remain, the cascading impacts of the war in Ukraine have created market uncertainty. Consequently, rates are expected to stay low in the short-term but will likely increase in the coming months.”
Rates will likely fluctuate in the short-term based on what’s happening globally. But before long, experts project rates will renew their climb. If you’re in the market to buy a home, doing so before rates start to rise again may be your most affordable option.
Bottom Line
Mortgage rates are an important piece of the puzzle because they help determine how much you’ll owe on your monthly mortgage payment in your next home. In uncertain times, it’s best to lean on a trusted real estate advisor for up-to-date information on rates and advice on how to time your next move.
Locals Ready To Start Dealing
Cherokee Scout - Local - Wednesday, May 15, 2013
By Joseph Martin
Cherokee County casino already drawing interest from eager job-seekers; the facility may open in 2015.
Murphy - With 800 jobs being available upon the opening of a casino in Cherokee County, tribal gaming officials already are seeking employment interest in a county that has struggled with double-digit unemployment for years.
Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort will be holding a job fair from 10 a.m to 2 p.m Thursday at the Center for Applied Technology in Marble. The property will be holding interviews and possibly making job offers. Some of their "hot job" is for the table games training school, cage cashiers, sales associates, security officers, food and beverage cashiers.
While these jobs are for the Cherokee location, John Houser - Chairman of the Trible Casino Gaming Enterprise, which oversees casino operations-said they've seen some hiring of Cherokee County residents in anticipation of transferring to the new casino when it opens.
Jo Blaylock, Vice president and community relations for Harrah's Cherokee Casino, said in March that she expects to hire local residents.
"We have several employees who live in Cherokee County who would love to transfer closer to home. However, we expect those internal hires to be minimal," she said.
"We believe we can train everyone needed on site. In fact, our human resources team has already begun the process of meeting with folks from Cherokee County (community college, unemployment agency) to ensure everyone knows and understands the process. Most of the positions that will be available require no previous experience, just a good attitude and a desire to work in a professional service environment."
Houser said right now, the gaming enterprise is in the process of finalizing the land purchase of the Palmer tract. Environmental, geological, archaeological, and cultural surveys are being conducted. He expects the purchase to be final around Aug. 1.
Housers said a master plan is in the works on the building location, and the requests for proposals are being put out for the architecture.
"I would hope to break ground in the fall," he said.
In a county with a 12.2 percent unemployment rate, the big question is when will the facility start hiring. With an estimated opening date in early 2015, Houser said they would hope to be hiring 60 days from opening.
"That depends upon a lot of things falling in place," he said.
Gaming enterprise and casino officials are working on infrastructure, permits, and locations of access.
"There's a lot of moving parts to it right now," Houser said.
There has been some discussion over whether a temporary facility would be built to begin serving the public prior to the entire property opening. Project Director Eric Sneed said they are considering building in phases. The casino portion would be the first phase.
"That would be the temporary casino, if you want to call it that," Sneed said, adding that the hotel will be constructed later.
Mayor Bill Hughes, who had met with casino officials, said, "We told them where the water is. We told them where the sewer is. The water line will be relatively easy."
Larry Kernea, general manager for Murphy Electric Power Board, said his utility is reviewing the needs for providing power to the casino.
"We are still running numbers, and still looking at what it takes to run it," he said.
Kernea has said the casino will use enough electricity to power six Walmarts. While he hopes there won't be a need for a new substation, he said it's something they're will to do.
"We'll do whatever it takes to have good, reliable power over there," he said.
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POTENTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS CASINO PROJECT IN CHEROKEE COUNTY
Prepared by the Cherokee County Economic Development Commission - June 2013
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, EBCI, has committed to developing a large-scale gaming facility on their property located near the town of Murphy in Cherokee County. This project is expected to create 800 direct jobs and an additional 500 indirect jobs. (Source: EMSI Data). The 800 direct jobs will provide average wages and benefits that are in excess of Cherokee County's current per capita personal income level. This economic development project has the potential to move the needle in many areas of Cherokee County's economy.
The total investment by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will be $110 million. The first phase of construction will begin in the near term and will last for a total of 12 to 16 months.
