The U.S. economy continues to show signs of a rebound. According to the Census Bureau, Retail Sales climbed to $329 billion last month on a seasonally-adjusted basis, excluding automobiles. January's data marks the 18th time in 19 months that Retail Sales rose, a run that's increased total sales receipts by 11 percent. This is big news because Retail Sales accounts for close to 70% of the U.S. economy. In addition, consumer confidence is rising. In a separate, joint report from the University of Michigan and...continue reading...

Economists believe the strength of the 2012 housing market will be closely tied to jobs. If they're right, the housing market is ripe for a boost. It spells good news for San Diego home sellers and may mean the end of bargain-basement prices for buyers. Since peaking in mid-2009, the number of U.S. workers filing for first-time unemployment benefits has dropped 44 percent. Over the same period of time, the U.S. economy has added more than 2 million jobs and the...continue reading...

As compared to gloomy days, do "sunny days" put you in a good mood? If you're like many people in San Diego County, the answer is "yes". In a study of more than 1,200 people, researchers found that daily weather factors such as temperature, precipitation and length of day can alter a person's emotional state. Of all the weather factors, however, "sunshine" can have the most profound effect. The most likely reason is because sunshine affects people in a physiological manner. When the...continue reading...

But Will It Ever Get Off the Ground? The Obama administration has proposed a national refinance plan in an effort to stimulate the housing market by helping those homeowners who are underwater on their mortgages, or owe more on their loan than what the home is currently worth. Based on the proposal, the program would be available to responsible mortgage borrowers...and could save them up to $3,000 a year if they were to partake in the program. However - and this is...continue reading...