Initially, this project will employ many constructions works from Cherokee County and the surrounding areas. The exact number of construction jobs is not known, but it can be anticipated that hundreds of workers will be needed at the peak of construction. There has not been a construction project of this size in Cherokee County since the construction of the Hiwassee Dam in 1936. The final cost to construct the Hiwassee Dam was $24 million (Source: The Tennessee Valley Authority), in today's dollars that would be approximately $300 million.
Additionally, short-term lodging will be required to house construction workers during the construction phase. Cherokee County has approximately 269 hotel rooms in the five franchised hotels located along Highway 19/74. (Source: EBCI Casino Analysis). It can be expected that the majority of these rooms will be filled during the construction phase. Cherokee County will see increased occupancy and sales tax revenue during the 16-month construction phase and may realize a need for additional hotels to be constructed.
Providing water and sewer infrastructure to the EBCI gaming facility will spur additional retail and commercial growth around the EBCI Casino location. This growth will lead to additional jobs and an increase in the tax base in Cherokee County.
To attract retail businesses and additional commercial development a community must be able to prove they have access to a market large enough to support the business. It is projected that approximately 20,800 vehicles per day will access the Casino site from Hwy 19/74, where currently the traffic volume near the site is 12,000 vehicles per day. (Source: Traffic Study Conducted by Creighton Manning). The expected increase in traffic volume of approximately 73% represents an opportunity for Cherokee County to grow its retail and commercial sector based on the increase in persons visiting the county. We have already begun to work with local property owners to advance plans for retail and commercial development.
An economic impact analysis projected that the creation of 800 jobs in the Casino Hotel sector in Cherokee County will add 500 indirect jobs to the economy. This represents an economic multiplier of 1.66. The wages and benefits will support other job creators such as local retailers, doctors' offices, the local hospital, and beyond. The job types most likely created will be in food preparation, food service, office and administrative, building maintenance, and service occupations. (Source: EMSI Data)
One problem that Cherokee County has faced is the issue of losing young people to urban areas because of a perceived lack of local employment opportunities. Currently, the median age of Cherokee County's workforce is 46 years old. While the majority of jobs are projected to be held by individuals 45 to 54 years of age, a significant number of jobs will be filled by a younger demographic of workers. It is anticipated that 239, or 17 percent, of the direct and indirect jobs, will be held by men and women 35 to 44 years of age. (Source: EMSI Data)
One other issue that may be resolved for Cherokee County by locating the Casino here is the lack of natural gas service. Natural gas service has never been provided in Cherokee, Clay, or Graham Counties. This was primarily due to two factors, lack of demand for the service and the high cost of infrastructure investment necessary to serve the area. Locating an EBCI Casino in Murphy will increase the demand for natural gas which will help create an economic incentive for a natural gas provider to bring the service to Cherokee County.
Natural Gas service is very important to Cherokee County's future development. Natural gas is one of the least expensive forms of energy and is required by one in three industries. If Cherokee County is going to be successful in maintaining an industrial base and attracting new industry to our county we will need natural gas service. We have been working with our economic development partners to develop plans for providing this service. (Source: NC Dept. of Commerce)
In conclusion, the creation of an EBCI Casino will spur Cherokee County's economy in many ways. The most beneficial impact will be the creation of jobs both directly and indirectly from the project. It will also bring the possibility of new commercial and retail growth to the County, and allow for better utilization of the existing assets and infrastructure in the community.
Alcohol Finally Passes for Cherokee County! Murphy North Carolina is the new up and coming area for investors
The votes are in! Cherrokee County North Carolina days of being a dry County are over. For the small town of Murphy NC, this couldn't have come at a better time. Murphy's new Harrah's Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel opened their doors October 2015 and are expected to bring in an estimated 500,000 + tourist to the area this summer. Investors were waiting in the wings to see if the 2016 ballot to allow alchohol sales outside of city limits, was going to pass. Well, it did, and now investors are making their moves.
Business investors are not the only ones cashing in on the great opportunity to own a piece of Murphy NC. First time home buyers, flippers, and rental property investors are also scooping up available homes to earn an income from the estimated rise in equity. "It's a un-tapped goldmine of opportunity here in Murphy", said one local man.
As a Realtor/Broker in Murphy, NC Big Frank Schuler was interviewed by the Cherokee Scout and commented that "We are a tourist community now" said Big Frank Nov 2, 2016.
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Breaks Ground on New Casino
Ceremonial Kick-Off Marks Beginning of $110 million project in Cherokee County, NC
PR Newswire
MURPHY, N.C., Oct. 15, 2013
MURPHY, N.C., Oct. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A $110 million project to build a new casino in Cherokee County, NC is officially underway. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Harrah's Casino was held today at the future site of the facility just outside the town of Murphy. The casino will be owned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and will be managed by Caesars Entertainment Corporation.
The EBCI already owns Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort, which is located in the town of Cherokee, about an hour away from the new casino site. The Cherokee County facility will feature 60,000 square feet of gaming space with slots and traditional table games; a 300-room full service hotel; and a variety of dining options.
The casino will be located approximately two hours away from Knoxville, Chattanooga and downtown Atlanta and will serve the large and growing adult population living within that radius. In 2011, 7.4 million people age 21 or older lived within 2.5 hours of the casino site. Now, more than 7.6 million people adults live in that same area.
"Our winning partnership with Caesars Entertainment gives us a proven track record in the gaming industry," said Principal Chief Michell Hicks. "This is an ambitious project, but we are confident that it will be a success – for our customers, our tribe and for the surrounding community."
The games featured will include traditional favorites as well as the most popular slot products available on the market when the casino opens.
"The Cherokee County casino will certainly bear the high standards of the Caesar's name and brand," said Gary Loveman, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Caesars Entertainment Corporation. "We are an industry leader, and we implement the full expectations of that status into every facility we manage. Hopefully, that will translate into continued success for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the residents and other businesses of Cherokee County."
The casino will create an estimated 900 jobs on-site and inject up to $39 million in wages into the surrounding area.
Photos of the groundbreaking are provided courtesy of the Cherokee One Feather and are available at Twitter: https://twitter.com/GWYOneFeather or
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cherokee-One-Feather/455823221122607.
About the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation is located in western North Carolina. It currently owns the Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort, which is located in Cherokee, NC. The Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a five-member board that oversees the tribe's current casino operations and will oversee the operation of the Cherokee County casino as well.
About Caesars Entertainment Corporation
Caesars Entertainment is the world's most diversified casino-entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 75 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions, and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company's resorts operate primarily under the Caesars®, Harrah's®, and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence, and technology leadership. Caesars Entertainment is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment.
SOURCE Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1526345#ixzz2hu4Ae8pS
Free fishing set on July 4
N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission invites anglers and would-be anglers of all ages to go fishing - for free.
From 12:01 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 4, everyone in North Carolina - resident and non-residents, can fish in any public body of water, including coastal waters, without purchasing a fishing license or additional trout fishing privilege.
Although no fishing license is required all other fishing regulations, including size and creel limits and lure restrictions, still apply.
To give anglers a better chance of catching fish, the Commission stocks a variety of fish in waters across the state, including trout and channel catfish.
The agency also provides access to fishing sites across the state, including public fishing areas and boating access areas.
The interactive fishing and boating maps on the commission's Web site list more than 500 fishing and boating areas, many of which are free and open to the public.
Authorized by N.C. General Assembly in 1994, North Carolina's annual free fishing day always falls on the Fourth of July.
Compiled from U.S. Forest Service and N.C. Wildlife Commission reports.
Cherokee Scout, Wednesday, June 19, 2013.
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Are you a Seller? Call Big Frank now to List your property for maximum market exposure and getting top dollars.
Are you a Buyer? Call Big Frank with any Real Estate questions and needs. Whether searching for a first or second home, vacation rentals or home and land packages, brand new constructions custom made or fixer-upper properties, Big Frank CAN help YOU! You can visit our website www.28906.com
Big Frank knows the areas very well, he wants to find a WOW factor for his clients. Big Frank serves the entire Western NC, including Murphy, Andrews, Marble, Topton, Brasstown, Hayesville, Peachtree, Hiwassee, and Northeast GA including Blairsville, Blue Ridge, Hiawassee, Young Harris, Ellijay, and Mineral Bluff.
Are you a real estate Investor? Due to historically low-interest rates, IT'S TIME TO INVEST IN THE MOUNTAINS REAL ESTATE!
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